Ferguson purchases Birdstone colt for $400,000 at Fasig-Tipton

The session topper was the only yearling by Birdstone in the catalog (Enzina Mastrippolito/Horsephotos.com) On the heels of siring Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mine That Bird and Belmont S. (G1) winner Summer Bird in his very first crop, Birdstone now ranks as the sire of the session topper during Monday's opening day at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Selected Yearlings Sale. John Ferguson, who represents Sheikh Mohammed, purchased a Birdstone colt for the top price of $400,000 at the company's Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky. Consigned by Dapple Stud, agent, Hip No. 228 is a half-brother to the multiple stakes-placed Por Que (Whywhywhy), who finished second in last year's Zia Park Derby and was most recently third in the May 16 Express S. at Lone Star Park. The dark bay colt was produced by the unraced Seattle Slew mare Slew Smarts, and his fourth dam is Silent Beauty (Creme dela Creme), heroine of the 1971 Kentucky Oaks. Further back, this is the family of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Hollywood Story (Wild Rush) and Grade 2 victor Seattle Fitz (Arg) (Fitzcarraldo). The Kentucky-bred yearling first went through the sales ring at Keeneland in January, bringing $37,000. Earlier in the day, Ferguson had snapped up a colt from the first crop of champion Bernardini for $350,000, the session's joint second-highest price. Sporting Hip 169, he was offered by Lane's End, agent.

The bay colt is out of Nassau S. (Eng-G2) queen Lyphard's Delta (Lyphard),

making him a three-quarter brother to Garden City H. (G1) winner Indy Five

Hundred (A.P. Indy) and multiple Grade 3 victress Delta Princess (A.P. Indy).

The yearling's second dam is Proud Delta (Delta Judge), the champion handicap

mare of 1976 who garnered such major events as the Beldame S. (G1) and Top

Flight H. (G1).

Also commanding $350,000 was the day's most expensive filly, a dark bay

daughter of Rock Hard Ten who went to D. Yokum as agent for Mercedes Stables.

From the consignment of Bluewater Sales, agent, Hip 147 is out of the winning

Seattle Slew mare Incredible Story.

She hails from the family of French Group 2 winner Luth de Saron (Fr) (Luthier),

the dam of Sunset H. (G1) hero Roi Normand (Exclusive Native), multiple Grade 2

queen Trampoli (Trempolino) and multiple French Group 3 scorer Luth Dancer

(Blushing Groom [Fr]). Luth de Saron also appears as the second dam of Prix

Saint-Alary (Fr-G1) winner Coquerelle (Ire) (Zamindar), who was third in the

2007 Queen Elizabeth II Invitational Challenge Cup (G1).

The hot stallion Medaglia d'Oro, sire of Preakness (G1) heroine Rachel

Alexandra, was responsible for the day's fourth best seller, a $310,000 colt.

Offered by Three Chimneys Sales, agent, he was knocked down to Starlight

Partners.

Cataloged as Hip 246, the dark bay is a half-brother to War Tigress (War

Chant), winner of the Caressing H. as a juvenile last fall. His dam, the

stakes-placed Tigresa (Tejano), is out of a full sister to multiple stakes

victor Pulverizing (Well Decorated), and she descends from the same female line

as Grade 1 winner Country Queen (Explodent).

The bulk of Monday's trade, representing 213 of 247 hips, was dedicated to

the New Sires Showcase. For the session, 125 yearlings brought a total of

$8,933,500, a 32.9 percent plunge from opening day one year ago, when

$13,311,000 was realized by 142 horses. The average was down 23.8 percent, from

$93,739 to $71,468, while the median fell 33.3 percent, from $75,000 to $50,000.

The two-day auction concludes Tuesday, beginning at 10 a.m. (EDT). For more

information, including live video of the sale, log onto fasigtipton.com.