Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Under Tack Show Concludes

With two horses equaling the fastest quarter-mile time of :21 3/5 and four stopping the watch in the co-fastest eighth-mile time of :10, the under tack show workouts for next week's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale drew to a close May 16.

With horses, buyers, and consignors enjoying the best conditions of the three days of workouts, the dirt track was playing fast and consistent throughout the nearly six-hour session, with the horses able to display future potential. The sale takes place May 20-21 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds near Timonium, Md., with sessions beginning at 11 a.m. ET daily.

"I thought we saw a very good display of quality horses and a well-attended breeze show, so we're optimistic for the sale Monday and Tuesday," said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning Jr. "We had heard before the sale that it is a very good group, and I think we saw some very impressive breezes over the last three days. I think the market will continue to gravitate toward what they perceive to be quality, with serious competition for what they perceive to be the top horses and a solid marketplace below that."

The fastest quarter-mile workers were Hip 424, a Cairo Prince  filly from de Meric Sales, agent; and Hip 445, a Daredevil  colt consigned by Richardson Bloodstock.

Bred in Kentucky by Jose Luis Espinoza, the Cairo Prince filly was produced from multiple stakes-placed $209,672 earner Rico's Posse, by Posse. The filly was acquired by de Meric for $145,000 from Select Sales at the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

"The Cairo Prince filly worked well, and we've had some other nice breezes today," Nick de Meric said. "The track is helping some of these horses showcase themselves."

The colt from Daredevil's first crop is out of the winning Indian Charlie mare Seattle Charlie and descends from the extended female family of grade 3 winners Something Ventured, Intensive Command, and Around the Cape, among other black-type horses. Bred in Kentucky by Cloyce C. Clark, the colt was bought by Mike Neatherlin for $100,000 when consigned by Select Sales to Keeneland's September Yearling Sale.

Texas-based trainer Neatherlin, the father of Richardson Bloodstock's Lane Richardson, said he was not surprised by the quick workout.

"I keep all my horses at Sam Houston (Race Park), and he's been outworking other horses unbelievable," Neatherlin said. "I knew he's really a runner. This horse can run all day. He's a beautiful mover. I told my son he's the best baby I've had in a long time."

A speedy New York-bred Violence  filly (Hip 467) consigned by Crupi's New Castle Farm was among the fastest furlong workers in :10, with agent Jim Crupi noting the clockers timed her gallop out in :21 and :33 3/5.

"She kind of ducked from the rail, and if she hadn't bobbled, she's going to be (timed in) :09 4/5," Crupi said, adding that the filly was entered in The Gulfstream Sale, Fasig-Tipton's 2-year-old sale in South Florida, but was withdrawn due to an illness. "She's always been fast."

Bought by Crupi for $210,000 from Summerfield at the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale, the filly was bred by Dutchess Views Farm and was originally sold by Vinery Sales, agent for the breeder, to Triple A Thoroughbreds for $60,000 at The Saratoga Fall Sale in 2017. The filly is out of Significant Other, a three-time-winning Not For Love mare who also has produced Marriedtothemusic, a stakes winner who won 10 races and earned $471,738.

Joining the fastest eighth-mile workers was Hip 535, a gray filly from the first crop of The Big Beast  consigned by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables. Bred in Florida by John D. and Carole A. Rio, the filly was bought in the name of Owls Bloodstock from Caballo Grande out of the Ocala Breeders' Sales October Yearling Sale for $45,000, a price that surprised Dunne.

"We thought she might have cost a tick more," he said. "We thought she was a really nice filly at the time, and we were pleasantly surprised. Nothing bothers her. She's push button. If you want her to go slow, she goes slow. If you want her to go fast, she goes fast."

The filly's dam, the winning Exchange Rate mare Therese, is a half sister to grade 1 winner and sire Proud Accolade.

Working an eighth-mile in :10 was Hip 574, a Flatter  colt consigned by Becky Thomas' Sequel Bloodstock as agent. Bred in Kentucky by Erich Brehm and Wayne Detmar, the colt is out of the stakes-placed Salt Lake mare Veronica's Lake, a half sister to multiple stakes winner Tensas Harbor. He was bought by Thomas for $70,000 from St George Sales at the Keeneland September sale.

"I was expecting a :10 1/5 work, so I was excited," said Thomas, adding that the colt was entered in an OBS 2-year-old sale but was withdrawn after a subpar workout over the synthetic track. "I had him at OBS, but he wasn't particularly enamored with the track and I wanted to try him on dirt. I have had a lot of dirt runners who liked that track and some who don't."

An inexpensive yearling purchase from the first crop of Wicked Strong  consigned as Hip 590 by Bobby Dodd, agent, was also one of the co-fastest eighth-mile workers. Bought in the name of Roller Derby Farm for $17,000 from Eaton Sales at the Keeneland September sale, the bay filly bred in Kentucky by Justice Farm and Greg Justice is the first foal from the winning Flatter  mare With Wonder, a half sister to multiple stakes-placed runners Mazella and Veuve and to the dam of Canadian stakes winner It's Gail.

"I just liked her body, and she's correct," Dodd said. "She's pretty and she's fast."

Thursday's under tack session was interrupted when a Tale of the Cat  colt suffered a catastrophic injury while galloping around the turn after working an eighth-mile in :10 2/5 during the fourth set. Consigned as Hip 426 by Crane Thoroughbred Services, agent, the colt named Cat Three B was euthanized. The exercise rider was uninjured.

"Unfortunately, we had a horse that suffered an injury and was unable to be saved and was put down on the racetrack," Browning said. "He will be sent to New Bolton (Center at the University of Pennsylvania) for a necropsy. He appeared to suffer a compound fracture."