C & S Thoroughbreds Hoping for the Next Catalog Cover Horse in Return to Fasig-Tipton Saratoga

[Wandering Eyes]

The husband-and-wife team of Carlos Estrada and Sarah Estrada-Brok have been skillfully developing C & S Thoroughbreds into thriving pinhooking venture over the past eight years. Steadily picking up steam with a each carefully-crafted consignment, the couple makes only their second appearance at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale, which will be held in Saratoga Springs Aug. 4-5.

After offering their very first consignment in 2017, they ventured out on their own thereafter, and in their initial season selling 2-year-olds under the Sterling Thoroughbreds banner in 2021, they hit pay dirt with a Brody's Cause colt–a $6,000 yearling purchase–for $290,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Sale.

The operation's yearling class has also steadily picked up steam over the course of the last five years, highlighted by a yearling colt by Justify out of Mahkama (Bernardini) who went to BBA Ireland for $250,000 at the venue last year. The duo also sold a Charlatan colt out of Brandons Danger (Into Mischief) for the same price following the sale.

“Last year, we had our first consignment in Saratoga, and this year, we are going back with what I think is a better group,” affirmed Carlos Estrada. “I think this group is going to turn out to be very nice.”

Hoping to raise the bar in Saratoga next month, C & S Thoroughbreds will provide a trio of yearlings in its first offering at the select venue. All the yearlings are made up of limited partnerships, that the Estradas also have a stake in.

Offering some intrigue to this maiden voyage is Hip 82, a filly by Cyberknife, who is represented by his first crop of yearlings in 2025. Bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski, the New York-bred filly already made the headlines when selling for a sale-topping $230,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Mixed Sale last October. A March 28 foal, the dark bay is a half-sister to GIII Summertime Oaks winner Cash Call (McKinzie) and SW and GSP Strategic Dreams (Archarcharch). Her winning dam D'fashion (D'wildcat) is a half-sister to GSW and GISP Express Tour (Tour d'Or).

Trained by Bob Baffert, CSLR Racing's Cash Call is possible to make her next start in Saratoga's GI Test Stakes.

“She is fancy,” said Sarah Estrada-Brok. “She is beautiful and correct and keeps improving. She's probably one of the best Cyberknife's we've seen.”

Carlos Estrada added, “She's a lovely filly that anyone would love to have in the barn. She's a forward filly.”

Asked if it was always the plan to bring the New York-bred filly back to sell in Saratoga, Estrada said,  “We bought her with the idea of going back to the [select] sale with her.”

Also on the first day of selling, the consignment is represented by a colt by Olympiad, offered as Hip 41. Winner of the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, Olympiad is also represented by his first crop of yearlings in 2025.

C & S Thoroughbreds offer a half-sister by Cyberknife to GIII Summertime Oaks winner Cash Call (pictured) at this year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale | BENOIT

An Apr. 11 foal, the Kentucky-bred is out of SP Autonomous (Quality Road), who descends from the family of Grade I winners Monba, Secret Hello and Silent Account, herself the dam of GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Plum Pretty. Bred by Stoneriggs Farm, the colt was purchased for $150,000 at Fasig-Tipton in Kentucky last February.

“He is a very nice colt, very athletic. We went to [the February [sale] saying we needed a Saratoga [caliber] colt, and he was one,” said Estrada.

Selling on the second day, Hip 198, a filly by newcomer Golden Pal, rounds out the Saratoga C & S Thoroughbreds draft.

Bred in Kentucky by Hidden Springs Farm, the $92,000 Keeneland November weanling is the second foal out of the Orb mare Seeking Spirits, a half-sister to Grade III scorer Kirby's Penny (Macho Uno). This represents the extended family of GSW and graded producer Degenerate Gal.

“Like the stallion, she has a lot of substance to her,” Estrada added. “Everyone is loving the Uncle Mo-line stallions like Yaupon and Golden Pal would not be an exception.”

According to Estrada-Brok, the consignors plan to maintain 10-15 yearlings per season and they plan to focus their hands-on operation on quality over quantity.

The couple purchased their farm, an 18-acre tract of land in Georgetown, Kentucky, three years ago.

“It's the perfect size for us, because we try to keep it small,” she said. “We try to get better quality every year. We'd like to stay small so we can focus on them, because it's mostly just us. We want to represent the best horses that we can.”

The consignors sold several yearlings at Fasig-Tipton this past July, and they expect to sell a handful, under the banner of a different consignor, at Keeneland in September. C & S Thoroughbreds will also sell a few at Fasig-Tipton in October.

Asked if the couple might consider expanding the size of their operation in the future, Estrada-Brok replied, “We don't want to get any bigger. Right now, we are happy where we are at. It's manageable. We have three kids. We don't just want to focus on horses, we want to focus on our kids as well. At that number, we can do everything ourselves.”

The post C & S Thoroughbreds Hoping for the Next Catalog Cover Horse in Return to Fasig-Tipton Saratoga appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

View the full article