“We concluded another successful New York-bred Yearling sale today,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr.

“It continued the strength and momentum that we have witnessed at this sale in recent years, and also the strength that we saw at the selected sale last week. There was very good activity and lots of outstanding horses on the sales grounds.”

With 217 head sold–compared to 188 a year ago–the New York-bred sale grossed a record $20,806,000, surpassing the record of $20,175,000 set last year. The average dipped 10.7% to $95,800, while the median increased 1.4% to $75,000. With 83 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 27.7%. It was 19.3% a year ago.

“The average declined slightly, probably as a result of some additional horses entered in the sale,” Browning said. “And being realistic, there is probably a slight decline in the middle market. The pinhookers last year had a relatively tough year and they are being more selective this year. And there is increased selectivity throughout the marketplace. But I think, all in all, it was a healthy market, a fair marketplace. The buyers are complaining they couldn't buy the horses they wanted and the sellers are saying they wished they could have a little bit more marketplace, particularly in that $30-60,000 price range, which I think is just indicative of the world we live in today. But overall, it was a very successful sale.”

The auction concluded with a pair of yearlings sharing top price of $380,000. Bloodstock agent Chris Baccari paid that price for a son of Violence during Sunday's first session of the auction and pinhooker Tom McCrocklin matched that price for a colt by Practical Joke Monday. A total of 26 yearlings sold for $200,000 or over during the two days, matching the figure from a year ago.

“The New York-bred program continues to be the leader in the United States, certainly, and probably in the world of a state-bred type program,” Browning said. “There are great incentives for people to both breed and race in New York and that was reflected in the results over the last two days.”

McCrocklin Gets the Joke

Tom McCrocklin, who made the record-setting sale-topping bid at last year's New York sale, shared the top bid this year when going to $380,000 to acquire a colt by Practical Joke (hip 628) from the Nardelli Sales consignment.

“We loved everything about the Practical Joke colt,” McCrocklin said. “I thought he was the best horse in the sale and just when Practical Joke was getting a little sleepy, he's come back to life. The filly of Chad's, Ways and Means, is a legitimate horse.”

Klaravich Stables' homebred Ways and Means (Practical Joke) was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' with her debut victory Aug. 6.

Hip 628 is out of graded winner Golden Mystery (Awesome Again) and is a half-brother to multiple stakes winner Apalachee Bay. The yearling was bred by Donald McCormick, who purchased the mare with the colt in utero for $60,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November sale.

McCrocklin, who was active throughout both Saratoga sales, jumped back into action with the very next horse through the ring, going to $200,000 to acquire a filly by red-hot freshman sire Flameaway (hip 629) from the Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Servies consignment on behalf of Michael Sucher's Champion Equine.

“He's so hot,” McCrocklin said of Flameway, whose daughter Dreamfyre romped to victory in the GIII Sorrento S. at Del Mar Saturday. “I thought she looked lightning fast, I thought she looked like a very fast filly. Speed kills at the 2-year-old sales.”

During the New York-bred sale, McCrocklin signed for nine yearlings. Among the purchases was a colt by Catalina Cruiser (hip 388) acquired for $150,000 and a son of Honest Mischief (hip 340) for $120,000.

“I bought a really nice Honest Mischief colt yesterday,” McCrocklin said. “I've been very impressed with those horses. It's his first crop, he stands at Sequel. He was a very good Juddmonte horse. Chad Brown trained him. I think he has a big shot because he puts a really good foal on the ground. I'd like to see him make it.”

At the select sale last week, McCrocklin made three purchases. Leading the way was a filly by Munnings (hip 57) who was purchased for $775,000.

“The Munnings filly was a phenomenal physical horse with a big pedigree,” McCrocklin said. “It was a lot of money, but I got more commentary post-sale about that filly than any horse I've ever bought. She was very well-respected by good horse people. So I'm very happy to have her.”

McCrocklin purchased a full-brother to Grade I winner Cave Rock (Arrogate) for $700,000 at last year's New York sale and resold the colt this year for $1.05 million at the OBS March sale.

