By Alan Carasso
Three members from the much-anticipated first crop by undefeated Horse of the Year Flightline (Tapit) are scheduled to go under the hammer during the foal session of the Japan Racing Horse Association (JRHA) Select Sale on Tuesday, July 9, on the northern island of Hokkaido. The foal sale is preceded by the Select Yearling Sale on Monday, July 8. TDN European Sales Editor Brian Sheerin will be providing on-site coverage.
Flightline has every chance to make an enormous first impression when lot 347 becomes the first of the three offerings to enter the ring during the first couple hours of business on Tuesday. The Feb. 23 foal, consigned by Grand Stud, is the first from his dam Blue Stripe (Arg) (Equal Stripes {Arg}), a Group 1 winner and champion in her native Argentina before winning the GI Clement L. Hirsch Stakes and finishing a nose second to Malathaat (Curlin) in the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff, a race won by her half-sister Blue Prize (Arg) (Pure Prize) in 2019. Emmanuel de Seroux's Narvick International purchased Blue Stripe for $4 million at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton November Sale.
Argentinian champion 2-year-old filly Tan Gritona (Arg) (Full Mast) is the dam of lot 419 from Northern Farm. The bay colt, produced on Feb. 13 of this year, is also the first out of his dam, who won the G1 Jorge de Atucha at Palermo and the G1 Polla de Potrancas at San Isidro to secure divisional honors in 2022. Tan Gritona was a winner of three of five starts overall.
The last of the Flightline trio is lot 436, a colt out of Grace Adler (Curlin). A $700,000 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling purchase by Michael Lund Petersen in 2020, the daughter of Grade III winner Our Khrysty (Newfoundland) galloped by better than 11 lengths in the 2021 GI Del Mar Debutante Stakes and was another knocked down to Narvick International at FTKNOV, hammering for an even $2 million. Grace Adler's half-brother Pyrenees (Into Mischief) won the GIII Pimlico Special Stakes in May and was runner-up in last weekend's GI Stephen Foster S.
To follow are some of the other yearlings and foals by American-based stallions scheduled to sell early next week.
Grand Stud consigns the Flightline colt out of Blue Stripe | JRHA photo
Yearlings:
Lot 67, c, Essential Quality–Red Lark (Ire), by Epaulette (Aus)
Consigned by Oiwake Farm
A Feb. 9 foal, this colt is the first produce for his dam, once second from five starts in Ireland in 2019 for trainer Johnny Murtagh before upsetting the 2020 GI Del Mar Oaks at 19-1 for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and trainer Paddy Gallagher. Red Lark was part of the first book of mares bred to Essential Quality, who hails from the same female family as Japan's Horse of the Year and Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).
Lot 119, c, Justify–Miss Marissa, by He's Had Enough
Consigned by Shadai Farm
An $11,000 OBS October Yearling, Miss Marissa punched well above her weight for Cammarota Racing and trainer Jim Ryerson, winning the 2021 GII Black-Eyed Susan Stakes and the GII Delaware Handicap the following year. Justify is the sire of 16 winners in Japan, including the listed scorers Yuttitham (Jpn) and Awesome Result.
Foals:
Lot 355, c, Justify–Sandra, by Bluegrass Cat
Consigned by Kimura Hidenori Co Ltd
The stakes-placed dam of Haynesfield Stakes winner Water's Edge (Candy Ride {Arg}), Sandra was sold for $200,000 with this colt in utero at last year's Keeneland November Sale. The 10-year-old is a half-sister to MGSW and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint runner-up Dust and Diamonds (Vindication), the dam of Do Deuce (Jpn) (Heart's Cry {Jpn}), champion Japanese 2-year-old of 2021 and winner of the G1 Tokyo Yushun and G1 Arima Kinen. Dust and Diamonds also accounted for the multiple Grade III-placed Much Better (Pioneerof the Nile).
Lot 372, c, Epicenter–Marcy Darcy, by Smart Strike
Consigned by Matsuura Farm
A $95,000 acquisition by Narvick at KEENOV last fall, Marcy Darcy is daughter of 2009 GI Spinaway Stakes heroine Hot Dixie Chick (Dixie Union), herself the dam of GI La Troienne S. winner Pauline's Pearl (Tapit), MSW/GSP Union Jackson (Curlin) and SP Marsalis (Curlin). The Grade III-winning third dam Above Perfection (In Excess {Ire}) produced 2017 GI Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (Bodemeister) and Grade II winner Positive Spirit (Pioneerof the Nile) in addition to Hot Dixie Chick.
Lot 398, c, Gun Runner–Armony's Angel, by To Honor and Serve
Consigned by Shunsuke Yoshida
Armony's Angel, a half-sister to Grade II winner Conquest Big E (Tapit) and SW Aquapazza (Stormy Atlantic), was sold for $67,000 in foal to Classic Empire at the 2019 Keeneland November Sale. The mare saw her stock improve dramatically when that in-utero purchase, Angel of Empire, won the 2023 GI Arkansas Derby and was third in the GI Kentucky Derby. As a result, Armony's Angel fetched $800,000 from Katsumi Yoshida at Fasig-Tipton November last fall.
The Gun Runner half-brother to Angel of Empire | JRHA photo
Lot 483, c, American Pharoah–Joy of Painting, by Munnings
Consigned by Paca Paca Farm
Paca Paca Farm signed the ticket on the Grade III-placed turf router and maiden mare Joy of Painting at $250,000 at Keeneland November in 2022. The mare is a granddaughter of Grade II winner Cat Chat (Storm Cat), the dam of GI Juddmonte Spinster Stakes winner In Lingerie (Empire Maker)–now a broodmare in Japan–and second dam of Grooms All Bizness (Fed Biz), a two-time stakes-winning grass sprinter this season.
Lot 503, c, Known Agenda–Thank You Marylou, by Birdstone
Consigned by Afleet Farm
Winner of the GIII Dogwood Stakes in 2014 and placed three times at Grade I level, Thank You Marylou was hammered down to Swynford Management for $27,000 when she was carrying this colt at Keeneland November last fall.
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