$575,000 for Lion Heart Colt

21st May 2008

Promising young sire Lion Heart provided the sale-topper at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Preferred Sale of two year-olds at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium on Tuesday.

Offered as Lot 402, the Lion Heart colt from Bye the Bye was knocked down to Puglisi Racing for $575,000 representing a successful pinhook for Crupi’s New Castle Farm.

"He was an outstanding individual," said trainer Steve Klesaris, who signed for the colt on behalf of owner Jeff Puglisi.

"I saw 600 or whatever head, and he just stood out. He breezed brilliantly, he handled himself really well--he was a real professional."

Puglisi Racing was the underbidder on Lion Heart's impressive debut winner Pride, who sold for $475,000 at the OBS Ferburary Sale and they were not to be denied this time around.

Purchased originally from the 2007 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $190,000, the star colt is a half-brother to Group One winner Shossberg and stakes-winner San Romano being from the good producing Balzac mare Bye the Bye.

Lion Heart has hit the ground running with his first crop which includes four winners from his first five runners.