Exceptional Lots up for grabs
THE 2025 APG Melbourne Yearling Sale on February 2 features some exceptional young talent from vendors showcasing a single lot.
Here’s the first of a two-part feature featuring some of the quality yearlings that will go under the hammer.
We kick off with a trotting colt by leading sire Majestic Son from dual Group One winning two-year-old Fear The Yankee (Tr 1.57.3, $106K).
Fear The Yankee (Yankee Spider) had a sensational juvenile season, winning three of her five starts – including the Two-Year-Old Fillies' Vicbred Final and the Vicbred Platinum Classic.
The Majestic Son-Yankee Spider dam cross has already produced Three-Year-Old trotting Breeders' Crown (G1) winner Cover Of Darkness (Tr 1.55.1, $114K), which was unbeaten in his first eight starts as a three-year-old.
Fear The Yankee’s dam, Whatta Tussle, produced six fillies in a row. The first four are all winners, including Whattalottafray (Tr 1.58.9, $23K).
Majestic Son has been a leading sire for more than a decade in Australia. He has sired more than 220 winners of $14 million in stakes.
The colt will be offered by Rachael Benns, who owned Fear The Yankee during her race career.
A filly by Huntsville from two-year-old winner Ideally Say Yes (1.58, $28K), which won a heat of the APG sales classic as a juvenile and a heat of the four-year-old Platinum series from just 10 starts.
This filly is from the family of Australian broodmare of the year Sokys Number, which produced WA Pacing winner Saab (1.57.1, $577K) and WA Derby winner Talladega (1.57.6, $411K).
It is also a prolific filly family, including two-year-old Vicbred Mares' Final winner Saabella (1.59.2, $205K), WA Oaks winner Sports Package (1.56.9, $151K) and Tasmania Oaks winner Nickle Miss (1.56.6, $66K).
Huntsville youngsters have earned almost $8million in stakes in the US this season. He is second on the two-year-old sires table and fourth on the three-year-old list.
The charge is lead by his star son Legendary Hanover (1.46.4, $900K), which was Canadian Two-Year-Old Colt of the Year in 2023 and won the Meadowlands Pace in 2024.
Huntsville averages $45,000 per starter in Australia, led by Rising Sun winner Whisper A Secret (1.50.7, $455K).
Is a filly by exciting French trotting stallion Classic Connection from three-year-old winner Majestic Pinevale.
This youngster is from a brilliant family that is littered with outstanding fillies.
Her dam is a half-sister to Sassy Pinevale (Tr 157.6, $176K) which took out a Cranbourne Trotters' Cup (G2) on the way to 17 wins. She produced Group Three winning mare Electrojet (1.57.3, $100K).
Third dam, Sure Thing, produced champion filly Galleons Paradise, who was Two and Three-Year-Old NZ Trotter of the Year. She took out the Victoria Trotters' Derby and Victoria Trotters' Oaks as a three-year-old.
Galleons Paradise is the dam of Group Three winning mare Majestic Ali (Tr 2.3.8, $117K).
Classic Connection’s first crop of Australian two-year-olds will hit the track in 2025.
This colt, by boom sire Always B Miki, is the first foal of the young Rocknroll Heaven mare Malarndirri, which is a half-sister to crack two-year-old Border Patrol (1.50.6, $875K) and top flight US three-year-old Chasin Racin (1.51, $769K).
Border Patrol won seven races as a juvenile and was runner-up in the Vicbred and Breeders' Crown Finals.
As a three-year-old, he won the NZ Derby and NZ Emerald Stakes. He still holds the 1609-metre NZ race record for three-year-olds.
Chasin Racin was bred in the US. He had an exceptional three-year-old season, winning five races. He was a consistent placegetter in elite company, including the Hoosier Cup, Battle Of Brandywine and heats of the Meadowlands Pace, North America Cup and Adios Stake.
Malarndirri’s dam, Contrapan (by Artsplace), won $113,000 on US tracks and was imported to Australia in the early 2000s.
Three of Always B Miki’s top four earners – Tricky Miki ($545K), Mister Smartee ($440K) and Fate Awaits ($394K) in Australia are out of mares by Artsplace stallions.
The other, Aardies Express ($463K), is by Rocknroll Hanover. This looks like a really potent cross.
A chestnut filly by multiple Group One winner Vincent from tough race mare Manthadee (1.54.6, $101K).
Manthadee won four of her first six starts as a three-year-old before finishing fifth to champion fillies Tell Me Tales ($360K) and Petacular ($456K) in the Vicbred Three-Year-Old Fillies' Final after winning a heat.
This filly is from the family of Gold Share Victorian Navy Cup winner (1.57.8, $237K). NSW Carousel winner Our White Knight (1.51.7, $334K) and Redcliffe Cup victor Jack In Flight (1.54.1, $216K).
Vincent’s top two earners in Australia are fillies – 2024 WA Oaks runner-up Turn The Page (1.56.2, $212K) and two-year-old Westbred fillies winner and WA Golden Slipper runner-up Reinette (1.56.2, $187K).
NZ bred filly Twist Little Girl has earnt $120,000 and has a winning time of 1.50.7.
A colt by Victorian cult hero Ride High from eight-time winner Melinka (1.56.3, $60K).
This colt is from the family of exceptional four-year-old Chilli Palmer (1.51.5, $290K), which was bred in NZ and campaigned in six Australian states during his career.
The son of Elsu won 10 of his first 14 starts in three different states, including the Group One $125,000 Four-Year-Old Classic in WA, the (G3) Geelong Cup and Four-Year-Old Bonanaza (G3).
He went on to win the Gawler Cup in Adelaide and the Four and Five-Year-Old Championship in Brisbane.
This is also the family of Westbred final winner Patrickthepirana (1.48.8, $640K), which has won 22 races in America.
A filly by US superstar sire Downbytheseaside from speedy NZ bred mare My Bettor Lady (1.53.7, $60K), a winner of 10 races.
The cross of Downbytheseaside over Bettors Delight mares has already produced Victoria Oaks winner Coastal Babe (1.56.2, $360K) and WA Oaks runner-up Atlantic Gem (1.56.4, $91K) in 2024. It has also left Perth APG Classic winner The Bettor Side.
My Bettor Lady is a full sister to two outstanding racehorses, Best Shot (1.58.1, $219K) and My Casino Bell (1.55.2, $152K).
As a two and three-year-old, My Casino Belle was placed in multiple Group Ones, including the Breeders' Crown Final, Queensland Oaks and Derby.
This is the family of champion US racehorse and sire Albert Albert and has a multitude of quality fillies throughout the pedigree, including Mistletoe Shalee winner Lisheen (1.52.8, $511K) and dual NSW Breeders' Challenge placegetter Sky Blu (1.52.8, $105K).
Four of Downbytheseaside’s top six earners in Australia are fillies, including top stake earner Aardiebytheseaside (1.53.6, $484K).
Smart NZ three-year-old colt Triple G (1.56.5, $120K) is out of Lislass, which is from My Bettor Lady’s family.
For full details of all the entries the 2025 Melbourne Yearling Sale please visit our Online Sales Catalogue.
- APG Media
