Yearlings Out of Grade 1 Winners Stand Out at Saratoga

Seven youngsters entered in the upcoming Fasig-Tipton Saratoga selected yearling sale carry the distinction of being out of grade 1-winning mares, and three of the yearlings in this group—all fillies—are by three-time leading sire Tapit  .

Hip 44, from the Gainesway consignment, is a Medaglia d'Oro   half brother to multiple grade 1-placed, Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1) third-place finisher Battle of Midway. His dam, the Concerto mare Rigoletta, earned her grade 1 victory in the 2010 Oak Leaf Stakes (G1) at Hollywood Park as a juvenile. Hip 44 is her third foal. The colt's female family traces back to champion sprinter Musical Romance.

"He's a good-bodied, big, strong, imposing colt, with a great page behind him. He's by a top sire in Medaglia d'Oro and his dam is young, but she's already produced a graded stakes winner and was a graded stakes winner herself," said Michael Hernon, Gainesway's director of sales. "He's going to be a very fine prospect."

Hip 45 is a Curlin   colt out of River's Prayer mare consigned by Craig and Holly Bandoroff's Denali Stud for Stonestreet Bred & Raised. 

"He's absolutely gorgeous. He looks like an oil painting," Craig Bandoroff said. "He's strong and correct—a great mover. Stonestreet breeds and sells runners, and they've done a great job with him. He's been showing himself beautifully and has been very popular."

River's Prayer earned multiple graded wins with career earnings of $921,958. Her top victory came in the 2007 Princess Rooney Handicap (G1) at Calder. 

Hip 48 is consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency. The grey Tapit filly is out of Lady of Fifty, who racked up a slew of graded stakes victories on the West Coast, including a score in the 2013 Clement L. Hirsch Handicap (G1) at Del Mar. Hip 48 is her second foal, a full sister to the unraced 2-year old colt Watschen.

Hip 75, another Tapit filly named Tap to My Lu, will be offered by Lane's End. She is out of Sweet Lulu, who won the 2013 Test Stakes (G1) at Saratoga Race Course. Sweet Lulu is a half sister to 2016 Kelso Handicap (G2) winner Anchor Down  , and Iron Fist, winner of this year's Prairie Meadows Cornhusker Handicap (G3). Anchor Down just finished his first year at stud at Gainesway. Both are by Tapit.

"She's a pretty typical Tapit. She's well made, balanced, and satisfies the physical," said Allaire Ryan, Lane's End's sales director. "Her strong point is her pedigree. She's got a beautiful page and will offer someone a lot of residual value as a broodmare prospect down the line."

Hip 124 is a Speightstown   colt out of Appealing Zophie. Consigned by Denali, he is the only horse in the sale out of a mare who is both a grade 1 winner and a grade 1 producer. Appealing Zophie is another who won her grade 1 at the Spa, where she took the 2006 Spinaway Stakes (G1) as a juvenile. Tapwrit, her 3-year old colt by Tapit, won this year's Belmont Stakes presented by NYRA Bets (G1).

Hunter Valley Farm offers Hip 201, a chestnut colt from the second crop of Declaration of War   out of 2003 Ballerina Handicap (G1) winner Harmony Lodge. Harmony Lodge is also the dam of 2013 Shakertown Stakes (G3T) winner Stratford Hill. 

"He's a very nice colt with a lot of quality," said Fergus Galvin, manager of Hunter Valley. "He's got a lovely walk to him. His sire is a freshman sire, but he's off to a good start. Most of them are in Europe, but he's already got a grade 2 winner with the filly Actress, so it looks promising. His dam was a great race filly. She got her grade 1 here at Saratoga, so we are hopeful."

Hip 222 is consigned by Meg Levy's Bluewater Sales and rounds out the Tapit trio. She is out of the Empire Maker   mare Last Full Measure, who won the 2013 Madison Stakes (G1) at Keeneland. Her second dam, Lazy Slusan, who notched victories in the Santa Margarita Invitational Handicap (G1) at Santa Anita Park and Milady Breeders' Cup Handicap (G1) at Hollywood Park, both in 2001.