Boutique brilliance: Vendor showstoppers at Gold Coast Sale

It quality over quantity as the old saying goes, and as you look through this years sales catalogue you would be foolish to dismiss those vendors only bringing one yearling.

Let’s check out some of the quality harness racing yearlings being offered by the boutique vendors in the Gold Coast Yearling Sale on January 28.

There is some absolute crème de la crème in these pedigrees and a few real hidden jewels for those buyers looking for a bargain.

Lot 9 – Colt by Always B Miki from Best Of Wine – JM Standardbreds

Always B Miki became the fastest pacer in history with a 1.46sec mile at Red Mile in 2016 and he has passed on his incredible speed. WA Golden Nugget winner Tricky Miki ($480k, 1.55.8) and WA Oaks winner Taking The Miki (1.54.2, $365k) are his two top Australian earners and 2023 Interdominion finalist Future Assured has 1.50.9 and $216k to his name after just 34 starts.

This colt is a half-brother to smart filly Shez All Style (1.55.7, $100k) and Dancing With Elvis (1.54.4, $89k). His dam is a half-sister to Another Traveller (1.53.8, $187K), so there is high speed on the dam’s side as well.

Lot 25 – Filly by McWicked from Evelyn Dee – Cameron Spencer

Evelyn Dee has a perfect record of five winners from five foals of racing age, including Lord Digby (1.54.3, $49k) and 2YO QBred Triad heat winner Lady Digby (1.56, $20k). Three of her five winners won as two-year-olds. She is a half-sister to smart juvenile filly Miss Moneybags (1.55.8, $116k).

McWicked won $5mil in stakemoney during a stellar career on US tracks and finished with a 1.46.4 milerate. His oldest Australian progeny have just turned two.

Lot 26 – Filly by Sweet Lou from Feel Like Dancin – Brendan Sippel

Sweet Lou progeny were on fire last season. His three-year-old crop won $6.8mil in stakes and included US 3YO filly of the year Geocentric (1.49.6, $549k). He is also the sire of champion filly Warrawee Ubeaut ($1.8mil).

This filly’s dam is by Mr Feelgood. Sweet Lou’s millionaire son Lou’s Pearlman’s granddam is a half-sister to Mr Feelgood, so there could be a family nick there.

Lot 29 – Filly by Rock N Roll Heaven from Girls Are Bettor – Arbit Each Way Pty Ltd

This filly’s dam is a full sister to NZ Cup winner TheFixer (1.50.7, $1mil) and a half sister to The Honey Queen (1.50.3, $177k). The Honey Queen is also by Rock N Roll Heaven. Her granddam is NSW Oaks and NZ GN Oaks winner Tosti Girl and her third dam produced outstanding fillies Wambam (1.54.6, $580k) and Delightful Christian (1.52.1, $297k), so the girls can really run.

Lot 43 – Filly by Rock N Roll World from Joanie Pony – Wayne Loader

The ill-fated Rock N Roll World had an outstanding debut season, producing 16 2YO winners in 2023, including smart fillies Lil Miss Crocker (3 wins, 1.58.4) and Secret World (2 wins, 1.57.3). He finished 12^th on the national 2YO Sires list with earnings of $329,000.

Joanie Pony (13 wins, $62K) was a solid race mare. She is a half-sister to champion filly Distant Memory, who won 10 races as a two-year-old including the Group 1 Gold Tiara and Group 1 Vicbred final.

Lot 46 – Colt by Sweet Lou from Laughing Lily – Gemma Hewitt

There are only three Sweet Lou colts in the sale and they will be highly sort after. Sweet Lou’s two and three-year-old crops earned combined stakemoney of $10 million last season, including superstar colts Confederate (1.46.2, $2mil) and Its My Show (1.46.8, $1mil). In Aust, he has sired Miracle Mile runner-up Spirit Of St Louis ($1.3mil) and 2022 Aust 2YO colt of the year Never Ending ($440K).

Dam Laughing Lily is a broodmare gem, producing Kashed Up (1.51.1, $328K), Will I Rocknroll (1.52.8, $195K) and Kash Us Back (1.54.6, $186K) from just five foals.

Lot 47 – Filly by Sweet Lou from Laura Madison – Greg Decker

Another quality filly from all-conquering sire Sweet Lou. His outstanding Australian fillies include Double Expresso (1.55.4, $328K), Steno (1.51.9, $284K), Zephyra (1.54.5, $249K) and Water Lou (1.57.2, $175K).

Laura Madison is already the dam of Tulhurst Terror (1.54.8, $200K) and is a full sister to open class mare Just Rockon Bye (1.54.4, $210K). Granddam Ok Rock ($168K) won the NSW and NZ GN Oaks and was NZ 3YO filly of the year.

Lot 56 – Filly by Stay Hungry from Millwood Tilly – Chantal McMullen

Stay Hungry has exploded as a sire in the US with his first two crops earning a combined $6mil in stakes last season. His top four two-year-old earners were fillies, headed by Lyons Legend (1.50.2, $303K). His three-year-old fillies included Zanatta ($611K) and Hungry For Love ($392K).

Dam Millwood Tilly is a half-sister to champion filly Millwood Nike (1.49.8, $702K) from the family of NZ 4YO mare of the year Oaxaca Lass (1.55.8, $426K).

Lot 59 – Filly by Soho Tribeca from Moonlight Spirit – Jonathon & Megan Denning

Soho Tribeca’s first crop are current two-year-olds and he already has youngsters at early trials. The multiple Group 1 winner has been popular with breeders, with 87 foals from his first crop and 76 the following year.

Moonlight Spirit (1.57.1, $37K) has produced three winners from four foals. All of them have been successful as two-year-olds, including Toanui Spirit (1.56.4, $52K). Her granddam, Blazing Spirit ($177K), won the Group 1 NZ DB Fillies Series as a three-year-old and was second in the Australian Oaks.

Lot 67 – by Heston Blue Chip from Polly Delwin – Alan JW Boyd
Heston Blue Chip has statistics to suggest he is an underrated sire. He has produced 104 winners In Australia from 208 foals (50 per cent success), with earnings of $5 million.

Polly Delwin is from the hottest family in Australia today. tracing back to 2023 Interdominion winner Leap To Fame (1.49.4, $1.4mil), NZ Cup winner Swayzee (1.52, $840K) and Australian 3YO pacer of the year For A Reason (1.49.1, $1.1mil). Her dam produced 10 winners and her granddam left 11 winners.

For full details and catalogued yearlings in the 2024 Australian Pacing Gold Yearling Sales, Online Sales Catalogue or Register as a Buyer now.

From APG Ltd