First Curlin Sold at Saratoga Brings $750,000

Juddmonte Farms, which had already bought two in the early going of opening night at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale Aug. 7, went to $750,000 for a filly by Curlin  .

The filly was the first by Hill 'n' Dale Farms' Curlin to enter the auction ring. She is a daughter of Purple Cat (by Bluegrass Cat  ). Her second dam, Swift Girl, produced grade 1 winner Sky Diva and Quick Little Miss. Selling as Hip 34, the filly is also out of the family of graded stakes winners Pure Clan and Greater Good.

"She looks like she could be an Oaks filly long-term," said Garrett O'Rourke, manager of Juddmonte's American operation. "Thought I'd get for a little less but when they're that nice, you have to be prepared to go a little bit extra. I was pushed to my very, very limit."

Regarding the sale early, O'Rourke said he identified some very nice horses to bid on early.

"We decided to be brave and we came away with three horses," he said. "Sometimes not being brave means you get beaten, so we've picked the right strategy, hopefully."

Freelance writer Teresa Genaro contributed to this report.