by Debbie Little

Vieux Carre Farms, named for the Crown Jewel of New Orleans, the French Quarter, will have 18 gems on display at the 2023 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

“I think our strong suit is pacing colts this year,” said farm manager Mark Egloff. “So, we sort of sprinkle them through our consignment Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.”

According to Egloff, the first night they went with some first-crop sires.

“I’m real excited about Hip #103 [Robber Baron],” he said. “He is a Papi Rob [Hanover] colt out of a new mare of ours [Classic Charm], and she is a daughter of Hall Fame mare Benear.

“He’s real powerful and we think they’re going to like him.”

They also have Hip #116 Inflation Proof, from the first crop of Tall Dark Stranger out of the Western Terror mare, Economy Terror.

“She’s been a great mare for our clients,” Egloff said. “And had some horses just on the cusp of being great; they’re all very fast, but this could be the one. He’s a nice colt. I think he’s powerful and they’ll be looking at him for sure.”

Egloff explained that he likes to have a little traffic every day that they’re at the sale, however, the competition on the first night can be fierce.

“I mean you’re talking about some of the best pedigrees in the world,” Egloff said. “And I think if you’ve got a nice colt that’s out of a good-producing mare, he may get overlooked the first night. We’ve done better with some of those on the second, third, even fourth nights.
“So you want to have some marquis there on the first night and be a part of that excitement, but not everybody can afford the ones on the first night.”

Vieux Carre Farms’ second night also has a standout male pacer, according to Egloff.

“I’ve got a really nice Always B Miki colt, [Hip] #304 [Storm Ahead], who’s really super correct, just really put together,” Egloff said. “He’s out of a great-producing mare, Bolt Of Thunder, who’s got a nice 3-year-old filly out there this year, Sweet Amira.”

Sweet Amira sold for $150,000 at Lexington in 2021 and has hit the board in eight of 11 starts with five wins in 2023 and has career earnings of $185,868.

“Wednesday night, I’ve got a first foal out of a Betting Line mare [Some Bodacious Bet] that I like a lot,” Egloff said. “He’s a powerful colt. He’s [Hip] #494 [Best Bet]. He’s out of that great, great Silky family that just keeps having one hot horse after another; Sea Silk a couple of years ago and it goes on and on.”

Egloff admitted that his favorite colt out of their whole consignment will sell on Wednesday night.

“He’s a Sweet Lou colt out of a good-producing mare [Hedgie Blue Chip] and his name is Steamboat Springs [Hip #391],” Egloff said. “He’s got it all, you know, he’s just all class; his looks; his temperament.

“In his video he definitely commands your attention and I’m looking forward to getting him out and showing him this year.”

Vieux Carre also has some Bar Hopping yearlings, which Egloff thinks may be of some interest since the sire’s unexpected death at age 9 late last year.

“I think we might get a little bit more for them just because there aren’t going to be anymore and I’ve got three nice fillies selling,” Egloff said. “They’re all by mares out of good families and they’re nice individuals. Probably my favorite of the three is [Hip] #327 [Cabana Bar]. She’s a really, really pretty mare.”

When asked how he thinks the economy will affect the sale this year, Egloff said with a laugh: “Well, that’s probably out of my pay grade. But, I mean, there’s always a market for the top end. It’s the middle that usually waxes and wanes with the economy more so than the top end. The top end seems like it sells good no matter what. But I’m not sure.

“I know there’s a lot of money out there to be raced for, and I think there’s plenty of excitement with these new sires, so I’m expecting it to go well.”