Darley stallion Bernardini was undoubtedly the star of the show during the opening session of Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale, with the freshman sire recording an outstanding average of $721,000 for seven yearlings sold with no fewer than three realising a million dollars or more.
His highest price of the day was $1.3 million, given by John Ferguson for a colt out of G1 Kentucky Oaks and G1 Acorn Stakes winner Birdtown. She is of course a half sister to Birdstone - sire of this year’s Kentucky Derby and Belmont Stakes winners.
Earlier in the session, Brushwood Stable’s handsome bay colt out of Storm Beauty was bought for $1.2 million. Storm Beauty, who has already produced multiple Stakes winner Stormy West and Graded Stakes placer Renaissance Lady (by Bernardini’s own sire A. P. Indy), is a half sister to champion Gold Beauty, most notably the dam of Dayjur.
Bernardini’s other seven-figure lot was Hip 107, bought by Kenneth McPeek for an even million dollars. He is out of the G1-winning mare Crystal Music.
Bernardini, however, was not responsible for the overall highest price of the day, as Sheikh Mohammed went to $1.5 million to secure a Medaglia d'Oro filly from young broodmare Cat Dancer, a half-sister to G2 winner and G1-placed filly Magic Storm.
There was also success for Henny Hughes, who like Bernardini has his first yearlings currently selling. He averaged $262,500 for four sold.
His top price of the session was $575,000, given by Fox Hill Farm for a chestnut colt out of the Coronado’s Quest mare Tash Dash. The dam is herself a daughter of dual G1 winner Life At The Top and her first foal to race has already become a winner.
The sale continues today.
