OBS April, Day 2: Best bets from Hips 307-612

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's April sale of 2-year-olds in training enters its second day at 10:30 this morning, with Hip Nos. 307-612 scheduled to pass through the ring.

A Pleasantly Perfect colt topped Day 1's offerings at $260,000, and the sales median rose more than 16 percent while average price and total revenue declined vs. the 2009 sale, when more horses were sold.

With the sale set to kick off in about an hour, I'm going to pass through today's catalog as I did Monday, trying to stay ahead of the auctioneer in making my selections.

OBSAPR, Day 2, Hips 307-612

Hip 307: Chestnut colt by Songandaprayer-Queen of Money, by Corporate Report. Day 2 gets a flying start with this fast, red, Kentucky-bred son from a sire-of-sires line (the Unbridled string) and a strong blacktype female family. Dam won twice from five starts at 2, then annexed the G3 Santa Ynez S. at 3 and was second in the G1 Santa Anita Oaks. She has produced seven winners from eight foals of racing age, including: QUIET CASH (c. by Real Quiet), with four stakes wins in Canada and G3-placed on both sides of our Great White Northern border for $355,541; POCKETFULLOFPESOS (f. by In Excess), five wins including the California Breeders' Champion S., $192,516; Miss Skagit State (f. by In Excess), 2nd Maiden S.-R at Hollywood; and Monkeymakinmamma (f. by In Excess), three wins at 2 and 3 and dam of SPANKY FISCHBEIN (g. by Hook and Ladder), a stakes winner among NY-breds for $281K. Second dam Chandelier (Majestic Light) won seven times and was G3-placed. ... Colt ran a fleet 10-flat for an eighth. ... I do have one reservation; durability. The Unbridled line is often criticized as unsound, with Songandaprayer himself making only eight starts. The dam here also started just eight times, so if this colt does the same as his parents, his career will be short. Thankfully, the some of dam's produce have done a little better, with Quiet Cash racing 23 times, Pocketfullofpesos a dozen, Miss Skagit State only 10, but Monkeymakinmamma a solid 25 starts.

(Updated 9:53 a.m.)

Hip 312: Bay filly by Eye of the Tiger-Rajas Secret, by Storm Bird. I beamed when I saw the female family here, and cringed when I saw the sire. But I'm going to recommend this filly anyway as one that could be ultra-cheap -- even by the standards of a sale in which the first-day median was just $18K -- and yet she oughta win somewhere. First the down side, the stallion. Eye of the Tiger was an extremely good racehorse, winning the Washington Park H.-G2 and Affirmed H.-G3, placing second in the Lexington S.-G2 and third in the Carter H.-G1 and Swaps S.-G2, for $535,679. He ought to be able to get a few racehorses. But's just a sophomore and about as unproven as a stallion can get, with only 17 total foals, two starters, and they've only earned $5,474. ... Hence the cringe. ... But with this mare (albeit unraced herself), the breeders have given the sire as good a chance as he could get for a winning daughter. Rajas Secret has produced 13 other foals of racing age, every one of them has raced, and 10 of them are winners. That group includes two very nice horses by Take Me Out (who, like this sire, is a son of Cure the Blues) in Louisiana Derby-G2 winner and near-millionaire KIMBERLITE PIPE, and his full brother, Gulfstream Park stakes winner MARASCA. The other winners all are of much less note, but this mare's foals do race, and they do win. Meanwhile second dam Jellapore (Raja Baba) was a half-sister to Canadian champ 2-year-old BAYFORD, and to noteworthy stakes horse and sire NORTHERN BABY, among others. She produced SECRET ADVICE and Storm Ring, both G3-placed, as half- and full-siblings, respectively, to the mare of this foal. ... The filly's breeze was a competent 22 1/5 for a quarter (corrected from 22.0), and I thought she moved extremely well in the video. ... I wish she had some status other than Kentucky-bred (PA or NY particularly) so she could earn money among softer, restricted company. But she is what she is, which actually is a reasonably nice-looking filly from a winning female family, and one that I think that won't be expensive.

