Medaglia d'Oro among the popular crowd at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga

There was definitely some pre-sale buzz going around about hip number 33 on the Fasig-Tipton sales grounds in Saratoga Springs, New York, and the colt definitely lived up to the hype.

Team Valor went to $875,000 for the beautiful Medaglia d'Oro dark bay or brown yearling on the first night of the sale, August 5, making it the highest-priced colt in the sale. The yearling came out of the Bluewater Sales consignment. The yearling’s dam, the A.P. Indy stakes winner Crystal Current, is a full sister to G1 winner and successful young sire Majestic Warrior. The rest of the family is reflects Black type winners throughout, including multiple G1-winning second dam Dream Supreme and G1-winning third dam Spinning Round.

Twenty hips later, Sheikh Mohammed’s Bloodstock Advisor, John Ferguson, signed the ticket for $400,000 for another Medaglia d’Oro colt, from the Mill Ridge Sales consignment. The yearling’s first dam is a stakes-winning daughter of Distorted Humor and is a full sister to G1 winner Jimmy Creed.

But demand from buyers also extended to progeny of other Darley sires. Street Cry was represented by a $350,000 yearling that is a half-brother to the multiple G1 winner Tizway as well as other Stakes winner Ticket to Seattle. From the consignment of Sweezy and Partners, Peachtree Stables was the purchaser.

Elusive Quality continues to attract solid interest from buyers with two of his yearlings selling for prices reflecting many multiples of his $50,000 fee. Shadwell Estate Company is taking home hip number 64, a colt, that is a half-brother to four Stakes winners. The bay brought a final bid of $300,000 and was purchased out of the Sequel Stallions New York consignment.

A bit earlier in the sale, another Elusive Quality colt was knocked down for $225,000 with Jim Maloney signing the ticket. From the consignment of VanMeter Sales, the yearling is a half-brother to Stakes winner Abby Road out of a half-sister to G1 winner and very successful sire Unbridled’s Song.

The sale continues tomorrow night, August 6.