The Stud Farm Association’s Yearling Sales takes place on Sunday at Santa Rosa Park in Arima.
The sales promise to be well patronised with a number of existing and potential owners likely to be looking for the next Derby winner. Over the last two years, the Trinidad bred horses have shown that they can match strides with their Jamaican counterparts which, given the even greater opportunities for native bred horses in restricted races, is likely to generate even more interest than previously.
In 2015 alone, we just have to look at the performances of Charismatic Groom, Morning Calm, Bergeron Boy, Man to Come and Swept Away—all available to buyers at the 2014 Yearling Sales. The Trinidad bred horses have also displayed much potential for continued improvement.
Some 108 horses are listed to come under the hammer but with the expected usual amount of withdrawals, we are likely to see something in the region of 75 of those listed on parade. All of the top farms will be represented, such as the Poon Tip Stud Farm, Hummingbird Stables, JMH Enterprises, Scott Stud, Paradise Farms, Leeclare Stud, La Concepcion, Hillview Ranch and Floraville Stud.
Most of the perennial top stallions in this country will also be represented with the likes of Big Country, Gold Market, Charismatic Cat, Settle Up, Maraahel, and LouisevilleLuminary which are already established leading the way though there are also progeny from promising young sires such as Bristling, Cactus Amour, Safraction and Dark Cloud Dancer listed to appear on Sunday. As usual, we will try to highlight the yearlings which either due to breeding or the performance of their siblings on the track might attract the most interest.
Pride of place amongst the colts could go to the Poon Tip Stud’s dark bay son of Gold Market/Blushing Bride (#72). This colt comes from a prolific family and is a half brother Derby and Breeder Stakes’ runner-up, Charismatic Groom. He could be the sales topper, once his confirmation lives up to his pedigree. The other very well bred colt in the catalog is Hummingbird Stables’ full brother to 2014 Derby third, Glorious Country.
This is a chestnut colt by Big Country/Pride n Glory (#24). Hummingbird Stables consigns another very attractively bred colt in the half brother to Derek Cozier Memorial winner, Swept Away. This bay colt is by the Pulpit stallion Louiseville Luminary out of the speedy mare Aticka(#65). He is probably not a distance runner but there are loads of quality races up to 1350 metres in which this colt can make his name.
JMH Enterprises offers a very intriguingly bred colt by their Storm Cat stallion, Dark Cloud Dancer out of the top class mare, Golden Encounter (#100). This mare is the dam of Personal Encounter, who needs no introduction to turfites. He could be anything.
Leeclare Stud has two interesting colts, both sons of LouisevilleLuminary. The first is a son of Firestorm(#94) and therefore a half brother to the top class, Galveston, while the second is a son of Squeezed Moment(#46), who has been a prolific mare in this part with every offspring having won.
She numbers The Big Squeeze, Perfect Moment and Faith among her progeny. The Poon Tip Stud has a number of other strings to their bow in a big colt by Gold Market/Riviera (#31), a full brother to Pot of Gold and half to Grand Riviere; the chestnut colt by Gold Market/Burning Red (#77), a full brother to Heat of the Moment and the brown colt by Gold Market/Sky Rider (#44), a half brother to the prolific Purple Touch.
Other colts that might attract some interest are Floraville Stud’s son of Settle Up out of the top class mare Miss Lover Lover (#14), a half brother to Be My Lover; Hillview Farm’s chestnut colt by Big Country out of the Fusaichi Pegasus mare, Saint Pegasus (#35) – this is a first foal of a very well bred mare who came to this Trinidad for breeding purposes; Hillview Farm also offers a nice colt out of Big Country and their good racemare Sikhara (#40); Paradise Farms has a colt that came into Trinidad in utero by Regal Ransom/Cinema Show (#81) – the dam was successful in Canada and is out of Breeder’s Cup winner, Gulch.
Among the fillies, the first one that catches the eye is Paradise Farms’ full sister to Bergeron Boy, a bay filly by Settle Up/Angelsaver (#63).
They could not give away her brother at last year’s sale, a similar fortune will not befall his sister once her confirmation is decent. Hummingbird Stables consigns a half sister to the ill fated Dreaming of Dubai in a bay filly by Charismatic Cat/Dreaming Prayers (#87). Dreaming of Dubai won her only start to date in the style of a top class filly but unfortunately has not graced the track since. Her sister could be just as talented but hopefully not as fragile.
JMH Enterprises offers a filly who came to Trinidad in utero in a chestnut filly by Tiago/Celidonia (#79). This filly has winners on both sides of her family though her damsire is the English Derby winner, North Light. On breeding, there is a lot to like about the Poon Tip Stud’s bay filly by Big Country/Treasure Each Day (#53).
The dam won the Champagne Stakes in this country and as a daughter of one of the best sires in the US at the moment, War Front, the female line could be priceless. Poon Tip Stud also offers a very attractively bred filly by Charismatic Cat/Let’s Go Honey (#8), a half sister to their Market Rally, who has won in excess of $600,000 in three years of racing in Trinidad. Another filly that looks the part on breeding is their bay filly by Gold Market/Exquisite Touch (#92). The dam was very successful in Trinidad and this is her second foal (first foal is an unraced two year old).
There are many other colts and fillies that could attract buyers at all ends of the pricing scale. Amount paid for a yearling is no guide to the likely success and most buyers have their own ideas of quality confirmation and bloodlines.
This is what makes the sport so very exciting. It is not impossible that one can acquire a champion for as little as $10,000. Everyone should come out to the track on Sunday, even if you don’t buy anything, the camaraderie and show are both worth experiencing.
See and be there!