Young Sires Star at OBS March



Upstart had the highest priced 2-year-old of any freshman sire at the OBS March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale.

 This week’s OBS March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale reiterated the fact the Thoroughbred industry is in a golden age of young sires when eight of the top 15 2-year-olds at the sale were by first or second crop sires.

While it isn’t unusual to see the new generations fare well at the first breeze up sale of the season, this year’s sale saw a major increase in the demand for new sires, doubling in number from most of the last five years. Despite last year being generally lauded as the strongest group of first crop sires in years, only four 2-year-olds from the two youngest generations broke into the top 15 in 2019 with five from 2018. Those numbers followed up three in 2017, four in 2016, and two in 2015.

That news was a bit bittersweet, however. While this year’s top price by a second season sire topped the sale (American Pharoah’s (Pioneerof the Nile) Hip 237 at $650,000) and a first crop sire had the second most expensive (Upstart’s (Flatter) 598 for $600,000), both cost less than the most expensive in the previous five years (the second least expensive was an Uncle Mo (Indian Charlie) colt bringing $725,000 in 2015). It would be remiss to note that this sale took place under far dire circumstances than the previous five, however, with COVID-19 bringing the world to a standstill outside the OBS grounds.

Young Sires at OBS March 2015 - 2020
Year
# In Top 15
Highest Price
2020
8
$650,000
2019
4
$850,000
2018
5
$775,000
2017
3
$1,250,000
2016
4
$1,300,000
2015
2
$725,000

Even with that downturn, it was good news for multiple stud farms around Kentucky. Not surprisingly, Coolmore America had two young sires with horses in the top 15 - both Champion Freshman Sire American Pharaoh (Pioneerof the Nile) and freshman sire Air Force Blue (War Front) found major success, while their now-established Uncle Mo also made an appearance in the top 15 with a $340,000 filly.

WinStar debuting four new stallions in 2017 saw that move pay off as well with all four freshmen breaking the six-figure price point, led by Outwork’s (Uncle Mo) $380,000 filly. Their second crop sire Constitution’s (Tapit) 2-year-old success has already started to pay off in the sales ring as well with his colt out of Screwgie (Smart Strike) selling for $550,000 to Dennis O’Neill. The farm also saw ex-resident Daredevil (More Than Ready), who relocated to Turkey for 2020, in the top 10 with a $400,000 colt.

If there’s been a more focused marketing campaign than Runhappy’s (Super Saver) in the horse racing industry, it escapes most people’s minds. While it’s hard to say it played a part in Runhappy’s colt out of stakes placed Pledge Pin (Chatain) selling for $475,000, it couldn’t have hurt. The stallion is about to face his first real test as a sire with his 2-year-olds hitting the track this year but with his yearlings averaging $222,190 with a median of $200,000 from 63 sold in 2019, it looks like that marketing campaign may pay off for “Mattress Mak.”

The biggest success of any young sire this sale, however, is likely that of Airdrie Stud’s Upstart.

Standing for $10,000 throughout his career, the Flatter son had 104 live foals in 2018 according to The Jockey Club’s Fact Book. Eight of those went through the ring this week from the 12 catalogued and by any account he hit it out of the park. Led by the $600,000 second highest offering of the sale, the stallion saw six of his eight 2-year-olds sell for no less than $125,000 with the other two leaving the ring unsold.

Upstart’s six 2-year-olds averaged $206,833 – nearly three times the sale average and 28 times his stud fee – with his median of $195,000 still well above the $50,000 sale median. Airdrie’s stallion team made it clear in January that they expect big things from the freshman and with both his current 2-year-old average and median making a huge jump from his yearling stats, it looks like buyers are impressed as well.  

Both the freshman and sophomore sires still must prove not only that their runners can not only find success on the track as juveniles but also train on at three, but the future looks exceedingly bright for the U.S. stallion ranks in years to come.
Freshman & Sophomore Stallions With 2YOs in Top 15
Stallion
2017 Fee
Top Price
# Sold
Average
American Pharoah*
Private
$650,000
4
$335,000
Upstart+
$10,000
$600,000
6
$260,833
Constitution*
$25,000
$550,000
4
$226,250
Runhappy+
$25,000
$475,000
3
$190,333
Frosted+
$50,000
$420,000
5
$140,000
Daredevil*
$7,500
$400,000
3
$168,333
Air Force Blue+
$25,000
$390,000
4
$145,500
Outwork+
$15,000
$380,000
5
$142,800
+ = Freshman, * = Sophomore

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