Hip 316: Chestnut colt by Storm Boot-Raria, by Rahy. A blazer of 10-flat through an eighth, this colt is full brother to a pair of males who have earned six figures each despite no blacktype: Lightning Bolt (five wins from 3 to 5, $122,514) and Y.V. Five (winner at 2 and 3, $111,278), and to a much cheaper-class dual winner in Welly ($17,246). Second dam is the Philly Park stakes winning mare Santiago Suzie (Topsider) and the third dam is Chilean G1 winner Mocita Mia (Mocito Guapo), but blacktype won't sell this foal because there really isn't much of it (though this is the somewhat distant female family of 19-race winner B FLAT MAJOR). In fact, of the dam's five foals, only those three have raced, and there's at least one unraced sister also by Storm Boot. ... Bottom line, despite the rapid breeze, this guy shouldn't bring much. But in his career, the late Storm Boot has gotten about 81 percent starters and 65 percent winners from all foals, which makes him just about as bankable for getting a racehorse as any stallion. This KY-bred colt looks the part in his conformation photo and video at the Web site of the agent, Eisaman Equine, and the breeze suggests he's a runner.

(Updated 10:28 a.m.)

Hip 331: Reprized Halo, bay colt by Halo's Image-Reprized Angel, by Reprized. A first foal out of a non-blacktype dam, but she won five times from ages 2-5 and earned nearly $85K. She's also full sister to VALID REPRIZED (five wins from 2-4, Tropical Park Derby-G3, Hialeah Juvenile S., etc., $171,993) and half to CONVEYOR'S ANGEL (f. by Conveyor, Buena Vista H.-G2, etc., $337,858). The second dam, Supreme Angel (Prince Valid) bore nine foals and eight were winners, though some were quite modest, but producing winners bodes well for her daughter. The colt breezed 21.2 for a quarter, which is plenty brisk. The sire only gets about 68.5 percent runners from all foals (I'd like to see, say, three out of four), but he gets about 52 percent winners from all foals, which is at least pretty average. And their average earnings are nearly $57,000.

Hip 349: Chestnut filly by Trippi-Romantic Dinner, by Who's for Dinner. This filly worked a quarter in a solid 22-flat and is half-sister to a pair of stakes winners, SEA OF GREEN (Seacliff), who won 10 times including five stakes at four different tracks, and LADY GIN (Saint Ballado), who won six times, thrice in stakes, including a record-setting performance at Hawthorne (about 5f in 56-flat). Her "nephew" (also sired by Trippi) out of stakes-producing half-sister Potluck Dinner sold for $40,000 on Day 1 after working in 21.3. Dam has produced 100 percent starters from eight of racing age, seven of them winners. Second dam Victorious Meg (Soy Numero Uno) was half to four stakes winners and produced G3 winner NOME (by Double Sonic, 14 wins).

(Updated 11:01 a.m.)

Hip 388: Dark bay or brown filly by Vindication-Scapegoat, by Forty Niner. I'll get the soundness concern out of the way right off the top. Sire was an unbeaten 4-for-4, Breeders' Cup Juvenile-G1 winner and champion at 2 and never raced another step. (And then died at the young age of 8 after colic surgery.) And the dam here was unraced. Ugh. ... However, the dam is a half-sister to G2 winner HIGHLAND PARK (Raise a Native, Breeders' Futurity-G2, Fountain of Youth S.-G2, etc.), listed winner ALL ABOUT STYLE (Raja Baba, SW at Meadowlands and Laurel), and G3-placed Old Bid (Spectacular Bid). She's also produced nine winners from 14 foals of racing age (11 to race), including Chief's Crown stakes winner TRES CORONAS ($242,684), Dehere stakes winner DESCAPATE ($196,105), and Brocco stakes-placer Brocco Boy ($275,755). She breezed a decent 10.2 for an eighth.

(Updated 11:42 a.m.)

