Yaupon leads all freshman sires at Fasig-Tipton’s July Yearling sale

With a sales average of $162,909, Spendthrift Farm’s Yaupon was the leading freshman sire at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton July Yearling sale.

Leading the way for the much sought after sire’s offspring was hip No. 82, consigned by Ballysax Bloodstock agent and purchased by De Meric Sales for $285,000. The bay colt is the first foal out of Twitterpated, who is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Stormy Lucy.

Not far behind hip 82 in price was hip No. 45, which went to U S Racing Stables for $275,000 from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment. The dark bay filly is out of the graded stakes-placed mare Lady Lumberjack, who is also the dam of graded-placed Machtree.

“We liked the Yaupons quite a bit,” said April Mayberry, one of many buyers showing interest in Yaupon’s offerings. “In fact, we had a couple that we were interested in but for various reasons. I think [Hip 135] was very typical of his sire. I like when you can see the sire in them.”

Yaupon’s third lot to bring at least $200,000 was hip No. 81, consigned by Burleson Farms agent and sold to Spendthrift for $210,000. The Kentucky-bred colt is from the immediate family of leading Florida sire Adios Charlie, Grade 1 winner Teaks North and multiple graded winner Wooden Phone.

“Yaupon is very, very consistent,” said Spendthrift’s Ned Toffey of the day’s results. “Since last November [when his first weanlings sold], we’ve seen that he’s very consistent in the type that he throws. They look a lot like him. They’re very athletic, have great bone and they look precocious–it’s a very commercial type. It doesn’t surprise me at all that they’ve sold the way they have. It’s just a continuation of what we’ve already seen.”

Yaupon was also ultra-consistent on the racetrack, winning 75% of his lifetime starts, including victories in the Forego S. (G1), Amsterdam S. (G2) and Chick Lang S. (G3). He has been very popular across his first two seasons at stud, covering 444 mares. His 2024 fee is $25,000 live foal.