The 57th WTBOA Summer Yearling and Mixed Sale was held under late summer rainy skies on August 20 at the M. J. Alhadeff Sales Pavilion located at Emerald Downs in Auburn, Washington.
For the ninth time since 2005, Terry and Mary Lou Griffin’s Griffin Place LLC has consigned, for themselves or as agent, the sale topper at the annual WTBOA Summer Sale. This year’s bell ringer was Hip 9, a handsome dark bay colt sired by Florida Derby (G1) winner Take Charge Indy and out of two-time Washington champion Bella Mia. The $177,373 four-time stakes-winning daughter of Harbor the Gold hails from the family of Washington horse of the year and Ashland Stakes (G1) winner Rings a Chime, who was also bred by the Griffins. Bella Mia’s first foal was the standout 2023 juvenile Ship Cadet, who won or placed in a trio of East Coast stakes, led by a win over future 2024 Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Seize the Grey in the $150,000 Skidmore Stakes at Saratoga.
The sale topper was purchased by John Maryanski. He and his wife Janine race Bella Mia’s full sister, Miss Bella, a winner of five races and $93,803. John Maryanksi had bought the sale topper from the 2017 sale and then regaled as Baja Sur went on to win five stakes and numerous Washington champion titles while racing for the Buckley couple and their longtime racing partners Gerry and Gail Schneider.
Maryanski also signed for Hip 20, a Smiling Tiger—Feel the Charge filly, which he purchased from Critter Creek Farm, as agent for Brett Brophy and Kelly Dougan, for $20,000. Maryanski was the leading buyer at the August 20 venue with $82,000 spent for the two colts.
The second highest bid was hammered down at $43,000 for Hip 47, a Barkley half-brother to Washington champion 2-year-old Dutton and two other stakes-placed runners. He was purchased by Belvoir and Buchannan. Ron and Nina Hagen consigned the colt through their El Dorado Farms LLC. A third generation Hagen-bred, his dam, Ms Moscow Mattie, by Matty G, is a half-sister to four stakes runners. A popular Washington trainer, Howard Belvoir also signed for, as agent, for two other yearlings, Hips 45 and 59. Both are offspring of Belvoir’s 2018 Longacres Mile (G3) winner Barkley, whose first crop is showing promise this year with a maiden special weight winner Beauty Bark and two-stakes-placed runners.
California trainer Andy Mathis purchased the highest-priced filly, Hip 16, for $33,500. The daughter of Straight Fire—Duranga, by Bellamy Road, was also consigned by Griffin Place.
Mathis also went to $24,000 for Hip 5, another Griffin Place offering and a daughter of the California-based stallion Straight Fire. The yearling distaffer is a half-sister to Washington champion juvenile Cobra Jet. Her unraced dam, Atta Gal Val, is a half-sister to Washington champions Makors Finale and Absolutely Perfect.
Local trainer Bonnie Jenne, fresh from winning the Muckleshoot Derby with sale graduate Dynamic Secret, signed for four yearlings: Hip 6, a Straight Fire filly; Hip 17, a Conveyance filly; Hip 63, a colt by Outlash; and Hip 64, a colt by Coast Guard.
Longtime Pacific Northwest icon, bloodstock agent Claudia Atwell Canouse, signed for two yearlings: Hip 25, a Barkley filly out of Connie Belshay’s multiple stakes-producing mare Great Mom; and Hip 69, a colt consigned by Rancho San Miguel, agent, from the first crop of Hollywood Derby (G1) winner Mo Forza.
Both Will Brewer, as agent, and Florida resident David Staudacher each signed for two yearlings. Staudacher’s top pick was Hip 11, an Om—Caliente Gold colt from the Bar C Racing Stables consignment for which he paid $30,000. Brewer’s $24,000 winning bid was for Hip 35, a full brother to 2023 Washington champion 2-year-old Freightline (Coast Guard—Knight Raider) from the El Dorado Farms consignment.
Michael Pollowitz purchased the Washington Thoroughbred Foundaton’s fundraiser of a trip for two to the 2024 Breeders’ Cup World Championships, to be held this coming November at Del Mar, for $3,700.
Of the 71 yearlings originally hipped, five were withdrawn before the sale date and another 15 went through as RNAs. Of the remaining 51, 15 brought a bid of $20,000 or more. The 51 yearlings that sold brought a $683,600 total, $13,043 average (up 4.2 percent from the 2023 sale) and a $11,000 median (up 69 percent from last year).
Two broodmares were offered at the Tuesday sale. The first mare went unsold. The second, Hip 201, Jerre to Carrie, an 11-year-old Congrats mare from the family of Emerald Downs champions Bisbee’s Prospect, Taste the Passion, Stopshoppingdebbie, etc. She was sold, bred to Barkley, for $1,400 to the partnership of Heist, Fabulich and Cooper.
For complete sale results, please visit washingtonthoroughbred.com/sales/ Sale results are subject to change.
2024 WTBOA Sale Leading Purchases
Hip. Sex, Sire—Dam, Consignor. Buyer, Price.
9. Colt, Take Charge Indy—Bella Mia, Griffin Place LLC. John Maryanski, $60,000.
47. Colt, Barkley—Ms Moscow Mattie, El Dorado Farms LLC (Nina & Ron Hagen). Belvoir & Buchannan, $43,000.
16. Filly, Straight Fire—Duranga, Griffin Place LLC. Andy Mathis, $33,500.
11. Colt, Om—Caliente Gold, Bar C Racing Stables Inc. David Staudacher, $30,000.
21. Filly, Protonico—Find Your Spot, Mr. & Mrs. Frederick L. Pabst, Blue Ribbon Farm. Where We At, $25,000.
5. Filly, Straight Fire—Atta Gal Val, Griffin Place LLC. Andy Mathis, Agent, $24,000.
35. Colt, Coast Guard—Knight Raider, El Dorado Farms LLC, Agent for Nina Hagen & Hollis Sturgeon. Will Brewer, Agent, $24,000.
18. Colt, Barkley—Exit Sixty Slew, El Dorado Farms LLC (Nina & Ron Hagen). Roy Schaefer, $23,000.
59. Colt, Barkley—Runningwiththelute, El Dorado Farms LLC, Agent for George Gilbert. Howard Belvoir, Agent, $23,000.