Hip 433: Dark bay or brown colt by Hennessy-Shuffle Again, by Wild Again. I'm giving a lukewarm endorsement to this one, because there are both distinct minuses and a couple of strong pluses, none of which I can ignore. Sire Hennessy has four champions, but still only produces about 70 percent starters (average) and 46 percent winners (frankly, sort of poor). However, one of his minor stakes winners, GOODNESS ($99K, SW at Retama and Sam Houston), is a half-sister to the dam here. This mare is stakes-placed and has produced six winners out of eight of racing age. But only one of those has accounted for much, a Menifee gelding named Stacked Deck who won 11 times from ages 3 to 5 for $126,630 and for a time was in the barn of Bowie-based trainer Phil Schoenthal. I saw that nice-looking horse at Colonial a couple of years ago and Phil admired him as a horse who always gave his best, a good trait to have and hopefully one this colt (who should be gelded sooner rather than later) might hopefully inherit. Other foals from this mare are multiple winners, including Opportunistic (g. by Brahms) who has won seven times from 2 to 6, but none of them have earned more than $60K. Still, second dam Darby Shuffle was a G3 winner and second in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies-G1, half-sister to Del Mar stakes winner BEAT ALL ($419K) and is the great-granddam of Kentucky Oaks-G1 winner SUMMERLY, so the family tends to consistently get runners, even if the brilliance is only occasional. ... Colt breezed 22-flat, but looked like he had trouble changing leads in the straight. Maybe that means he has lots of room to move forward, as (heaven help us) most of these unraced babies do. And I don't think he'll be expensive by any stretch.

Hip 444: Include Me Sir, chestnut filly by Include-Sir Harriett, by Sir Harry Lewis. One of the few to breeze three furlongs instead of an eighth or a quarter, she did it in a very good 34-flat. Sire's catalog numbers look worse than they are, because his listed number of 415 foals of racing age include (ha) 127 current 2-year-olds, none of whom have started (duh). That leaves 288 foals aged 3 or older, 233 of whom have started for a solid 80.9 percent and 168 are winners, for 58 percent. That group includes Panty Raid, a G1 winner on both turf and synthetic, and Cash Included, a G1 winner on dirt. The dam here was just a modest winner at 3, but of her eight foals of racing age, all seven to run have won, including a pair of stakes winners: OVERPASS (g. by Slavic), 10 wins from 2 to 8 and $288,666; and SIR FIVE STAR (c. by Five Star Day), three stakes wins out of five wins at 2 and 3, and $271,006. Second dam Buenas Neches (Hagley) won six times from 2 to 4 and only had one other foal, who was a modest winner. Not much blacktype on this page, but what there is, is found in half-siblings of the filly for sale. Include gets winners on dirt, turf and synthetic, including 2-year-olds (49 percent start, 17 percent win). And, she showed pretty well in the 3f breeze.

Hip 465: Bay colt by Omega Code-Southern Alert, by Southern Halo. A quick 10.1 breeze is an indication of the speed perhaps bestowed by his parents. His sire (banished from Florida to Oklahoma this year) was a 2-year-old track record-setter, blasting 1:07.7 to win a stakes at the Fresno Fair and proved he was more than a fair-circuit freak by winning the San Miguel S.-G3 at Santa Anita as a sophomore, going 1:08.65 for 6f. Dam never earned blacktype, but won five times from ages 2 to 4 (she did win the non-blacktype Al Swihart Memorial H. at Fonner Park in Nebraska) and she set a track record at Prairie Meadows, going 4.5 furlongs in 51 1/5. Her first foal of racing age hasn't made the track, but her dam, the Greinton mare Mink Alert, produced nine winners, and third dam, the stakes winning Northern Prospect mare Mink Hat, produced nine winners from 10 foals herself, including G2-placed LADY LEAR (one of two with that name by Lear Fan) who won 11 times from 43 starts and set a track record at Belmont in the Just a Game S.-L, 11f in 2:15 4/5, and COVER YOUR EARS (Private Terms), who won 10 of 43 including a Philly Park stakes race for $215K. ... Quick FL-bred colt from a pair of precocious parents. A good chance to start earning back his purchase price -- which should be modest -- before the year is out.

(Updated 12:39 p.m.)

