A Cry baby tops first session of Saratoga

For those that hung around to the end of Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Select Yearling Sale on August 6, 2012, they got to see something very special. A beautiful Street Cry colt entered the ring and it wasn’t but a matter of a couple of minutes before the tote board had climbed to seven figures. When it was all said and done, the bay yearling brought a final bid of $1.2 million. Out of A.P. Indy’s champion daughter Serenading, the colt was consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms with Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock advisor, John Ferguson, signing the ticket. Street Cry enters the 2012 sales season as the reigning leading active sire of 2011 by sales average.

Earlier in the sale it was another Darley sire, Medaglia d'Oro, who was drawing a bit of attention. Most know that the sire of Rachel Alexandra continues to throw beautiful foals, further illustrated by hip number 51. From the consignment of VanMeter Sales, agent, this fantastic colt by is a half-brother to two Graded Stakes winners, and was knocked down at $490,000 to Niall Brennan.

It seems somewhat appropriate that the nation’s Leading Freshman Sire was first of his sire class to be represented by a six-figure yearling at the sale as hip number 12 was knocked down for $350,000. This beautiful colt, consigned by Peter O’Callaghan’s Woods Edge Farm, is another going to the stable of Sheikh Mohammed as John Ferguson signed the sales ticket on his behalf once again. This colt’s catalog page was full of black type, a pedigree that reflects the immediate family of champion sire Distorted Humor.

A few hips later, it was champion Bernardini taking the spotlight with a bay colt out of the Stakes-winning mare Le Grande Mamma. Consigned by VanMeter Sales, agent, Eddie Woods was the purchaser with a final bid of $400,000. Bernardini continues to distinguish himself in the sales ring as well as on the track. He was the leading freshman sire of weanlings, yearlings and two-year-olds and now has 11 Group or Graded winners from his first two crops.

Not to be outdone by his younger stud mates, Elusive Quality joined in the session’s fireworks with hip 21, a filly out of a Stakes-winning full sister to multiple Graded winning/G1-placed Kiss the Kid, bringing $350,000. Consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, she was taken home by Robert and Lawanna Low.

Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Street Sense also drew some attention with hip number 44. This filly’s dam is a half-sister to two Stakes horses and is out of a full sister to Kentucky Derby winner Fusaichi Pegasus. Consigned by Hidden Brook Farm, Barry Berkelhammer, agent, was the purchaser at $200,000.

The sale continues tomorrow night and should once again bring exceptional results for progeny of Darley stallions.