[EventerAJ]

I wandered around the Keeneland September Yearling sale last week. I had a few sires in particular I wanted to check out, so this isn't meant to be a "representative sample" of ALL yearlings...just ones I happened to fancy from the catalog page. I'll provide the pedigree info later; for now, what do you like/dislike from the photo? They all sold well out of my price range...I wasn't really there to buy anyway, more to learn what certain sires throw.

*Disclaimer: yes, I know some of the photos are not the best. Getting a yearling to stand "pretty" long enough to take a decent shot with a cell phone camera is a challenge!

What do you see as the horses' strengths, weaknesses, and possibility as a sporthorse? I was looking from an eventer's perspective, but some of them might make a nice hunter, too.

Feel free to comment on one, several, or all.

Here they are loosely grouped by sire:


1. Ch filly hip 3522
This filly was very feminine and light-boned.

2. Dk b/br filly hip 3471
This filly wasn't much to look at, but she has a HUGE walk. Seems immature/growthy at this stage.

3. Gr/r filly hip 3239
Very substantial filly, great feet, good walk. Excellent mind.

4. Bay filly hip 3224
Big body, good walk.

5. Dk b/br filly hip 2859
Pleasant, ok walk.

6. Bay filly hip 3010
Big filly. Awkward-looking hind end, but had an enormous walk. Perhaps just not grown into herself?

7. Dk b/br colt hip 3141
Quiet, decent size for sire. Average walk.

8. Ch filly hip 3492
Very pleasant attitude. Active walk, but a bit tense/short.

9. Dk b/br colt hip 3377
This guy was overwhelmed and did not want to stand. Walked well once he relaxed. Not well-prepped, but I didn't hold it against him.

10. Ch filly hip 3137
This filly was gorgeous in every way. Big walk, nice attitude. Had some x-ray issues, unfortunately.

11. Dk b/br colt hip 2867
A bit small, but powerful looking. Average walk.

12. Ch filly hip 2960
A bit anxious and "on the muscle." Walked well.

13. Dk b/br colt hip 2456
Eye-catching when he came out of the barn-- big walk, lots of presence. Though I didn't realize it at the time, I had seen him last November as a weanling.

14. Dk b/br colt hip 2046
Average size, good walk. Alert but relaxed even at the ring.

[Renascence]

I am no yearling buyer or horse judge and know they are at different development stages. But 12 is my favorite at a glance for looking straight up beautiful! However, I don't do well off pictures, I really do need to see them move. So who is her sire and dam?

[fordtraktor]

Love the last 4. 13 can come live with me when he tires of racing!

[EventerAJ]

Thanks for the replies. The last group of horses were my favorites too...and the ones I was especially there to see! I am particularly interested in the stallion Sightseeing, by Pulpit out of a Pleasant Colony mare. (Sightseeing photo) His oldest foals are only 2 y/o, but he has a nice running filly among them (So Many Ways, a G1 and G2 winner at Saratoga). But I'm not interested in him for racehorses...I'm thinking he'll make a nice sporthorse sire once his kids start coming off the track. All the Sightseeings I've seen have been leggy, well-balanced, and good looking horses. In particular, he stamps a nice uphill, arched neck/shoulder (thanks to Pulpit/A.P. Indy), with good length of leg and long strides thanks to Pleasant Colony.


I also wanted to check out Silver Train offspring-- I have a very nice 4 y/o gelding by Silver Train, super athletic, great mind, great feet, upper level prospect. Most of the Silver Train yearlings I saw were not as leggy and balanced as my guy, though most had good bone and good brains.

In addition, I had my eye out for horses with Fappiano breeding-- Fapp is well-noted in many sporthorse pedigrees. (*asterisk noted below on horses with Fappiano in 4 gen)


Here's the breeding info and link to catalog page for the above yearlings:

1. Hip 3522 Silver Train - Edge Sweep (by End Sweep)
2. Hip 3471 Silver Train - Wavering Kisses (by Petionville)
3. Hip 3239 Silver Train - Candybedandy (by Holy Bull)
4. Hip 3224 Silver Train - Blackhawk Honey (by Malabar Gold)*
5. Hip 2859 Silver Train - Best Landing (by Fiery Best)
6. Hip 3010 Raffie's Majesty - Jet's Tradition (by AP Jet)*
7. Hip 3141 Quiet American - Somebody Special (by Bernstein)*
8. Hip 3492 Sightseeing - B Gene (by Point Given)
9. Hip 3377 Sightseeing - Miss Chaucer (by Lure)
10. Hip 3137 Sightseeing - Slightly Daring (by Rahy)
11. Hip 2867 Sightseeing - Bojangle's Cat (by Tabasco Cat)
12. Hip 2960 Sightseeing - Five for a Nickel (by Tale of the Cat)
13. Hip 2456 Sightseeing - Art of Illusion (by Forest Wildcat)
14. Hip 2046 Sightseeing - American Flyer (by Quiet American)*

[LookmaNohands]

I am not a good judge of yearlings.

