Records Fall, Bernardini Colt Stars at Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training

The 2022 Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training sale ended Tuesday in Timonium, Maryland, with an exciting day of sales, featuring early fireworks and robust trade throughout. The day was highlighted by the multiple record-breaking sale of a colt by the late Bernardini, marking the eighth consecutive year with a seven-figure sale topper at Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training. At the close of the session, new records were also established for the sale in average and median.

A colt by Bernardini out of G Note (Medaglia d'Oro) topped the session and sale when hammered down for $3,550,000 to Gary Young, agent for Zedan Racing (video). Offered as Hip 385 by Sequel New York, agent for breeders Chester & Mary Broman (NY), the dark bay or brown colt worked an eighth in 9.4 during the Tuesday session of the under tack show (video).

The sale price is a new highwater mark for a Thoroughbred sold at public auction in the state of Maryland, eclipsing the previous record set at this sale in 2019, when subsequent Eclipse Champion Gamine sold for $1,800,000. Hip 385 also has the distinction of being the highest-price offspring of Bernardini sold at public auction worldwide and is currently the most expensive Thoroughbred offering at public auction globally this year.

The record-breaking colt is out of the winning Medaglia d'Oro mare G Note, who has already produced three winners from as many to race. Second dam is Grade 2 winner Seeking the Ante, also a 100% winner-producer, whose six foals to race include stakes winner Mineralogist, dam of stakes winner Can You Diggit, and stakes placed Risk a Chance, dam of this year's Rebel S. (G2) winner Un Ojo. Hip 385 is a direct descendent of multiple Grade 1 winning millionaire Antespend, who produced Grade 1 winner and sire Friends Lake.

"Anything can happen at Timonium, and it just did," said Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett, on the sale topper. "It just goes to show people can feel confident about bringing that type of horse to the marketplace here in Maryland…. With the 9.4 work and the Bernardini and the New York-bred, (Hip 385) had all the ingredients for it to go to seven figures."

A trio of juveniles tied for the session's second-highest price, including:

• Hip 364, a colt by popular first-crop sire Bolt d'Oro, sold for $500,000 to Holly and David Wilson from the consignment of Kings Equine, agent. The dark bay or brown colt is out of the stakes winning Bernardini mare Forever Discreet (AUS), a daughter of group stakes winner She's Discreet, who produced 13 winners from as many to race, including multiple stakes winners and stakes winner-producers. Hip 364 worked an eighth in 10.0 during the Wednesday session of the under tack show (video).
• Hip 443, a filly by Triple Crown hero American Pharoah, sold for $500,000 to Cherie Devaux, agent from the consignment of McKathan Bros., agent. The chestnut filly is the second foal out of Grade 3 winner, multiple Grade 2 placed Jordan's Henny (Henny Hughes). Bred in Kentucky by Erv Woolsey and Ralph Kinder, Hip 443 worked an eighth in 10.0 during the Thursday session of the under tack show (video).
• Hip 487, a filly by the late Malibu Moon, sold for $500,000 to Maddie Mattmiller, agent for J. Kinchen and Black Type TB, from the consignment of Wavertree Stables, agent. The gray or roan filly is out the winner Unbridled's Song mare Lorelei True, a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Sparky Ville, from the immediate family of Grade 1 winners Harmony Lodge, Magnum Moon, and Pinehurst. Hip 487 worked an eighth in 10.2 during the Thursday session of the under tack show (video).

The sale's top-priced filly sold during Monday's session, when Donato Lanni, agent for Michael Lund Petersen, went to $725,000 to secure a daughter of first-crop sire Girvin (Hip 88) from the draft of Paul Sharp, agent (read more).

"We had a lot of buyers from all over the world that came to the sale," added Bennett. "We had supporters regionally and nationally who came to buy racehorses here. We are tickled to death with these results."

Over the course of two days, 391 horses sold for $37,297,700, up 10.7% from the previous record of $33,692,000, set last year. The average was $95,391, a slight increase over last year's then-record highwater mark of $94,375. The median was $47,000 good for second highest in sale history, just down from the record set last year of $50,000. The RNA rate was 18.9%, under 20% for the third consecutive year. The sale topper was the highest-priced Thoroughbred ever sold at public auction in Maryland. For the eighth consecutive year, a horse sold for $1,000,000 or more to top the sale.

Full results are available online.