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S I R E S AND DAMS * »ELS°"» DU"S™ PIMLICO, Baltimore, Md., May 19. — Two years ago Battlefield was taken from the salesring on a bid of ,500, Count Turf ,700 and Repe-toire ,000. This has been called an "unusual season" in many ways, and one of the interesting angles is the number of 1949 yearlings bought at public auction to prove rare bargains in the current muddled three-year-old. division. Every year we read of the lemons that are taken from the yearling sales rings, but to the above trio may be added Royal Mustang, Phil D., Flyamanita, Sir Bee Bum, Tuscany, Ruhe, Jacodema, Nullify, Bugledrums, Pictus, Juliets Nurse and others who returned handsome profits to their owners. Another fact that can be pointed to with pride by market breeders is that the first four to finish in this years Kentucky Derby were sales products, Count Turf, Royal Mustang, Ruhe and Phil D. The yearling crop of 1949 produced some bargains who far overshadow the lemons who did not return their purchase price, to say nothing of a profit. AAA Keenelands yearling sales are but two months away, and the breeders will not settle down in earnest to prepare their youngsters for the summer vendues. For a week after the Derby this writer visited the farms in the Blue Grass region of Kentucky, and on that trip we conducted a poll, all our own, on what those down in that country thought this years market would be as compared with that of last year. To a man, they opined that the averages for the 1951 sales would be definitely up. They cite as reasons the high purses, increased attendance at race tracks in virtually every section of the country, the increased mutuel play, and the healthy condition of the stock market. There are still other Many Sophomore Bargains of Yearling Sales Battlefield, Count Turf, Repetoire Cheap ♦ Averages Should Exceed Those of Last Year Top Youngsters Now Being Prepped for Sales reasons. Many breeders told us they cannot recall a season when, at this early stage, so many visitors were at the farms inspecting the youngsters to be offered. Also to be considered is the handsome profit so many yearlings of 1949 have returned their buyers. When a yearling that sold for ,700 can earn 8,050 in one race, as Count Turf did in the Kentucky Derby, it is fine for market breeders and the sport of racing. AAA Last year the highest price for a yearling was 5-,000 for a filly, and the next highest was 2,000 for a colt. It would be only guesswork on our part if we made an attempt to predict what the highest prices will be this year. But, it is our opinion that some of the colts and fillies at the Spendthrift Farm of Leslie Combs IT., the Claiborne Stud of Arthur B. Hancock, the Mereworth Stud of Walter J. Salmon, Jr., and the Forest Retreat Farm of Dr. Eslie Asbury will evoke spirited bidding. At Spendthrift is a great array of famous stallions. Some 19 yearlings are being prepared for the sales, and two that bespeak the quality of their breeding are a bay dolt by War Admiral — Myrtlewood, by Blue Larkspur, and a bay colt by Bimelech — Durazna, by Bull Lea. Both these youngsters have pedigrees that would make them "naturals" for stud duty if successful on the race course. That can be said for others also, for there is a chestnut colt by Alibhai — Devil Dancer, by St. James, and a chestnut colt by Jet Pilot — Merry Fairy, by Jack High. Combs will offer fillies by Shannon n., Alibhai, Polynesian, Priam n., Eight Thirty, Bimelech and War Admiral. Summed up, Spendthrift is certain to be among the farms that will reach high averages this season. AAA Two of the largest breeding farms in the world today are Claiborne and Mereworth. Through the years they offer high quality and also babes that appeal to buyers in the middle-brackets. Claiborne has no fillies this year, but it has colts who will appeal to a wide range of buyers. There is one colt who might easily be one of the sensations of the sales, for he is by Count Fleet, out of Black Wave, the dam of Jet Pilot. In later columns we will have more to say about the Claiborne yearlings. The favorite colt of Arthur B. Hancock, Jr., is one by Some Chance, out of Gay Rhythm, and he is just about as perfectly a balanced youngsters as any have seen this year. The largest consignment to Keeneland will undoubtedly be that of Mereworth. It will be the best looking group sent to the sales ring from that stud. It would take a column to cover the Salmon yearlings, for* there are so many of strong appeal. One is a bay filly by Bull Lea out of Lady Lark, by Blue Larkspur, thus a full sister to Twilight Tear. AAA While it is impossible for buyers of yearlings to inspect personally every youngster that is to pass through the ring, it remains that many of the smaller consignments have youngsters of high quality — the Forest Retreat Farm for an example. For many years, Dr. Asbury has been one of the* most discriminating breeders in the Blue- Grass, an4 although he will send only four to Keeneland, they are well worth close inspection. One of his colts is a chestnut by Alibhai out of Evening Shadow. Another small breeder who sends a group to Keeneland is Charlton Clay, master of Marchmont Farm, Continued oh Page Thirty-One SIRES AND DAMS I By NELSON DUNSTAN Continued from Page Forty and this year he will offer a colt by Rico Monte out of Lee Lark, by Bull Lea. This may be the best yearling he has ever offered at public sale. Another consignor is Dr. Charles Hagyard, a famous veterinarian of this country. He will sell a brother to Roughn Tumble and we can say that this youngster is a much better looking colt than his more illustrious older brother was as a yearling. In the next two months we will have much more to say about the yearlings to be sold at Keeneland, and also those who will appear in the ring at Saratoga.
