THE two-day Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale finished in Timonium, Maryland, on Tuesday (May 19th) with record results.

Topping the sale was a Smart Strike filly which was sold to Kentucky-based Irish bloodstock agent Ben McElroy, for a Maryland public auction record of $1.25 million.

The sale saw gains across the board as 255 horses generated an auction record of $22.6 million. The sale average of $88,859 is also a Midlantic sale record.

“What a great horse sale,” said Paget Bennett, sales director of the Midatlantic sale. “It was great from beginning to end. Both days we had money here all day long, and the good horses ticked all the boxes. This sale has continued to grow every year.”

McElroy’s main purchase was on behalf of an undisclosed existing partnership and will be trained by Simon Callaghan.

FULL-SISTER

The Smart Strike filly is out of Crystal Current (by A.P. Indy), a daughter of multiple Grade 1 winner Dream Supreme (by Seeking The Gold) and a full-sister to Grade 1 winner Majestic Warrior.

The previous Midatlantic record was set by Trappe Shot, who sold for $850,000 in 1999.

McElroy told bloodhorse.com: “A lot of these fillies throughout the two-year-old sales this year have been in great demand, and this is probably one of the best pedigrees that’s been through the two-year-old sales this year. So we expected it was going to be close to that (price).”

The agent added: “She is by a top-class stallion. I bought a Grade 1 winner (Swagger Jack) by the stallion before. She’s a very good physical, she breezed great on the track and galloped out nicely. She goes back to a great family.”

Simon Callaghan, who saddled Kentucky Derby runner-up Firing Line earlier this month, said: “She was our pick of the sale. She’s a great physical and very well-balanced with a pedigree to back it up. We’re excited to get this filly.”

The filly was bred by Southern Equine Stables and was one of 10 juveniles from Mike Moreno’s operation catalogued for the two-day sale through Eddie Woods’ consignment. Southern Equine purchased Crystal Current, in foal to Distorted Humor, for $3.1 million at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale.

“She’s a filly with a beautiful physical, with pedigree and she worked good, she was the whole package,” commented Woods.

SAMURAI FILLY

Day two of the sale was highlighted by a bay filly by First Samurai consigned by Eisaman Equine, agent, who was bought by Tom Durant for $475,000.

Out of the multiple stakes-winning Robyn Dancer mare Superduper Miss, who was graded stakes-placed, the bay filly had been purchased for just $20,000 at last year’s Keeneland September yearling sale.

Trainer John Kimmel, on behalf of Summit Thoroughbreds, a New York-based partnership, signed for an Unbridled’s Song colt from Eddie Woods’ consignment for $450,000.

Bred in Kentucky by SF Bloodstock, the grey colt was a $280,000 pinhook out of Irishman Peter O’Callahgan’s Woods Edge Farm consignment at last year’s Keeneland September sale for GEM Stables. He breezed one furlong in 10.4secs at the breeze show.

“It’s getting to the end of the Unbridled’s Songs,” Kimmel said. “He’s a horse that to me had a lot of physical presence. He’s a good mover on the racetrack. He checked all the boxes.”

Eddie Woods was the leading consignors, selling 18 of 20 horses offered for $3.8 million.

Ben McElroy was the leading buyer even with only one purchase. Trainer Linda Rice was the second biggest spender, paying $1.2 million for four two-year-olds.