How to research a yearling before a sale
A yearling has not raced, so you are judging a family and a pedigree. A short routine, done the same way every time, keeps the research quick and the comparisons fair.
1. Start with the catalogue page
Note the sire, the dam and the damsire, then read the bold type on the page. How many of the dam's relatives have won or been placed in stakes races? A strong page is not a guarantee, but a thin one tells you the family has little proof yet. See what black type means.
2. Check the sire
Look at how his progeny have performed: the share who ran, the share of runners who won, and the share who secured black type. Compare each with the database median, so you can see whether he is above or below the norm. Check how many progeny the figures rest on. A rate from a few dozen runners can mislead.
3. Check the damsire
Do the same for the sire of the dam. The damsire influences the bottom half of the pedigree, and his own record as a sire of broodmares is worth knowing. See how to read a thoroughbred pedigree.
4. Study the dam and her produce
The dam's other foals are the best evidence of what she passes on. How many have run? How many have won? What were their ratings? Has she had black type? Note her age and the number of foals, since a small number of foals means a small amount of evidence. Beware of common names: more than one mare may share the same name, which can mix up the records.
5. Look at the cross
How have other foals by this sire out of mares by this damsire done? This can be informative, but the sample is usually small. Treat it as a hint, not a result. A good report says when the number is below a sensible floor.
6. Check the sales history
What have siblings sold for, and when? What have this sire's yearlings made at auction? Prices show how the market has valued the family, and help you set a budget. Where no sale is held, treat the price as unknown rather than low.
7. Remember what data cannot tell you
Data does not replace seeing the horse. Conformation, movement, temperament and a veterinary examination all matter, and none of them is in a database. Use the research to decide which horses are worth a closer look, and which to leave.
8. Read “not held” carefully
An absent figure is not a zero. If a figure is missing, ask whether the horse has not done something or whether the record is simply not held. EQS reports say “not held” and include a data coverage table so you always know the difference.
A quick checklist
- Black type on the catalogue page, and how close it is to the dam.
- Sire rates against the median, and how many progeny sit behind them.
- Damsire rates against the median.
- The dam's foals: runners, winners, ratings, sales.
- The cross, with its sample size noted.
- Sales history for the family and the sire.
- An inspection and a veterinary examination.
An EQS horse report gathers points 2 to 6 for any thoroughbred in one document. See a sample.
See it in a real report
An EQS horse report puts all of this in one place for any thoroughbred. See a sample report, read the methodology, or buy a report.
More guides
- What is black type in horse racing?What the term means, which races count, how it appears in a sales catalogue, and how to read a black type figure.
- How to read a thoroughbred pedigreeSire and dam, the damsire, generations, family and line-breeding, explained in plain language.