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Midlantic Yearling Sale Opener Topped by Cupid Colt

Author: Don Mckee
Published: Tuesday October 06, 2020
Xtreme Racing Stables purchased a New York-bred colt coming from the first crop of Cupid at Monday's opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale. The purchase was for $160,000 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium.

The session saw a total of 200 head cataloged, with Fasig-Tipton reporting 122 horses sold for gross receipts of $2,983,600. The average price was $24,456 with a median of $15,000. There were a total of 40 yearlings that went unsold, resulting in an RNA rate of 24.7%. 

There was no comparable session in 2019 due to a new format resulting in 154 New York-breds leading off the catalog. That portion saw 88 yearlings sold for $2,279,600, with the average being $25,905 and the median $19,000. The RNA rate for that session was 26.1%. 

Twenty-two of the 24 horses offered at $50,000 or above were sold. There were 104 offered at the $24,999 and under range, with 72 being sold for an RNA rate of 30.8%.

The Cupid Colt

The session was topped by Hip 4, consigned by Eaton Sales, agent. He was produced from the winning Stravinsky mare Gottah Penny, who is the dam of Brokered and Copper Gem, both of which are stakes placed. 

The colt was bred by Christopher Shelli and Caliburn Farm, and he was purchased previously at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York Mixed Sale. Alan Quarticci made the purchase for $52,000.

Marshua's Echelon is the colt's second-dam. The daughter of Marshua's Dancer took nine of 13 starts, which included the Fair Grounds Oaks (G3). She is also the dam Run Man Run, who won the Malibu Stakes (G1), as well as stakes winner North of Mars and multiple graded stakes-placed Echelon's Ice Man. 

Cupid is a grade 1-winning son of Tapit, and he stands at Ashford Stud. His 2020 fee was $10,000.

Xtreme Racing Stables

Xtreme Racing Stables is led by Vicki and Mike McGowan, and the pair have horses with trainer McLean Robertson. They run mostly in the Midwest, holding a small group at Delaware Park this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

"When we shop these auctions, the first thing we do is look at the bloodlines," McGowan said. "We put a list together that looks like a good fit for us, but at the end of the day, it comes down the hands of our trainer Mac Robertson. 

"He's the one that is out there. He goes through all the horses. And we all thought this horse was a very athletic looking colt with some really nice lines. He checked out very well, so we are very excited about him."

McGowan did not make it to the Midlantic sale, but he was represented by Robertson. 

"Any time you go into these things, you are kind of shooting darts to see where it is going to land, but I think it was definitely within the range we had discussed," he said.

The couple has been racing for five years and have around 12 to 15 horses. 

"My wife really was the one that got into it," he said. "We try to differentiate. She usually tries to take the fillies, and I take the colts. We are probably skewed to the younger side; we have a lot of 2-year-olds going, and we have four or five yearlings right now. 

"I think we will continue to grow it as long as we have success with the ones we have. We have had a pretty good year, even through all of the COVID issues. We have a really nice 2-year-old out at Delaware Park named Sir Wellington. And we have Xtreme Mayhem that we are very excited about also."