How to Pick a Yearling

STARTING OUT Howyearling to pick a Finding a successful formula when it uch has changed on the yearling sale scene in comes to securing a top yearling remains the past 30 years. Once there was little pre-sale M inspection of the yearlings. Horses were bought on an eternal battle. The yearling sale is pedigree, while conformation and type played second string. thoroughbred racing’s draft camp. Where In those days, fi nding the sales topper was as simple as a fl ick trainers do battle – on all fi nancial levels – through the pages of the catalogue. The change came about in the early 1990s, when for the best young talent to bolster their conformation became the criteria. In the US, it is claimed stables. DANNY POWER speaks to three that Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lucas changed the face of yearling sales when he started buying off looks and not the Victorian experts to fi nd out what they page. Lucas bought the best-conformed, most athletic horses look for when they go to a sale. irrespective of pedigree and price. When Lucas began dominating the major black type races few years ago, at the William Inglis Easter in North America, his fellow trainers and buying agents Yearling Sale, Lee Freedman was leaning on a took notice. The pendulum had swung. Pedigree became an railing, under the shade of the famous Moreton addendum to buying type and the sales pitch changed. A Bay fi g tree, watching an impressive chestnut Yearlings needed to be prepared and paraded to enhance their colt parading before making its entry into the sale ring. physique and athleticism. For a time, the most athletic, smooth, Freedman pointed out to a client in tow that the yearling long walkers were easy to pick, as they did it naturally. Now, before him was the horse the client should buy. The client, with the aid of extra staff and walking machines, it is almost who had money to burn, studied the strapping colt striding impossible to fi nd a yearling who can’t “walk”. athletically around the parade ring before offering Freedman his In those early days of conformation buying, there was a opinion. “I don’t like chestnuts,” he said. chance of fi nding a cheap yearling from a small draft in a back Freedman, not one to mince words, and tired from days of barn, with a pedigree as thin as toast but with the conformation yearling inspection and long, entertaining nights, retaliated of an equine Anthony Koutoufi des. Not now, as agents and abruptly. “Listen, if you want to spend $200,000 and worry about pre-sale spotters comb the sales grounds like sniffer dogs. The colour, then spend it on a new Ferrari – you can choose whatever so-called bargains have become hot property, the talk of the colour you like – but don’t come here and worry about colour,” grounds. The bargains are left to Boxing Day at Myer. he said. The William Inglis Melbourne Premier Yearling Sale, at The client was startled by Freedman’s fi rm comment, but Oaklands Junction, is held between March 2-6. The Thoroughbred stood steadfast in his desire not to own a chestnut. “I’ve had no talks to three of the important yearling buyers on their luck with chestnuts,” he said. The fact that Phar Lap, Secretariat, philosophies, likes and dislikes when it comes to selecting the Ajax, Peter Pan, Vain, Wenona Girl, Let’s Elope and more recently next champion. the Freedman-trained Super Impose were chestnuts was lost in A high-profi le trainer with the budget to shop at the top end his stubbornness, so Freedman moved on. A bay, brown or grey of the sale; a bloodstock agent buying for others; and a trainer could be found easily. who gambles at the sales with his own cash. 36 THE THOROUGHBRED p36-39_YearlingProcess.indd 36 11/2/08 5:59:41 PM An attractive Strong neck Powerful shoulders, head with a wide set correctly sloping at a 45 nostril, bright eye on the shoulder degree angle and alert outlook Deep, rounded girth Muscular rear end. allowing plenty of Good length of heart and lung room hip, correct tail set Strong, short back Powerful forearms leading from a thick muscular chest Strong, thick gaskins Clean, fl at knees set squarely in Clean hocks, line with the shoulder, forearm set squarely in and fetlocks, and squarely line with the in line with the front leg rear end Short, strong cannon bones. Firm, clean tendons Rounded fetlocks, not puffy or enlarged. Sesamoid Firm pasterns, not too long, bones not to be prominent set at 45 degree angle The perfect specimen p36-39_YearlingProcess.indd 