Celestial City is the second highest-priced horse ever sold at the BSA National Yearling Sale, going for R7 million in 2020, and he won four races and finished second in a Listed event before being retired to stud. He is a full brother to sought after sire Hawwaam, so could still be anything. (JC Photos)
By Sarah Whitelaw
RECENT HISTORY OF NATIONAL SALE TOP PRICED YEARLINGS
The pages of history are littered by top priced yearlings who have lived up to expectations. Fusaichi Pegasus, a $4 million sales topper, was sold for an alleged $60 million following a career which saw him win four graded stakes notably the 2000 G1 Kentucky Derby. He would go on to enjoy a successful stud career, siring 76 stakes winners, led by such standout G1 winners as Haradasun (sire of South African champion Harry’s Son), Bandini, Champ Pegasus, and Roman Ruler, as well as 2005 G1 Belmont Stakes runner up Andromeda’s Hero.
Fusaichi Pegasus is also the sire of high-class South African racemare Our Table Mountain, the Equus Champion Broodmare of 2015-2016, and dam of the G1 winners Cloth Of Cloud and Silver Mountain.
Other standout performers to have topped respective yearling sales were such champions and breed shaping stallions as A.P. Indy and Nureyev, two of the best sires in history.
However, inevitably, for every top priced yearling to live up to his/her price tag, there have been many famous pricey yearlings who have proved disappointing.
With the National Yearling Sale set to take place in Germiston this week, it is perhaps a good time to look back at the past performances of recent National Sale top priced lots.
2024: MAN OF HIS WORD c Gimmethegreenlight -Honorine
R6 000 000
The top priced lot sold at the 2024 National Yearling Sale, Man Of His Word has yet to start.
2023: KOMMETJIE STORM f Elusive Fort -Adorable
R3 200 000
A full-sister to G1 Vodacom Durban July/G1 World Sports Betting Cape Town Met winner and promising sire Kommetdieding, Kommetjie Storm made a promising start to her career.
After finishing third on debut, when beaten just over a length and a half, Kommetjie Storm made a big impression when winning next time out. Under Gavin Lerena, the blue blooded filly stormed home to shed her maiden by five and a half lengths. Kommetjie Storm was not disgraced next time out when she ran third, to subsequent G3 4Racing Sycamore Sprint winner Mia Moo, over 1160m. Kommetjie Storm only subsequent start, thus far, saw the filly finish eighth in the G2 Wilgerbosdrift Gauteng Fillies Guineas.
2022: FOREST GOD c Silvano -Touch The Sky
R3 300 000
Forest God made just three starts, finishing sixth on debut before filling the second berth next time out. His only subsequent start saw the son of Silvano pulled up when it turned out that Forest God was lame.
2021:CHEEKY LADDIE c Gimmethegreenlight -All Is Secret
R2 800 000
One of four winners thus far for triple G1 winner and Equus Champion 2YO Filly of 2012 All Is Secret, Cheeky Laddie’s third dam is legendary South African broodmare Mystic Spring.
Cheeky Laddie accounted for a subsquent star performer when he made a winning debut over 1200m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville in August 2022. Back in fourth place was See It Again, whose seven victories include the 2023 G1 SplashOut Cape Derby and G1 Daily News 2000. While Cheeky Laddie has never reached any such heights, the gelding has won or been placed in ten of 20 starts thus far. Among his better efforts was a defeat of subsequent 2024 Listed Christmas Handicap winner Formagear over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Scottsville in 2003, and a runner up effort, behind the very smart Aspect, over 1400m at Hollywoodbets Kenilworth in April 2024.
2020: CELESTIAL CITY c Silvano -Halfway To Heaven
R7 000 000
A full-brother to champion Hawwaam, and half-brother to both former Horse Of The Year Rainbow Bridge and dual G1 winner Halfway To Heaven, Celestial City is one of four black type producers for his dam Halfway To Heaven.
