Champion Will Take Charge’s first crop of foals have been some of the most sought after weanlings during the autumn sales season, with the Three Chimneys stallion posting an average sale price of $128,444, which is more than $40,000 for any sire represented by his first crop this year.
The sales offer the public the first opportunity to purchase first-year foals, and buyers responded strongly to Will Take Charge’s offerings. He had the top-priced weanling colt of 2016 at $350,000 at the Keeneland November Sale, when Dennis O’Neill purchased hip No. 74 out of the Grade 1 winner Summer Soiree.
Not far behind was a $280,000 colt, hip No. 749, purchased by Stud Golconda, whose second dam is Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Flute.
With a total of a dozen weanlings bringing at least $100,000, all indications are that Will Take Charge is stamping his progeny very well.
“I’ve had other breeders say they like what they see, the way he stamps the foals,” said Grant Williamson, Three Chimneys director of stallion nominations and sales. “They are very athletic, correct, good-moving, and have plenty of size to them. They just keep improving. I think we’ll see even better next year. He has been stamping them very well.”
Three Chimneys recently announced they would hold Will Take Charge’s fee at $30,000 for 2017.
“He’s been booked full the last two years at $30,000 and demand is good again at $30,000; he’s filling up fast for next year,” Williamson added. “We’ve been very careful about pricing our horses. We feel like we price them fairly in the marketplace and giving breeders a chance to make money. In the long term that will help us succeed as well. If breeders can make money, they will return and bring us better mares. You hope that leads to the horse’s success.”
