Daylight Savings colt tops 2010 MTOBA Yearling Sale

Carter Road took home top honors in every stage of Sunday’s Michigan Thoroughbred Owners And Breeders Association Yearling Show and Sale at Michigan State University.

The bay Daylight Savings colt started the day by earning grand champion honors in the yearling show, then followed through by dropping the hammer for a sale-topping price of $16,000. For the second straight year, the top seller was the only horse offered to draw more than $10,000.

The uncertain present and future of Michigan’s racing industry led to only 23 yearlings entering the sales ring, with 13 finding new owners. Of the 41 percent of the entries that failed to meet the reserve, seven did not draw the minimum $1,000 bid and two received bids, but did not meet the price set by their consigners.

For the second straight year, Dan McCarthy was the sale’s leading buyer on the strength of one purchase, which also happened to be the top-seller.

Also enjoying repeat success was leading consignor Opportunity Lane, who sold four horses for a total of $25,500, including the top bid-getter. Opportunity Lane sent out three of the top five sellers in this year’s sale.

Earlier in the day, Carter Road took home the top honors at the yearling show. The reserve champion award went to Dickinson Stable’s Equality filly Bubbicious.

For a detailed breakdown of the sale results, click here.

Let’s take a look at the top sellers from Sunday’s sale, along with a few others who were noteworthy for one reason or another.

Top Five Sellers:

#1: Hip #20 – Carter Road – $16,000

Top bid-getter and yearling show grand champion Carter Road was purchased by leading buyer Dan McCarthy for $16,000. The bay Daylight Savings colt was brought to the ring by leading consignor Opportunity Lane. Carter Road is out of stakes winning Matchlite mare Just Tricks, who notched five wins for career earnings of $96,889. Her two foals of racing age have yet to hit the track. Daylight Savings is the sire of 2007 Michigan champion two-year-old Hot Chili, Sire Stakes winner J.P.’s Big Boy and multiple stakes winner Baba Booyah.

“He’s a phenominal colt,” said Opportunity Lane’s Cami Cumper. “It’s a tough market. The racing industry is really not well. So for the buyers to stand behind a nice colt like that and still pay for him – I’m honored.”

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The rest of the notables from Sunday’s sale can be found behind the jump. Did the horses on your watch list crack the top five? Click below to find out!

#2: Hip #17 – Musical Prayer – $9,500

Bidding on Musical Prayer started slowly, but picked up steam on her way to a $9,500 sale price. The chestnut filly, by the recently deceased Meadow Prayer, was consigned by Arnold Farms LLC and bought by William J. Barrett. Musical Prayer is out of winning Sefapiano mare Dutchess of Music, who has produced two stakes winners of over $200,000 and $100,000 respectively and another stakes placed earner of over $53,000. Meadow Prayer is the sire of nine stakes winners from seven crops, including four-time Sire Stakes winner Meadow Vespers, Foolininthemeadow, Meadow Wise and several other divisional champions since the opening of Pinnacle Race Course.

“Just look at her conformation and the power that she’s got behind her,” said Arnold Farms’ Deb Miley. “She’s out of a top mare that’s had several stakes winners and her father has had multiple stakes winners, so the pedigree’s pretty good.”

#3: Hip# 5 – Wicked Kamikaze – $5,500

Wicked Kamikaze brought home a $5,500 bid for consignor Campbell Stable. The chestnut colt by Fire Blitz was purchased by second-leading buyer William J. Barrett. His dam, Will’s Way mare Wicked Willie, won ten races for earnings of $69,896. She is the dam of one other foal, a two-year-old who has not yet had a start. Fire Blitz is a son of Storm Cat and a half brother of Sovereign Award winners Poetically and Primaly, as well as stakes winners Citronade and Whiskey Wisdom. His first foals are three-year-olds of 2010.

#4: Hip #3 – No Touch – $5,000

No Touch dropped the hammer for consignor Opportunity Lane at $5,000. She was purchased by Susan McCarthy. The bay Point Given filly is out of winning Arch mare Skrate, who earned $43,970 over her career. Her only foal of racing age, a two-year-old, had yet to take the track at the time the catalog was printed. Point Given, a newly-minted member of the racing hall of fame, is the sire of Sovereign Award winners Points of Grace and Sealy Hill, as well as Pacific Classic (G1) winner Go Between.

“She is absolutely lovely,” Cumper said. “She reminds me a lot of her daddy. She’s really coarse. She’s big. She’s not maybe the prettiest horse, but she is a lovely mover.”

#5: Hip #1 – Awow – $3,000

Awow rounded out the top five sellers with a winning bid of $3,000. The gray or roan Equality filly was bought by Susan McCarthy from consignor Opportunity Lane. Awow is out of stakes winning Monetary Gift mare Rapid Reaction, who earned over $131,000 during her racing career and is a full sister to multiple stakes winners That Gift and That Monetary. Rapid Reaction is the dam of five winners, including two stakes-placed runners. She also produced last year’s high-seller at the MTOBA Yearling Sale, Noequal. Equality is the sire of several stakes winners including Michigan divisional champions Equalitysdebutante and Bipolar Express.

“She’s a gorgeous moving filly and I think she’s going to be well-liked just because of her family,” Cumper said before the sale. “She’s got a beautiful pedigree. A lot of blacktype horses.”

Not Enough

Two horses in Sunday’s sale drew some attention from bidders, but did not get enough to meet the reserve set by the consignor. Here is one of them.

Hip #13 – Coastal Meadow – $3,700 (RNA)

Had Coastal Meadow left the sale ring with a new owner, his $3,700 price tag would have been enough to put the Meadow Prayer gelding in the top five. Instead, he will return to consignor Arnold Farms, LLC. Coastal Meadow is out of winning Gallant Prospector mare Carolady Coast, who is a perfect four-for-four sending foals of racing age to the winner’s circle – one of which was stakes placed Native Coaster. Meadow Prayer was, and continues to be, one of the leading sires in Michigan.

No Love

Seven horses in the sale did not receive the minimum reserve bid of $1,000. Some horses with good potential got walked out of the sale ring, including the one below.

Hip #4 Unnamed Colt – No Bid

Considering the success this colt’s of half sister, De La Crem, at Pinnacle Race Course, it is surprising no one was willing to take a chance on this yearling. Consigned by Northwin Stable, the son of Gainango is out of winning Kris S. mare Sweet Choice. Aside from the aforementioned stakes placed De La Crem, Sweet Choice has also produced two other winners from five to race for a total of three. Gainango, by popular sire Grand Slam, sent his first foals to the track in 2010.

Steal of the Sale

In every sale, there are a few horses who drop the hammer at a price lower than expected and appear to give the buyer a good deal. While we will have to wait and see how this yearling does on the racetrack to determine whether it truly was a “steal”, it sure looks like one at the moment. (Note: Regardless of their projected and actual prices, horses in the top five are not considered for this category.)

Hip #21 – Sashay This Way – $1,500

While the unproven produce records of Sashay This Way’s first and second dams may have steered some bidders away, this Daylight Savings filly certainly had the look of a horse with a future on the racetrack. She was consigned by Opportunity Lane and bought at the bargain price of $1,500 by Kayla Crampton. Sashay This Way’s dam, winning Honour And Glory mare Kahlea And Cream, is the dam of one other foal, a two-year-old who had not raced when the catalog was printed. Daylight Savings is a sire of multiple stakes winners and also sired sale topper Carter Road.