Though I like Quiet American, I think I like the #13 colt. I did not look at the fillies.

So hard to tell because I am not sure how they grow up. I don't like anything that is downhill but many yearlings are.

[silanac]

I kinda liked the #2 filly. she is definitely awkward and extremely butt high, but when that front end catches up she will be darling. love the hind end on her

then the last 4 colts are all very nice

[fordtraktor]

Sightseeing/Pulpit definitely seems to cross well with quality going back to Northern/Native Dancer, that's the moral of this story for me (Storm Cat or Fappiano in those last 4). He seems to bring out the good side of those lines -- balance, engine, looks, short backed and athletic with big gaits. Just my kind of horse. I like a nice modern type, though, not everyone does.

[bdj]

I quite liked the number 2 filly, too - and now I think I know why - it's the Petionville: http://www.pennridgefarms.com/stallions/petionville
I think he's stunning.

[Starhouse]

I wondered just from looking at him, before I saw the pedigrees, if 13 was a Storm Cat! He has the same look as my horse does - he's gorgeous.

[grayarabpony]

Love the look of #14 but I am surprised at how grown up he looks for a long yearling!

[Pronzini]

Sightseeing

http://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-r...ightseeing.pdf

and Silver Train

http://www.bloodhorse.com/stallion-r...n=singlesearch

The Silver Train - Candybedandy sold for $25K. All the other Silver Trains shown either RNA'd or were in the four figures.

[NOMIOMI1]

I dont trust Tb's to "catch up" because a lot of the time they dont but I would say 8 and 10.

[EventerAJ]

I dont trust Tb's to "catch up" because a lot of the time they dont but I would say 8 and 10.

I think a lot of the ones I photographed will "catch up," at least far enough not to cause a big problem; sometimes they don't quit growing until age 6, but many do balance out. #2 is significantly downhill in this growth stage, but I bet she'll even up over time. IME, the ones that stay downhill tend to have shorter-looking front legs, look long in the back, and a stocky (QH-type) build, with a heavy chest and low-set neck.

I raised and prepped a Petionville filly who was a downhill type...just like I described above, QH like; despite coming from a very nice mare, the filly was likely to remain downhill and a little "stumpy." Photo #2, though she got a short-coupled Petionville body, has a nice length of leg and higher neck set to grow into; with the super walk she displayed, I really expect #2 to have nice balance in the end.

[fordtraktor]

I would be concerned about yearlings of any breed that weren't butt high at least some of the time. There are no guarantees but critiquing a yearling for being butt high seems odd to me. If you see one that isn't, chances are it will and should be in three months or so.

If you don't like the balance or how the pieces fit or whatever, that's understandable.

[LaurieB]

I would be concerned about yearlings of any breed that weren't butt high at least some of the time. There are no guarantees but critiquing a yearling for being butt high seems odd to me. If you see one that isn't, chances are it will and should be in three months or so.

If you don't like the balance or how the pieces fit or whatever, that's understandable.

^^ This.

That's how all of our babies have grown. They get butt high, then they even out. Then they get butt high again.

The yearlings at the Keeneland sale generally have a five month age range (almost all are born from January through May of the previous year) so they reach that 10 day period in September during all sorts of growth stages.

[Go Fish]

I dont trust Tb's to "catch up" because a lot of the time they dont

I would agree with you.

I'm surprised that no one's mentioned the pasterns on most of these yearlings. That seems to be another issue in my book on a lot of TBs today. You are setting yourself up for soundness issues on down the line for a sporthorse career.

[grayarabpony]

Hard to tell from the pics but I like the stifle placement on 11 the best. GoFish I agree about the pasterns.

For a TB for jumping I'd look for good bone, not ridiculously long pasterns, a lower set stifle than most of the horses here (again, tough to tell from the photos, but they look a bit high), a high point of shoulder and well-set neck rising out from above the shoulder. And parents with a record of soundness or producing soundness.

[Foxtrot's]

Hard on a yearling as presented without seeing them move - I did fall in love with one in his field - as they streamed by one had THE trot and the look, with an uphill build and higher headset.

[Foxtrot's]

I'm starting to notice AP Indy in the sporthorse world.

[grayarabpony]

Hard on a yearling as presented without seeing them move - I did fall in love with one in his field - as they streamed by one had THE trot and the look, with an uphill build and higher headset.

Honestly I'd want to see any horse I was assessing move. Athleticism isn't all about bone structure!