The beautifully bred Celestial City was well placed by his trainer Sean Tarry, and he won or finished second in each of his first four starts. After scoring a half length win on debut, Celestial City went on to finish second in each of his next three starts. Beaten just a length by Otto Luyken, runner up in the 2024 G3 Ridgemont Peninsula Handicap, over 1600m at Turffontein, Celestial City then filled the runner up berth behind African Torrent next time out.
The form of Celestial City’s next race was well franked when his conqueror Son Of Raj went on to win all of the Listed 4Racing Derby Trial, G1 World Sports Betting SA Derby and G3 Betway London News Stakes.
Celestial City himself would go on to win four more races, and he ran a creditable second, beaten just over two and a quarter lengths, in the Listed Kings Cup of 2024.
2019: MASAKI c Silvano -Quickwood
R9 000 000
Masaki, who set a (then) new South African record for a yearling bought at auction, never raced.
2018: TRACK ATTACK c Dynasty -Little Indian
R5 200 000
A half-brother to exported champion Yorker, Track Attack failed to match his sibling’s record on the track. It took Track Attack ten starts to break his maiden, and he would win just one more race in six subsequent outings.
2017:GHAALLA f Var -Fidelity
R5 000 000
As a Var daughter from one of the best families in the stud book, Ghaalla provided her wonderful female line with yet more black type. The filly downed dual Equus Champion Celtic Sea when she made a winning debut over 1160m at Turffontein in March 2018. Ghaalla confirmed the promise of her debut when she ran second, to subsequent G1 HSH Empress Club Stakes winner Ronnie’s Candy, in the2018 G2 SA Fillies Nursery where Ghaalla again defeated Celtic Sea. Two unplaced runs preceded Ghaalla finishing third in both the G2 Joburg Spring F and M Challenge and G3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes, before she gained her biggest win when victorious in the 2018 G3 Fillies Mile. Her beaten rivals on that occasion included the aforementioned pair Ronnie’s Candy and Celtic Sea as well as champion Return Flight.Ghaalla had a Gimmethegreenlight filly, subsequently named Status Quo, sell for R1 200 000 at the 2022 November Two Year Old Sale.
2016:SUGAR GIRL f Trippi -Ilha Grande
R2 500 000
Sugar Girl, a half-sister to G1 SA Fillies Classic winner Orchid Island, showed promise early on. A good winner on debut, she ran second, to subsequent G3 Final Fling Stakes winner Platinum Class, next time out. Sugar Girl made it two wins from three starts when she romped home to defeat Call Me Winter by two and a half lengths next time out.While Sugar Girl failed to win again, she put up a good effort when running third, to Freedom Charter, in the G3 Poinsettia Stakes, where Sugar Girl was beaten less than a length and a half. The daughter of Trippi had a Vercingetorix colt fetch R2 000 000 at last year’s National Yearling Sale.
2015: SAVANNAH CAT f Fort Wood -Kapen Cat
R4 750 000
Savannah Cat, whose dam Kapen Cat was a half-sister to multiple champion sire Western Winter, took four runs to break her maiden. The daughter of Fort Wood scored her single success when she won a maiden over 1400m at Greyville. While she failed to win again, Savannah Cat has gone on to enjoy success at stud. Her first three runners have all won, and include the exported G3 HSH Princess Charlene Starling Stakes winner Egyptian Mau and G3 Tabgold Godolphin Barb Stakes victor Cymric. Savannah Cat’s offspring have also found favour in the sales ring, with Cymric fetching R1 200 000 when sold at the 2023 National Sale.
2014: NEBULA c Silvano -Seeking The Wind
R3 750 000
A full-brother to 2013 G1 J&B Met winner Martial Eagle, Nebula was a classy galloper who won six of 23 starts in South Africa before being exported to Mauritius. He broke his maiden at the fourth time of asking when Nebula scored a one and a half length win at Kenilworth. Rated good enough to take his place in both the 2016 G1 Investec Cape Derby and G3 Politician Stakes, Nebula picked up his second career win when he saluted over 1600m at Greyville. Following a creditable third place finish in the Listed Thukela Handicap, Nebula ran champion Edict Of Nantes to half a length at Durbanville before going on to win the 2016 G3 Betting World Algoa Cup by three-parts of a length. Nebula would go on to claim the Algoa Cup (then a Listed contest) again when he won the race in 2017.