“It's a little bit of trying to look into the future,” McCrocklin said of the pinhooking game. “That's what we do. It's a lot of risk and it's a lot of money, but it worked out last year on a few horses. It's extreme risk mitigated by expertise. Sometimes we get it right and sometimes you get punished. I think we are all adrenaline junkies a little bit, so we will play the game.”

MyRacehorse Gets More Authentic

Authentic took MyRaceHorse Stable on the ride of a lifetime when he won the 2020 GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Classic and now the micro-share partnership is reinvesting in the  champion's first crop of yearlings. Roderick Wachman purchased a son of the Derby winner (hip 407) for $360,000 early in Monday's session of the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Sale.

“We liked this horse because he was a nice big, scopey, athletic two-turn looking colt,” Wachman said. “I think he's going to develop significantly more and I am really looking forward to seeing him get under tack. Obviously, Authentic is a big draw card because MyRacehorse were partners in him.”

MyRacehorse also purchased a colt by Authentic (hip 9) during last week's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale.

“We bought one last week that was more of a sharper model than this one,” Wachman said. “Again, both very correct, well-made horses. He really does seem to put down a nice horse. When I look at the Authentics, I think Into Mischief. So hopefully he can go on that trajectory.”

Wachman signed for the colt in partnership with Dr. Ramon Tallaj's R T Racing Stable.

Hip 407, who was consigned by Winter Quarter Farm, is out of Savvy Sassy (Street Sense) and is a half-brother to stakes-placed Brattle House (Malibu Moon) and Bourbon Bay (Bayern).

The yearling was bred by Richard Leahy's Oak Bluff Stables and trainer Christophe Clement. The mare was purchased for $80,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale. The partners sold Brattle House for $775,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Sale.

The 12-year-old Savvy Sassy produced a colt by Medaglia d'Oro this year and was bred back to Not This Time.

Hip 407 | Fasig-Tipton

Munnings Filly to Ward

“Hopefully we will be back here next summer to win one of these New York-bred stakes,” trainer Wesley Ward said after signing the ticket at $340,000 to acquire a filly by Munnings (hip 463). Ward signed for the yearling in the name of David Reid's Preferred Equine.

“She was a standout individual in the sale,” Ward said of the filly. “She made Ben McElroy's short list, so I came over to look at her. She is the sale topper so far for fillies, so there were a lot of people interested in her. Ben is a great judge of a horse and we were happy he tipped us off and we got her. She looked like the best filly that we saw in the sale.”

The dark bay filly is out of To the Moon Alice (Malibu Moon), a half-sister to graded winner Unchained Melody (Smart Strike). She was bred by Walt Borisenok's Old Tavern Farm and was consigned by Denali Stud.

Ward is based at Keeneland, but said a trip back to her home state would be in the plans for the newly acquired filly.

“We train out of Keeneland, so it's convenient to go back and forth to New York,” he said. And we've been very successful doing that.”

Spoor Back in the Game

Richard Spoor took a 15-year break from the sport, but he's getting back in the game with the help of bloodstock agent Niall Brennan who signed for three fillies on behalf of the owner during the New York-bred sale. Spoor's JR International Holdings went to $325,000 to acquire a filly by Munnings (hip 619) from the Hunter Valley Farm consignment. The yearling is out of multiple stakes winner Freudie Anne (Freud).

“She's a very, very good Munnings,” Brennan said. “He's a great stallion–doesn't matter if it's fillies, colts, turf or dirt. The mare was excellent. They do a great job at Hunter Valley, they raced the mare and they raised this filly. I thought she would be expensive, obviously this is what people are stepping up to do now.”

Spoor, who was anxious to go back to the Hunter Valley barn to see his newest acquisition, said, “My opinion is that she is the nicest filly in the sale. And I'm very, very pleased to be the new owner.”