37 11/2/08 6:00:19 PM STARTING OUT Lee Freedman we are looking for athletic horses, KEEN EYE: Hall of Fame Trainer Hall of Fame especially fi llies – our record trainer Lee stands up there as we have bought Freedman will reedman has been buying forgive faults if a lot of Stakes-class fi llies – and at yearling sales since the the yearling is an buying within a strict budget, mid-1980s. As a young eye-catching whereas for up-market fi lly buyers F athlete. aspiring trainer, the sales were like Keith Biggs, we are adding in a the market garden to his fl edgling sexier pedigree.” grocery store – the place where he Freedman says pedigree tested his skill and knowledge of remains important, and he conformation and pedigree. studies the nicks and trends For a time an inspection of that are working, but not always Freedman’s stables each year would successfully. He remembers a show most of his horses were a disastrous foray into New Zealand distinct type, square pegs in square in the late 1990s when he did a holes. Freedman had a liking for study of the best horses by Zabeel black pointed bays, neat, athletic, and came up with the theory that medium-sized horses – peas in the female line needed to have the a pod. infl uence of the sires Round Table “I have modifi ed that over and My Babu (Might And Power the years. You realise more and and Bezeal Bay had the nick). more how many good horses look Armed with all the right horses different from that. If that was the marked in the Karaka catalogue, criteria, then every attractive horse Freedman bought up all the would be a great racehorse and we’d Zabeels with the “right” mix. all being bidding on them, paying None of the purchases resulted in ridiculous money,” he said. a good winner. Freedman does not favour any colour. He has won fi ve Likes Melbourne Cups with horses “I want the horse to catch my eye. of four different shades of coat. That fi rst impression is important. Tawrrifi c (1989) was a bay; PHOTO BY MARTIN KING SPORTSPIX “I like an intelligent, attractive Subzero (1992) a grey; Doriemus head, particularly with fi llies. A lot (1995) a chestnut; and Makybe important component in looking at Philosophy of good horses have been bought Diva (2004, 2005) a rich brown. yearlings,” Freedman said. “I look for an athlete, price aside, off good heads, whereas they didn’t Yearlings bought by Freedman Alinghi was another example but what that is can be different to have the best legs in the world. But and his brothers, Anthony, of stored information. Freedman different people. If I like the horse, there always are exceptions to the Michael and Richard, include trained her dam Oceanfast, a I am willing to forgive the faults. rule. Danzero didn’t have a good Super Impose (cost $40,000), luckless racehorse that he held in Those faults only help me determine head as a yearling, although he grew Danzero ($60,000), Naturalism high regard. It was natural for him the price. Super Impose was a into himself to become a powerful ($35,000), Alinghi ($80,000), to buy her fi rst foal by Encosta prime example. He was athletic, a striking horse. But his mother was Mummify ($65,000) and Subzero De Lago (whom he also trained) great walker, but he had bad legs. by Kaoru Star and that stallion ($100,000). for $80,000. (Super Impose broke down before threw a Roman nose into his stock.” Danzero (B c 1991, Danehill It was a yearling sale that he raced, but won the Group 1 Cox – Confi dentially, by Kaoru Star) changed Freedman’s life. Plate (2040m) as an eight-year-old). Dislikes was bought from the fi rst crop of In 1986, at the Trentham Sales “To be perfectly honest, despite “I am willing to forgive most faults, Danehill. Freedman paid $60,000 in Wellington, New Zealand, what all the so-called industry but a horse who has a combination for the dark bay colt with a big, Freedman bought Super Impose experts tell you, there is a lot of of faults – ‘back in the knee’ but also dopey head at the 1993 “Sale of (Ch c 1984, Imposing – Pheroz luck involved. Some people are just offset or upright – needs to be a very The Sanctuary” on the Gold Coast. Fantasy, by Taipan) for $40,000. kidding themselves it is all their appealing animal before I buy it. Freedman liked him for various The leggy youngster had his faults, expertise and they can go to the “I put the pen straight through reasons, but one was the fact his but Freedman liked his athleticism. sales and get it right every time.

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