Hip 473: Bay colt by Montbrook-Special Report, by Notebook. Sire gets winners, including 2-year-old winners at a 20-plus percent clip. Dam was a winner in one start at 2, twice a stakes winner at 3, and raced 22 times through age 5; had a full sibling, Cutoffs, who won six times for $166K. This is her first foal of racing age and he breezed a pretty fair 21.4 through a quarter. Second dam is the Calder stakes winner Argos Appeal (World Appeal) who produced six winners, including three more stakes-placers, all by this sire, Montbrook: Secret Brook (SP at Calder, Aqueduct and Finger Lakes, $128,851); Favre (SP at Calder and OTC, $109,710); and Miss Diane (SP at Prairie Meadows at 2 last year, placed at 3, $62K). ... Good breeze, established sire, stakes-winning dam with three blacktype siblings by this very sire, Florida-bred status -- a swell prospect.

Hip 476: Fleeting Joy, dark bay or brown colt by Kitten's Joy-Speedy Sunrise, by Cherokee Run. Kentucky-bred, who was a $15,000 Fasig-Tipton RNA as an October yearling, is a bit of an enigma on pedigree. Will the presence of Cherokee Run and Holy Bull (sire of second dam, Holy Mia), neither of whom get many grass winners, keep turf champion Kitten's Joy (five first-crop stakes winners) from tapping into the freakish lawn performance beneath third dam Mia Karina (Icecapade)? The dam here did win three times for $102K and second dam was a 2-year-old winner who has produced five winners. And Mia Karina did produce SIBERIAN SUMMER, winner on dirt of the Charles H. Strub S.-G1, etc. But the consistent blacktype here is under her English Group 3 winning daughter, MAGNIFICIENT STYLE (Silver Hawk), who is the dam of: PLAYFUL ACT (Sadler's Wells), English highweight filly at 2, Meon Valley Stud Mile-G1, etc., $482K; ECHOES IN ETERNITY (Spinning World), twice a Group 2 winner, $239K; PERCUSSIONIST (Sadler's Wells), Yorkshire Cup-G2, Derby Trial S.-G3, $526K; STYLESTICK (Storm Cat), twice a stakes winner on turf at Keeneland and G3-placed on grass at Churchill, $234K; PETARA BAY (Peintre Celebre), Feilden S., etc., $113K; and Changing Skies (Sadler's Wells), 2nd Prix de Psyche-G3, etc., $107K. ... Colt worked a respectable 10.2 and looked pretty good doing it. But I have to hope he's a grass horse, or maybe synthetics.

Hip 482: Bestcasescenario, bay colt by Indian Ocean-Stacie's Halo, by Halo. So this one's fast, 9 4/5 through the eighth. He's by an unproven sophomore sire who did manage to get a stakes winner and two stakes-placers from his first crop last season, and 44.7 percent starters and 17.9 percent winners (albeit mostly modest winners) from that first group of 2-year-olds. The breeders gave him a good mare to work with here, as Stacie's Halo won five times herself (albeit at 4 and 5) and is 7-for-7 on winning foals of racing age, including: WORSTCASESCENARIO (f. by Forbidden Apple, 2-for-4 at 2 last year including the Adirondack S.-G2 at Saratoga); Power by Jules (g. by Jules), nine wins, $116K; Halo's Rumble (f. by Lightnin N Thunder), six wins at 2 and 3, 2009, $82K; and Keep It (g. by Put It Back), six wins, $72K. Second dam is the five-stakes winner Stacie's Toy (Baldski) whose full sister, MISSY BALDSKI, was champion 2-year-old in Norway, as was their half-sister, BUTTERFLY ROSE (Iron Ruler). ... I'd usually like a more proven sire, or a better racehorse as sire (Indian Ocean just a G3 winner), but this one has a chance.

(Updated 1:37 p.m.)