In addition to hip 619, Spoor purchased another filly by Munnings (hip 416) for $160,000 and a daughter of Maclean's Music (hip 415) for $150,000.

Spoor currently has 2-year-olds in training with Tony Dutrow.

“I've been in racing for 40 years,” Spoor said. “I got out in 2008. I used to train 80 horses a year and I had a broodmare band. Now I am retired and I don't do anything other than own the horses.”

Jayne Johnson purchased Freudie Anne for $9,000 at the 2013 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Racing for Johnson, Marc Detampel, Fergus Galvin and Adrian Wallace, the filly was a two-time stakes winner in New York and earned over $260,000. She continues to reward the partners in the breeding shed.

“This is the mare's fourth Munnings and she just throws incredible physical specimens,” said Galvin. “It's the same group–most of the partnership is here, but Mark lives in Chicago, so he couldn't make it unfortunately. But she's given us lots of thrills, both on the racetrack and as a broodmare.”

Each of the mare's previous foals has brought six figures in the sales ring, but despite her success with Munnings, she had a filly by Tiz the Law this year and was bred back to that stallion.

“Unfortunately, we were doing the Munnings at the lower price and he took a hike, but we might have to go back next year,” Galvin said.

The mare's 2-year-old Lamorna (Munnings) closed to be fourth after a troubled trip in her July 20 debut going 5 1/2 furlongs on the grass at Saratoga.

“We are excited about her 2-year-old,” Galvin said. “I know Bill Mott likes her a lot. I think that she ran so well a few weeks ago, helped this filly along, too.”

Hip 410 | Fasig-Tipton

Deutsch Goes it Alone

Peter Deutsch has enjoyed success as co-owner of horses in the Mark Casse barn, but he sent the trainer to the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred sale with orders to stock his own racing stable. Casse made his first purchase for Deutsch Monday when going to $300,000 to acquire a filly by Ghostzapper (hip 410) from the Hidden Lake Farm consignment.

“I've trained for him and he owns parts of a few horses,” Casse said. “I've trained some good horses for him. But this is the first time he's buying on his own.”

Deutsch is co-owner of Ice Chocolat (Brz) (Goldikovic {Ire}), third in Saturday's GI Fourstardave S. He also campaigned 2018 GIII Forward Gal S. winner Take Charge Paula (Take Charge Indy).

Hip 410 is out of Scene Maker (Unbridled's Song) and is a half-sister to stakes winner and graded placed Big Screen (Speightstown). She was bred by Hidden Lake Farm and 3C Stables.

“We are just looking for good fillies,” Casse said. “So I am excited about it. It's a new venture.”

Also Monday, Deutsch purchased a filly by Disco Partner (hip 422) for $75,000.

Asked if there was target number of fillies to purchase, Casse said, “Not really. He will tell me when.”

Hager Stays Busy for Carem Stables

Bloodstock agent Phil Hager was busy over both days of the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred sale, buying three yearlings on behalf of Lisa Moser's Carem Stables. During Sunday's first session of the auction, Hager went back-to-back late in the day to acquire a colt by Street Boss (hip 395) for $200,000 and a filly by Frosted (hip 396) for $250,000. He returned Monday to acquire a filly by Bernardini (hip 473) for $220,000.

“We were just looking for really good physicals with some pedigree and by proven stallions,” Hager said. “Bill and Riley Mott train for them, so I took Bill through the list and he liked all three that we bought and those were the ones we wanted.”

Based in Greenfield Center, New York, Carem Stables was in the winner's circle across the street when 2-year-old Get Spooled (Hard Spun) debuted with a victory Aug. 3. The colt was purchased at last year's New York-bred sale for $230,000.

The very next day, Carem enjoyed a maiden winner at Ellis Park when Raining Sugar (Twirling Candy) won his first start Aug. 4. Hager's Taproot Bloodstock had purchased the filly on behalf of the operation for $150,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May sale.

“They are local and they like New York-breds,” said Hager. “They have one in Kentucky with Riley, so they are doing some of that as well. But they do like supporting the New York program.”

