Yearlings from the first crop of Upstart were very well received by buyers at the Fasig-Tipton July Select Yearling sale yesterday at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington. From six on offer, five found new homes with four of them realizing six-figure prices of $140,000, $125,000, $120,000 and $100,000. From a $10,000 stud fee, Upstart’s yearlings have averaged over $104,000 and have an outstanding median sales price of $120,000.
The highest-priced Upstart yearling was the colt out of Ridingwiththedevil, a Candy Ride mare purchased for a mere $6,000 in January 2016 by the late Gerry Aschinger of War Horse Place. Gerry and Dana Aschinger bred Ridingwiththedevil to Upstart, producing a beautiful colt, with size, scope and quality. Spirited bidding ensued when the colt entered the sales ring, with deMeric Sales emerging victorious landing the colt for $140,000. Airdrie’s homebred Upstart filly (pictured), out of the GSP mare, Visavis, sold to Let’s Go Stable and Todd Pletcher for $125,000, while the Gainesway-consigned colt out of Out Of Goodbyes was sold to the pinhooking operation, Brick City Thoroughbreds, for $120,000. Southern California-based, Super Horse Inc., purchased the Upstart colt out of Remembermefondly for $100,000 from Select Sales.
A brilliantly fast Stakes-winning two-year-old, Upstart was dual G1-placed each year from 2 to 4, in races such as the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Champagne S., Haskell Invitational, Florida Derby, Whitney H. and Met Mile. He also won the Holy Bull S. (G2) and was controversially DQ’d after finishing first in the Fountain Of Youth S. (G2). In his 15 race career he earned $1,732,780 for his owner, Ralph Evans and Trainer, the late Rick Violette.
The stage is set for a strong sales season for Upstart, and we wish his supporters the best of luck.