Hip 517: Bay filly by Harlan's Holiday-Summertime Blues, by Chimes Band. Illinois-bred filly worked 10.1 and is half to a pair of nice winners; Chillin Villain (Good and Tough) who was 2-for-3 and stakes-placed among statebreds at Hawthorne at 2, now with four wins and over $146K earned, and Jitterbug Blues (Pleasant Tap) who is still active at 4 and has earned more than $97K. The other sibling of racing age, a filly named Bleachers (Sky Classic) did break down at Hawthorne in her fourth start last fall, and the dam only raced nine times at 3 and 4 (winning two for $25,980). However, it's generally a durable family. Second dam Catching a Buzz won four of 21 and produced: TIC N TIN (g. by Lac Ouimet), who won 29 of 97 including nine stakes for $771,570 before breaking down at age 10; PRETTY JENNY (f. by Pioneering), winner of 12 from 32 including eight stakes for $534,262 and was twice an Illinois-bred champion; and Let It Ride (Fast Gold), who won 11 of 72 for $161K. ... Could do very well among IL-breds at Arlington, Hawthorne and Fairmount Park.

Hip 518: Dark bay or brown filly by Tale of the Cat-Summertown, by Diesis. A KY-bred full sister to stakes-placed Mr. Goodkat (seven wins from 2 to 6, $155K) and half to the Stravinsky stakes-placer Solar Fire (3rd Sorrento S.-G2, $61K). Her dam was only placed at 2 and 3 in England, but has produced seven runners and five winners from eight of racing age. Second dam, Solar (Halo), was second-highweight filly at 2 on the Irish Handicap and won two Group 3 stakes races. She was half-sister to four-times Irish and English champ EL GRAN SENOR and to three-times English and Irish champion TRY MY BEST. She produced only one minor stakes-placer, but the blacktype beneath her daughters is thick and global -- at least 16 stakes horses including BAHAMIAN PIRATE (12 wins, Nunthorpe S.-G1, etc., $783K), STRONG HOPE (G2, $767K), ALEX NUREYEV (eight times group-placed in Italy), CLAPTON (G2 in Peru) and MAR HONDO (G3 in Chile). ... Breeze was a fair 10.3, but I thought she looked very fluid in her going. Could or maybe even should be a grass horse, which Tale of the Cat can get; witness turf champ Gio Ponti.

Hip 521: Obummer, bay filly by Wildcat Heir-Supah Jen, by Major Moran. The seventh foal of racing age (all to race, four to win) out of a Calder stakes-winning and G2-placed mare, this girl shocked the clock at 20 3/5 for a lightning-quick quarter. None of her siblings earned blacktype, but one that retired a maiden (Jenny's Search, by Lost Soldier) is already a stakes producer of Jenny's So Great (Greatness, $129K in Canada). Second dam, Jenny's Nandy (Great Above), was a producer of 100 percent wnners from eight foals, including two more stakes winners, Santa Maria H.-G1 and El Encino S.-G2 winner SUPAH GEM (Gold Meridian), who earned $445K, and nine-race Tampa stakes winner TENACIOUS TREASURE (Harry 'n Bill), who is in turn a stakes-producer of the Valid Expectations blacktype-winner SAGO. A winning half-sister of this sales filly's dam, Nandys Gold (Gold Meridian), has produced seven winners from nine foals, including $380K-earner SWEETLALABYE (Sweetsouthernsaint) and $305K-earner HYPOCRITE (Outofthebox). ... Sophomore sire, a G1-winning sprinter, lit up the Northern Hemisphere with 50 percent starters and 44 winners (32.8 percent) from all his first-crop 2-year-olds.

(Updated 2:42 p.m.)

Hip 538: Dark bay or brown colt by Vindication-Tables Turned, by Petionville. Sire made four starts (but was an unbeaten 2-year-old champion) and the dam made four starts, unplaced. Would love to have seen one (or both) of them be both talented and durable. Thankfully, the dam has already produced a 2-year-old winner of $44K from her sophomore first foal, Gosmon (More Than Ready), and the dam's siblings serve as endorsements of her genetics. Out of the stakes winning A Native Danzig mare, Danzigs Fashion, this dam is a full sister to a trio of notables -- thrice G1-winner ISLAND FASHION ($2,037,970), California Oaks-placed Fashion Trend, and modest winner Flash of Fashion who is already a stakes producer of a Mineshaft filly named STRUT THE CANARY (Marshua S. at Laurel, $93K). The breeze was 10.2 for an eighth, which is pretty average, but the colt looked good in doing it.

