Roll With Joe colt sells for $97,000

Lexington, KY — It was another spectacular Friday (Oct. 7) for the fourth session of the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, not only because of the incredible weather and the energy of the crowd, but the harness racing event continues to establish new parameters in nearly every category. When the gavel falls for the final time on Saturday evening (Oct. 8), it appears this year's sale will have grossed the most in eight years and quite possibly ever, as is evidenced by the nearly $100,000 a son of Roll With Joe-Tropic's Beachgirl fetched tonight.

"I have been here 23 years," said Randy Manges, co-manager of the sale. "Every year I pray for good weather and fortunately for nearly every one of those years we have been blessed. The last thing you want is for it to rain during the day so people cannot walk around and easily view the horses. Not only has the weather been perfect, but each year our breeders and consigners bring us better and better horses. We are very, very pleased with the results and feel there are quality horses available right to the end of the sale."

Consigned by Spring Haven Farm on behalf of Rose Run Farm, Rose Run TJ was assigned Hip No. 419. Purchased by Bill Donovan for $97,000 the evening's sales topper is a half-sibling to the excellent stakes performer and 2015 Empire Breeders Classic victor Rockin In Heaven (Rock N Roll Heaven, $447,560), as well as Little Gold Ring (Western Terror, $255,189) and Real Protection (Grinfromeartoear, $135,946).

Rose Run TJ's second dam, the Big Towner mare Tropic Town is a half-sister to the dams of Oriental Ave ($360,893) as well as to the granddams of John Street North ($895,912), Thunder Bay ($805,644), Paling Avenue ($677,990) and Noble Tess ($584,311).

Tropic Town carried on the family tradition of productivity and was responsible for Bahama Bunny (Precious Bunny, $578,338) and Bunny Town (Precious Bunny, $118,141). Like her dam and other female relatives, Bunny Town was the dam of Memumsnotice ($325,103), Carolina Moon ($185,672), Get Around Town ($178,317), Another Dawn ($173,841) and Town Centre($106,947).

Blackberry Farm, Hip No. 431, was the second highest priced yearling of the session at $80,000 and is now owned by Australians Emilo and Maria Rosati. Raised and consigned by Hunterton Farm the brown filly by Lucky Chucky is out of the Dream Vacation mare Resortful, who was second in the Hambletonian Oaks and collected $255,030 during her racing career. Resortful is a half-sister to O'Brien award winner Windsong Soprano (Windsong's Legacy, $1,231,325), The Muscler (Cantab Hall, $102,744) and is a full sister to world champion Big Boy Lloyd ($692,190).

With the offspring of Muscle Hill in high demand, it was no surprise his daughter Urban Legend, Hip No. 446, sold for $70,000. Out of the Andover Hall mare Bedtime Story, who is out the Windsong's Legacy mare Bedtime Song, Urban Legend's third dam is the Donerail mare Bold Dreamer ($531,258). That mare foaled world champion and multiple Dan Patch and O'Brien award winner Pampered Princess (Andover Hall, $1,646,362), O'Brien award winner Was It A Dream (Striking Sahbra, $896,000) and Nothing But Class (Andover Hall, $350,000).

The filly was consigned by Diamond Creek Farm and purchased by the Rick Zeron Stable.

The total average price for the fourth session of the sale was up 19.6 percent from 2015, with the average being the greatest for pacing colts at $27,192.

Through all four sessions of the sale, trotting colts still lead the way with an overall average of $69,595, which is certainly bolstered by the $800,000 bid Tactical Landing brought and strong demand for Muscle Hill progeny. Pacing colts are not far behind with a $69,307 average, despite the highest priced pacing colt selling for $450,000.

A total of $7,000,000 has been spent on 101 pacing colts, $5,509,000 on 108 pacing fillies, $11,135,000 on 160 trotting colts and $6,909,000 on trotting fillies. From 491 horses sold, 60 fewer than last year, the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale has grossed more than $30 million and appears poised to obliterate the $32,111,742 2008 standard.

 The average per horse for the entire sale at this juncture is up by 24.3 percent from last year and there is still eighty horses to put through the ring before the event is complete.

The fifth and final session of the sale will commence Saturday (Oct. 8) at 7:00 p.m. in the Fasig-Tipton Sales Pavilion in Lexington.

For full results of the sale so far click on this link.

by Kim French, USTA Internet News Editor