2013: TREES OF GREEN c Dynasty -Wonderful World
R3 600 000
Trees Of Green, whose dam won six times including the G1 SA Fillies Sprint, was one of eight winners produced by Wonderful World. After finishing unplaced on debut, Trees Of Green went on to break his maiden at the second time of asking when he won over 1600m at Turffontein. Sixth next time out, Trees Of Gold then finished second, beaten less than a length, at Turffontein. After two poor runs, he was dispatched to the Eastern Cape, where Trees Of Green went on to win four times. He won five of 26 starts for earnings of R305,375.
2012: STRATOCRUISER c Jet Master -Gilded Star
R1 700 000
A full-brother to G1 Empress Club Stakes winner Stratos, Stratocruiser won six races without reaching the heights achieved by Stratos. After finishing unplaced in three of his first four starts, Stratocruiser went on to finish second over 1400m at Kenilworth. A fifth place finish was followed by his first victory, when Stratocruiser romped home to break his maiden by four and a half lengths in June 2014. He would go on to win two of his following three starts, with a four and a half length romp at Durbanville followed by a one length win at the country course. After failing to win again in the Western Cape, Stratocruiser was sent to the Eastern Cape, where he would win three more times, with his Eastern Cape wins including the 2017 Founders Trophy. In total, Stratocruiser won six of 49 starts and earned R474,225.
2011: HEART’S CONTENT f Jet Master -Jalberry
R3 200 000
The lightly raced Heart’s Content, whose female line continues to churn out high-class performers, made just seven starts. The filly showed promise at two, when finishing second on debut, before scoring by a length and a quarter next time out. Heart’s Content proved disappointing at three, and retired having won once from seven starts. The daughter of Jet Master is responsible for four winners including the smart Doitwithdiamonds (Silvano).
(The 2011 National Yearling Sale was dominated by the progeny of Jet Master, with the latter responsible for three of the top five lots. Jet Master son Master Of My Fate was the second top lot sold at that auction when knocked down for R3 000 000).
2010:DIVINE JET c Jet Master-Divine Nymph
R4 000 000
The regally bred Divine Jet, a half-brother to the ill-fated G1 SA Classic winner Divine Jury, showed plenty of promise early on. Divine Jet won his first three starts before finishing seventh, behind dual Horse Of The Year Variety Club, in the 2011 G1 Cape Premier Yearling Sales Cape Guineas. After winning his next start, Divine Jet finished seventh in the Listed Southeaster Sprint and second in two starts following that. He again caught the eye, however, when finishing a close third, beaten half a length, in the G2 Betting World Merchants. On that occasion, Divine Jet finished in front of such graded stakes winners as Cap Alright, Shades Of Indigo, Louvre, Captain’s Secret, The West Is Wide and champion Hammie’s Hooker. Divine Jet failed to win again, but he did finish fourth, beaten just over two lengths, in the 2103 Diadem Stakes, while accounting for the likes of Captain’s Secret, Castlethorpe, and Tevez.
Retired to stud, Divine Jet sired 26 registered foals, including the winners Gotcaughtspeedin and Jet Legacy.
While a number of recent sales toppers have proved disappointing, it is perhaps noting that Malmoos, Master Of My Fate, and Vercingetorix, all of whom are represented on this year’s National Sale, were all bought for upwards of R1 000 000 at past renewals of the National Yearling Sale.
Judging by the quality of colt on offer at this year’s sale, hopes are high that another Vercingetorix, Master Of My Fate or Malmoos will be unveiled at the 2025 National Yearling Sale.