Hip 546: Bay colt by Gibson County-Tanja, by Allen's Prospect. Multiple stakes-winning dam of $241K is yet to reproduce herself, but does have six winners out of eight prior foals of racing age. None of them have earned blacktype, though, only three have topped $50K in earnings, and the late sire is fairly low-profile, so this boy might sell very reasonably despite his blistering 9 4/5 drill, during which he really looked the part of a racehorse. Second dam is the Magesterial stakes-winner Fleet Road, who produced five other stakes horses besides the dam here: MIDWAY ROAD (Jade Hunter, 2xG3, $695K); TUZIA (Blushing John, 2nd Personal Ensign H.-G1, $278K); SHANGHIED (A.P. Indy, $100K); Briarwood Circle (Smart Strike, 2nd Summer S.-G3, $158K); and Cargi (Carson City, 12 wins, $152K). Close female family of twice G2-winner BUDDY'S SAINT. ... Fleet Florida-bred has a chance to outrun his eight older siblings' earnings marks without breaking the bank at time of purchase.

(Updated 4:24 p.m.)

Hip 595: Dark bay or brown colt by Tiznow-Trickle of Gold, by Formal Gold. Kentucky-bred colt is the first foal out of Grade 3 winner who won 10 of her 20 lifetime starts, five times in stakes company. Second dam Tricky Startlet (Tricky Fun) only produced three foals with only one other (cheap) winner. But she won seven times herself for nearly $93K. Not much blacktype on the page; not many runners and winners, actually, as the third dam only bore four foals (three winners). But the mama here could run (NTR Delaware Park, 5.5f in 1:02 3/5), the daddy could run (Horse of the Year, Breeders' Cup Classic-G1 twice, etc.) and the sire is getting good winners and a few champions. Colt worked a solid 10.2 eighth. The dam sold for $40,000 in November in foal to Henny Hughes. But a page that's a light on dark type might mean this is your chance to own a Tiznow without paying the $211,000-plus his eight juvenile colts have averaged so far in 2010.

Hip 597: Tricky Break, bay colt by Sunday Break-Tricky Move, by Tricky Creek. Sire didn't do enough to stay in North America's good graces, but he has a chance with this one. Dam was twice a stakes winner in Michigan for $112K, but proved her genes could step up to bigger-market status as she's foaled NY-bred stakes winners SNEAKIN UP (f. by Hook and Ladder, Joseph A. Gimma S. at Belmont, $116K) and MULTIPLICATION (c. by Subordination, Mike Lee S. at Belmont, $102K). Of her six foals of racing age, five have raced and all have won, with more modest winners sired by Freud (two) and Dream Run. Second dam, the Sensitive Prince mare Sensitive Annie, only produced the one stakes horse (above), but did drop six winners out of nine foals, eight to race. This colt didn't exactly blaze through an eighth, but didn't completely stagger, either, at 10.4, and seemed to have decent movement. Should earn money among NY-breds.

Hip 601: Bay filly by Greatness-Triple Top, by Topsider. How often would I recommend the daughter of a stallion who won twice from seven starts, never in stakes company? This might be the only time in 2010. So read up. When this stallion was good, he lived up to his name, winning two of three starts at age 3 including a 3-year-old maiden-breaker at Belmont in a fleet 1:09.59 for 6f and backed it up with a Belmont allowance win by 10 1/2 lengths in a dazzling 1:14.65 for 6.5f. Then he was 0-for-7 at 4. But at stud, Greatness has gotten 75 percent runners and 53 percent winners from his first three crops, both credible numbers. While his foals' average earnings per starter are only $36,591, he's gotten one stakes winner (the filly Amazing) and upgraded a very average book of mares (1.07 CI) by earning an Average Earnings Index of 1.26. This filly didn't work brilliantly, but her 10 3/5 eighth is acceptable and she looked like a racehorse. Her female family says that she should be. Dam Triple Top (Topsider) was unraced, but out of 15 other foals of racing age, 14 have raced and 13 have won, including: Way to the Top (g. by Mr. Prospector-line sire Way West), 14 wins, G3-placed, $426K; Triple Great (g. by Great Above), twice Tampa stakes-placed, 19 wins to age 10, $229K; Triple It (f. by Put It Back), six wins and $174K; Storm to the Top (f. Future Storm), seven wins and $105K; Search for Triple (f. by Regal Search), $76K; Proudathetop (f. by Proud Birdie), eight wins, $65K; and Triple Mandate (f. by Full Mandate), four modest wins at 4 in 2009, $42K. ... And seriously, how often these days can you find a filly whose second dam is by legendary Damascus? Second dam Bosk only placed at the racetrack, but was half to four stakes horses and produced Hawthorne Derby-G3 winner BROTO (Danzig), Australian Group 3-placed Pay Back Time (Danehill) and the four other stakes-producing daughters besides Triple Top. This is the more distant female family of Australian champion older horse DESERT WAR. ... That's a lot of writing for a filly who I expect to be bought pretty cheap. But I think this Florida-bred should at least bring an owner some excitement at the racetrack and the chance to pose for a win photo or two, even if only in claiming company. And for the price she's likely to bring, what would be so bad about that?

