TWO millionaire yearlings last year headed the annual Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale, but this year the number of seven-figure lots grew to five, with the established Medaglia D’Oro and the newcomer American Pharoah dominating the higher echelons, while leading sire Tapit played a supporting role.

Three of this year millionaires were a son and two daughters of Medaglia D’Oro and the top lot at the two-day auction emerged in the latter part of proceedings. Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned the first foal of the stakes winner Coco’s Wildcat and the colt is from the family of the dual champion Songbird, arguably the best runner sired by the son of El Prado. A quartet of buyers signed for the sale topper at $1.35 million and they were West Point Thoroughbreds, Robert Masiello, Chris Larsen and Siena Farms.

The price was challenged shortly afterwards when a daughter of Medaglia D’Oro swept into the ring but her price fell $50,000 short of the sale best. Phoenix Thoroughbred’s Amer Abdualaziz and Steve Asmussen gave $1.3 million for Warrendale Sales’ half-sister to Grade 1 Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator, and that son of Curlin also won the Grade 1 Santa Anita Derby and Grade 1 Haskell Invitational Stakes.

Early on day one the American Pharoah frenzy started when Gainesway’s daughter of the Triple Crown winner out of the Grade 1 Beldame Stakes winner Life At Ten sold for $1.2 million to head the day’s trade. OXO Equine’s Larry Best won the day for her and he added to his shopping basket later in the same session when he gave $950,000 for a daughter of Into Mischief out of the unraced Reve D’Amour, herself out of the Group 2 Prix d’Astarte winner Smolensk. The latter filly was consigned by Craig and Holly Bandoroff’s Denali Stud.

Bob Baffert was acting for M V Magnier and the Coolmore team when his bid of $1 million was enough to secure a son of American Pharoah, the half-brother to Grade 2 Holy Bull Stakes winner Upstart who was multiple placed at Grade 1 level.

Completing the quintet of millionaires was Indian Creek’s offering, a daughter of Medaglia D’Oro out of a winning full-sister to stakes winner Cheery. The latter mare has successfully crossed with Medaglia D’Oro to produce the top-class dual Grade 1 winner Elate. Roy and Gretchen’s Lael Stables will race this impeccably bred bay who cost an even million.

Yet another American Pharoah to cause a stir was Lane’s End’s daughter of the stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Funny Feeling at $875,000 and her dam in turn was the Grade 1 winner Hookedonthefeelin. Funny Feeling is an own-sister to Grade 1 Malibu Stakes winner and sire Jimmy Creed and a half-sister to the triple Grade 1 winning mare Pussycat Doll. John Oxley signed for this well-bred filly.

Matching that $875,000 value was a Tapit filly offered from Gerry Dilger’s Dromoland Farm. The second produce of the stakes winner Twirl, she had arguably the best pedigree in the sale. Twirl is a daughter of Galileo and a full-sister to Group 1 winners Ballydoyle and Misty For Me. The latter, in turn, is the dam of a pair of Group 1 winners in U S Navy Flag and Roly Poly.

Four lots realised $850,000 and one of these was another Tapit filly. This was Gainesway’s half-sister to the stakes winner Miss Mischief, their dam being the stakes-placed Kid Majic. That daughter of Lemon Drop Kid is a half-sister to J P’s Gusto, winner of the Grade 1 Del Mar Futurity. Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm gave the same price for a daughter of Curlin whose two-year-old full-sister won on her juvenile debut just before the sale. The yearling’s dam is a half-sister to the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam’s Map.

The pair of $850,000 colts were an Honor Code half-brother to stakes winner Miss Hollywood, and a Hard Spun half-brother to Grade 1 Pacific Classic winner Collected. The Honor Code is out of Hollywood Story who won both the Grade 1 Hollywood Starlet Stakes and the Vanity Invitational Handicap.