By Bloodhorse.com
POMONA, Calif. (Feb. 22, 2015) — Barretts will hold its final sale at Fairplex Park in Pomona, Calif., Feb. 23 before relocating to Del Mar with its selected 2-year-olds in training sale. Pinhooks, primarily from the 2014 Keeneland and Barretts fall yearling sales, dominate the catalog.
Moved up from its usual slot in March, which puts it first among the nation’s major 2-year-old auctions, the sale will begin at 2 p.m. PST. It will be conducted in the Hinds Pavilion, now in use year-round and very popular as a simulcast facility called the Finish Line Sports Grill.
As it usually does, the catalog consists of consignments from around the country, mostly from Florida and California. While local buyers have always patronized the sale, it has attracted East Coast trainers as well as many horsemen from Japan.
John Brocklebank of St. George, Utah, is bringing the most expensive pinhook to the Barretts sale. The colt, Hip No. 46, is by Super Saver , whose first crop to the races last year produced the likes of Hopeful Stakes (gr. I) winner Competitive Edge and Toyota Saratoga Special Stakes (gr. II) winner I Spent It.
Bred in Pennsylvania by The Elkstone Group, the colt sold for $220,000 to Bill Peeples at the Keeneland September yearling sale. The youngster is out of the Kafwain mare Kiss the Breeze, a half sister to three stakes winners.
Steven Venosa’s SGV Thoroughbreds is based in Reddick, Fla., and his consignment includes several 2-year-olds purchased in Kentucky and a California-bred yearling by Lucky Pulpit , sire of 2014 Horse of the Year California Chrome.
The Lucky Pulpit colt, Hip No. 51, named Lucky Plotter, came out of the Barretts yearling sale for $52,000. He is from the Storm Cat mare Lasting Beauty, the granddam of Idiot Proof, a multiple graded winner, earner of $894,484, and a track-record setter.
Venosa also has a son of Sky Mesa , who cost $150,000, and a son of champion Uncle Mo , who sold for $135,000. The Sky Mesa colt, Hip No. 74, is out of the Helmsman mare Red Duchess, while the Uncle Mo colt, Hip No. 99, is out of the stakes-placed Charismatic mare Touch of Splendor.
Uncle Mo is also the sire of Hip No. 106, from the consignment of Floridian Eddie Woods. A $160,000 Keeneland fall graduate, the colt is out of the stakes-winning Gone West mare Alienated, the dam of stakes-placed Alienation.
Woods had two of the fastest horses at the Feb. 20 under-tack preview. Hip No. 77, a $100,000 yearling by champion Macho Uno out of the Storm Cat mare Encore, worked an eighth of a mile in :09 4/5, one of three to clock that time. Hip No. 33, named Young Brian and a son of Hard Spun —Glacier Peak, by Pulpit, went the fastest quarter-mile, in :21 1/5.
The other two to work in :09 4/5 were Hip No. 41, a daughter of Tale of the Cat —Jill’s Gem, by Mineshaft , and Hip No. 116, named Street Fancy, a daughter of champion Street Sense out of the stakes-winning Cat Thief mare Bold Angel. Becky Thomas’ Sequel Bloodstock has consigned the Tale of the Cat filly, and Kim McCarthy’s McCarthy Bloodstock is offering Street Fancy.
McCarthy, who is based in Southern California, also has Hip No. 94, a son of Street Boss —Tenacious, by Maria’s Mon. He sold as a yearling for $115,000.
The catalog consists of 116 horses, though 38 had been withdrawn by the time of the under-tack preview.
In 2014, 60 horses averaged $177,750, with a son of Giant’s Causeway topping the sale at $1,150,000. Now named Tennessee, he finished second at Gulfstream Park Feb. 1 in his racing debut.
Other graduates of the sale include major winners Unbridled’s Song, who has one colt in the sale; Awesome Gem; Brother Derek; Brocco; Sharp Cat; and Squirtle Squirt.