Pedigree Query

I have now seen at least 2 colts go through with zero black type in the first two dams, each for over $40K. Do I need to reevaluate my hard and fast rules about the need for black type in the first dam???

It is about the physical individual - if you can produce a good physical with blacktype in the 1st dam it will certainly sell better than the same physical without blacktype. Most buyers select based upon the physical horse, the pedigree tells them how much they will have to pay to buy that horse.

The best physical colt in the sale was hip 154 (Cowboy Cal/Refugee) who topped the yearling sale at $550,000. Although the physical drives the market, purchases like this defy any logic - how can an unraced yearling colt by a failed sire be worth $550,000? If that had been a filly it would have been worth that money (1/2 sister to G1 winner & G2 winner) as she would have significant value as a broodmare whether she ran or not. This colt has no value if he cannot run, and limited value even if he is a G1 stakes winner.

There is no logical argument for his price.

p.s. I might add that if a yearling colt has a serious radiographic issue or does not scope, he will have little or no value at the sale regardless of his pedigree.

da hossman wrote:
There is no logical argument for his price.

Thats honesty for you - some people call it negativity or jealousy.

The is no value or logic in most sales toppers just ego's and people who think they know better.

If you asked someone to give you 550,000 and that you might give it to them back in 3-4 lets say a 2% chance of this they would be quick enough were to tell you to go.

But these people line up year after year to take the same chance on these horses.

dublino wrote:

da hossman wrote:
There is no logical argument for his price.

Thats honesty for you - some people call it negativity or jealousy.

The is no value or logic in most sales toppers just ego's and people who think they know better.

If you asked someone to give you 550,000 and that you might give it to them back in 3-4 lets say a 2% chance of this they would be quick enough were to tell you to go.

But these people line up year after year to take the same chance on these horses.

I'm not sure why there should need to be logic to the way that people with a lot of money choose to spend it.

In my mind, there's no logic to going to a casino and dropping 500K on a night's play, but people do it. There's no logic to spending six figures on a car or a boat that begins to depreciate the moment it is driven (or sailed) off the lot. But people do it because there's pleasure in the ownership and use of what they've bought. And horses are is no different.

At least this colt has a possibility of recouping his sales price for his owner, considering that his two half-siblings (one by a smiliarly "failed" sire) have earned $999,000 and $611,000 on the track so far. And if he takes his new owner to the top races like his half-siblings have, I'd imagine he'll think that it was money well spent.