Frosted Leads Strong First-Crop Sire Ranks at July Sale

Several buyers and consignors remarked ahead of Fasig-Tipton's The July Sale about a depth in quality possessed by the progeny of this year's first-crop yearling sires.

That quality shone through the leading sire rankings (with two or more sold) from the sale's yearling session July 9, which included four first-crop sires among the top 10 by average price.

Darley's Frosted  led the first-crop standings with a $228,750 average from four sold out of five offered. The three-time grade 1-winning son of Tapit  also was the second-leading sire by average overall behind Claiborne Farm's Flatter , with a $297,500 average from two sold out of as many offered.

Frosted's top seller was a $330,000 filly out of the stakes-placed Street Sense  daughter Humble Street that Wynnstay Sales sold to Danielle Bricker, agent for Let's Go Stable. The sire had two progeny among the top 10 highest-priced yearlings, including a $275,000 colt out of the Candy Ride  daughter Candy Crush, who is half sister to three black-type winners. Lane's End sold the Candy Crush colt to agent Justin Casse.

Claiborne's Runhappy  was the second-leading first-crop sire by average, and sixth-ranked sire overall. The son of Super Saver  and 2015's Eclipse champion sprinter had a $156,750 average from four sold out of four offered. His top seller was a $225,000 filly, out of the Seeking the Gold winner and stakes producer Enth, which Michael and Julia O'Quinn sold to trainer Ken McPeek on behalf of Selective LLC.

Following Runhappy on the leading sire list were Darley's Nyquist , with a $153,333 average from three sold and offered, and WinStar Farm's Speightster , with a $140,833 average from six sold out of 10 offered.

Nyquist, a son of Uncle Mo , 2015 champion 2-year-old male, and winner of the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), was represented by the sale's co-second highest-priced yearling. His son, out of the Storm Creek graded stakes producer Murky Waters, brought a final bid of $330,000 from agent Ben McElroy acting on behalf of Corinthian Medical/Wilson Sisk. The Nyquist colt was consigned by Stuart Morris for Highclere & Partners.

Denali Stud offered Speightster's top seller, a $285,000 colt out of Mizzen Mast 's daughter Cheap Perfume, a half sister to grade 1 winner Capo Bastone . Robert and Lawana Low bought the Speightster colt, who was the day's sixth-highest-priced yearling. Speightster is a grade 3-winning son of Speightstown , who also stands at WinStar.

Rounding out the top 10 first-crop sires by average were Spendthrift Farm's Brody's Cause  ($111,250 from four sold); WinStar's Outwork  ($107,500, 10 sold); Taylor Made Stallions' Not This Time  ($106,667, three sold), Airdrie Stud's Upstart  ($104,000, five sold); WinStar's Exaggerator  ($97,500, two sold); and Crestwood Farm's Firing Line  ($80,000, two sold).

"I thought (the freshmen sires) were very strong," said pinhooker Ciaran Dunne, who operates Wavertree Stables. "I saw Outwork in May for the first time; he's a stunningly beautiful horse. I had no idea who Anchor Down  was, and we bought one of those. We really liked the individual. Firing Line is a very good horse and Exaggerator, he could run. ... We make a living buying first season sires. I think we were very lucky with the Exaggerator colt that we got in early. I'll tell you next year how lucky we were."