Hip 602: Samurai Treasure, bay colt by First Samurai-Triple Treasure, by Gone West. I'm mentioning this colt because he crawled through the eighth -- 12 seconds flat -- and I still think he's a racehorse, one who will sell for darned near nothing. I've already noted on this blog that you want to find a horse who runs fast even when he looks like he's going slow. This one goes slow and looks it. His sire stands for $30K, yet this boy was just a $12,000 weanling and only a $3,200 yearling. And I still think he might make a racehorse. ... Why? Because I think he's one who might not be the fastest, but will run all day. ... I know First Samurai was a precocious, 2-year-old dual G1 winner, but he also scored at 3 in the Fountain of Youth-G2 at 9 furlongs, and he's by Giant's Causeway, a sire who honestly can give you just about anything. And the dam here is from forever-running family. She was only placed at 3 and 4 in England, but has produced three to race from four of racing age, all three are winners and none has earned under $95K (Triple Fantasy, by Fasliyev, three wins in 23 starts). Two of her foals are G3-placed, Les Grands Trois (g. by Offier) in the Perryville at Keeneland and the Bay Shore at Aqueduct for $195K and Wannawinemall (g. by Royal Anthem) in the El Camino Real Derby for $78K. The stamina really comes in with second dam Lemhi Go, by Lemhi Gold, who won the Sword Dancer H. (12f) and San Juan Capistrano Invitational H. (14f) on turf and the Jockey Club Gold Cup on dirt when the latter race was still run at 12f. For her part, 12-race winner Lemhi Gold's biggest win came in the La Prevoyante H.-G2 at a mile and a half. ... Buy this colt for the equivalent of lunch money. If nothing else, put him on a slow boat (a very slow boat) to Ireland. Geld him this fall. Let him grow up. Run him long. Over jumps if necessary, like his dam's half-brother Unleash (Benny the Dip), who eventually won a total of eight times on flat turf, all-weather, hurdling and steeplechasing, at an average distance of a mile and seven-eighths. ... Yeah, I know, what are the odds someone will do all that? But I liked making you read so much about a horse almost nobody is likely to want.

Hip 608: High Test, chestnut colt by Wildcat Heir-Twisted Truth, by Distorted Humor. We move from sluggard to speed-demon, and this fellow's name fits his 20.4 quarter-mile breeze. Dam didn't run for much, but did win at 2. She's produced a pair of 2-year-old winners (both by Repent) and this sire got a whopping number of 2-year-old winners in his freshman crop last year. Second dam The Stark Truth (Graustark) was a 2-year-old winner who produced eight winners from 10 foals including the very nice gelding LIES OF OMISSION (Taylor's Special) who won 11 times, including the Polynesian S.-G3, for $288,669. Third dam Dr. Penny Binn (Seat of Power) was G3-placed, and produced LOTTERY WINNER (Goodwood H.-G2, etc., $487K). Another pretty good offering from Journeyman Bloodstock, but a Wildcat Heir who might not sell sell for as much as some of his 2-year-olds this year, who are averaging $69,500.

(Done for today at 5:49 p.m.)