by James Platz

Last fall, Spring Station Bloodstock LLC debuted at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale with 12 babies that grossed $898,500 ($74,875 average). This year, farm manager Josh Green brings 33 yearlings to Fasig-Tipton Newtown Paddocks looking to build on that success.

“We’ve got 12 trotters and 21 pacers, so it’s kind of a mixed group,” Green said of the offering, which nearly triples the 2023 roster. “We have a total of 10 Ohio-breds that are selling. It’s a good group, and I feel good about our consignment.”

Spring Station, owned by Eric Good, sold two yearlings on opening night last year, with a Captaintreacherous filly fetching $300,000. Monday night (Sept. 30), a trio are cataloged to sell.

“We have a very strong Day 1,” Green said. “We have two really nice trotting colts and a really nice Ohio-bred pacing filly. Those three are very nice individuals. I’m very pleased to have all three of them on day one. With an Ohio-bred, they don’t always have them on Day 1.”

Bay filly Pacey Station will be the first to sell for the Midway, KY-based nursery, cataloged as Hip #9. Sired by Downbytheseaside, the Ohio- and Kentucky-eligible baby is the first foal from Sweet Lou mare Pace Baby Pace, a winner of over $380,000 on the track and a sister to O’Brien Award winner Pass Line.

Midwest racing fans will recognize the dam of Spring Station’s second offering of the night. Stratagem Station, Hip #42, is a Walner colt that is the first foal from Swift Swanda. The mare earned just over $450,000 on the track, winning in Grand Circuit action at 2 and 3, claiming an Indiana Sires Stakes Super Final as a freshman. The colt is eligible to Kentucky and New Jersey.

“We bought her at the Meadowlands sale,” Green said of Swift Swanda. “That was probably our first big purchase. Beautiful mare, a nice individual. We were very happy to get her, she’s from the CR Kay Suzie family. It’s nice to have a good Midwest mare that people know.”

Spring Station’s first-night offerings conclude with Forte Station, cataloged as Hip #97. The Chapter Seven colt is the first foal from Father Patrick mare Fortissimo Fashion, a full-sister to Sister Sledge, a winner of over $840,000 prior to export. The colt is New York- and Kentucky-eligible.

The consignment, which features 21 first foals, is spread out across the week, and includes a good variety for buyers.

“We have a Tactical colt selling the second night that’s really nice,” Green said. “He moves well. We’re really excited about him. He’s the second foal out of a really good family. A really nice looking colt. He handles himself well. Just a really stunning individual.”

Andy Station, Hip #249, is out of Allswell Hanover, sister to Dan Patch Award winner Anoka Hanover. The Tactical Landing colt is eligible to the New Jersey and Kentucky programs. Following Andy Station into the sale ring will be Atte Station, Hip #250. The Captaintreacherous filly is the first foal from Well Said mare Amazing Alexa, half-sister to North America Cup winner Nijinsky.

“With what he’s done on the track, we’re excited about that,” Green said. “It’s a really good cross, Captain out of Well Said.”

Handle Station, selling late in day two as Hip #340, is a Captain Corey first foal from Father Patrick mare Harness AM, a $140,000 winner. The filly is dual-eligible to Pennsylvania and Kentucky.

“She’s all trot all over the fields; up and down,” Green said. “She will go up and down those rolling hills and just fly. She’s been that way since she was young. She just never misses a beat.”

Another highlight is Ticket Station, selling on Day 2 as Hip #216. The bay colt is from the small first crop offering of Horse of the Year Bulldog Hanover. He is the first foal from a Sunshine Beach mare with a 1:52 freshman mark. Second dam That Day has produced 14 winners from 15 foals. 

“He’s had a lot of looks from clients coming to the farm checking him out,” Green said. “He’s a really nice individual.”

Spring Station will offer yearlings out of “blue collar” mares as Green described them. They are from mothers that he trained, or from the same family as other horses he conditioned.

“We have some in our consignment that I trained that were tough as nails,” he said. “I think they can be great broodmares. I just loved the families and the character, the toughness of the mares.”

The group includes Distillery Station, Hip #522, a Papi Rob Hanover second foal from Dewar N Soda, as well as a group of four selling on Friday. Of the quartet, three are first foals sired by Downbytheseaside. Filly Warrior Station, Hip #865, is out of 18-time winner and six-figure earner War Crimes. Pettybetty Station, Hip #890, is a filly from Betsea, a 13-time winner. Filly Ginny Station, Hip #899, is from Keystone Classic winner Ginger Tree Carey. Hosting Station, Hip #928, is an In Range colt out of Holiday Promise, third in the OSS Super Final as a freshman.

Spring Station is continuing to expand and upgrade, and is poised to bring an even larger consignment next fall.

“I feel good about what we have,” said Green, noting the August addition of Dan Patch Award winner Bond to the broodmare band. “Naturally, we’re like any other farm and we continually want to upgrade. We have 47 foals on the ground for next year and we have 65 mares in foal. We have plenty in the pipeline.”