Visit Our CDI Partners

Storm Cat filly headlines first session at Saratoga

Last updated: 8/4/08 11:26 PM

Storm Cat filly poses for crowd during Fasig-Tipton

Saratoga's opening session

(Horsephotos.com)

A bay filly from one of the last crops of the now pensioned champion sire

Storm Cat brought a winning bid of $1,500,000 by Barry Irwin of Team Valor to

lead the first session of the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Sale Monday night

at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs, New York. Catalogued as

Hip No. 80 and consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent, the Kentucky-bred

is out of the Grade 3-winning Totemic (Vanlandingham), making her a half-sister

to Grade 2 winner Lil's Lad (Pine Bluff) and a full sister to Group 3 winner

Cherokee and Irish stakes winner Art Museum.

Irwin also purchased the second-session topper at the 2007 edition of the

sale, a $2.2 million Mr. Greeley colt now named Kinsella.

Pyramid Indy, by Horse of the Year and dual leading sire A.P. Indy, was the

highest-selling colt of the session at $1,200,000. Purchased by William S. Farish,

the Kentucky-bred is the third foal out of the unraced Pyramid Lake (Broad

Brush), who has produced the Grade 3-placed fillies Pyramid Love (Fusaichi

Pegasus) and Pyrana (Anabaa). Pyramid Indy's second dam, Grade 2 winner Peintre

Bleue (Alydar), produced European Horse of the Year and classic winner Peintre

Celebre (Nureyev), who captured the 1997 Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1). This female

family also produced English Horse of the Year Pawneese (*Carwin II), a classic

winner in both England and France.

Catalogued as Hip No. 31, Pyramid Indy was consigned by Hunter Valley Farm,

agent. He failed to meet his reserve as a weanling at the Keeneland November

Sale last fall.

Darley, through their representative John Ferguson, was active from the start

of Monday's session. Ferguson was the successful bidder for the first yearling

through the ring and later went to $900,000 to secure Hip 68, a Distorted Humor

colt out of the Grade 3 winning Stupendous Miss (Dynaformer). Consigned by

Denali Stud, agent, the dark bay hails from the same female family that produced

English and Irish champion Storm Bird (Northern Dancer), the sire of Storm Cat.

Ferguson also was the highest bidder at $700,000 for an A.P. Indy colt

consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Catalogued as Hip 24, the

Florida-bred is third foal out of the multiple stakes winning Platinum Tiara (Cozzene),

who finished second in the 2000 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (G1) and placed

in three other Grade 3 events, and is a full sister to the Group 2-placed Silent

Waves.

A decline in the number of horse's sold at the first session compared to last

year resulted in a drop in gross proceeds, but average and median saw increases.

The gross dropped 9.8 percent to $17,915,000 as 59 head sold compared to 76 last

year. Average, however, increased 16.2 percent to $303,644 while the median rose

to $230,000, an increase of 10.8 percent.

The sale was to conclude Tuesday night at 7 p.m. (EDT). Results can be found

at www.fasigtipton.com

FEATURED PRODUCTS

ADVERTISEMENT