Of the prices at the two-day auction, Hager said, “It's always more than you want to pay. We don't want to buy cheap horses, but Saratoga probably adds a little to it.”

Also at the New York-bred sale, Hager purchased a filly by Instagrand (hip 325) for $100,000.

Pinhooker Tom McCrocklin, who went to a sale-record $700,000 to top last year's New York-Bred sale, shared the top bid this year when going to $380,000 for a son of Practical Joke Monday. Chris Baccari made that same bid to acquire a colt by Violence during Sunday's first session of the auction.

Hip 463 | Fasig-Tipton

Tallaj Buys and Sells

Dr. Ramon Tallaj, who made it to his first GI Kentucky Derby with Sun Thunder (Into Mischief) this year, purchased four colts and successfully pinhooked a filly with Carlos and Sarah Estrada's C & S Thoroughbreds during a busy day in Saratoga Monday.

Tallaj teamed with MyRacehorse to acquire a colt by Authentic (hip 407) for $360,000 and partnered with Cypress Creek, with whom he campaigns Sun Thunder, to acquire a colt by McKinzie (hip 530) for $210,000. Under the name of his R T Racing, he purchased a colt by Improbable (hip 405) for $100,000 and he completed his Saratoga grab with a colt by Vino Rosso (hip 578) acquired for $25,000.

Tallaj admitted his experience this spring with Sun Thunder, who was second in the GII Risen Star S., has impacted his purchases at Saratoga this week.

“I loved that,” Tallaj said of his trip to the Derby. “So now I want to try to figure out how to find the next one–I am looking for two-turn horses.”

Tallaj said all of his horses are owned in partnerships.

“It's the way to go,” he explained. “We need to keep encouraging people to get involved in racing. [These partners] are involved already, but hopefully we can bring in more people.”

Tallaj stressed the importance of the sport to those earning a living on the country's farms and backstretches and advocated for tax laws which would help encourage more people to own racehorses.

“People don't understand how many farmers make their living in the country,” he said. “Especially when they change the law and now the people who invest in horses can only deduct 80% for this year, it doesn't help. People who do that are really harming the people who work every day on the farms raising horses and on the racetracks.”

Tallaj has fully committed to the New York program, moving his stable from its previous Florida base to the Empire state, where his Just Katherine (Justify) was recently second in the Wilton S. at Saratoga July 14.

On the other side of the ledger, Tallaj sold a filly by Nyquist (hip 537) for $210,000 to Legion Bloodstock. The Estradas had purchased the filly for $100,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton February sale.

“I loved the horse,” Tallaj said of the yearling. “I wanted to keep her. I've been working with Sarah and Carlos for two years. They are good people, honest people.”

Also with C & S Thoroughbreds this year, Tallaj pinhooked a colt by Munnings for $200,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July sale. The yearling had been purchased for $100,000 at this year's Keeneland January sale.

At last year's New York sale, the group sold a filly by Practical Joke for $175,000. She had been purchased for $50,000 at the Fasig February sale.

A native of the Dominican Republic, Tallaj is founder and chairman of Somos Community Care and was part of New York City Mayor Eric Adams's COVID response team.

Asked how long he has been involved in racing, the 67-year-old Tallaj said with a laugh, “Since I was able to say 'hola' as a little child–a long time.”

Sun Thunder has not started since his 11th-place finish in the Derby, but Tallaj is hopeful the colt will return to the races soon.

“Hopefully, we will see him next month,” he said. “The idea is to bring him the [GI] Clark [at Churchill Downs in November].”

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A total of 53 yearlings sold Sunday for $5,999,000. The average of $113,189 was up 5% from last year's opening-session figure of $107,813, while the median of $100,000 was up 29.9% from $77,000 a year ago. With 28 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 34.6%.

“It was a very good opening session to the 2023 New York-bred Yearling Sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. “It seemed a tiny bit sticky at the beginning, with a little higher RNA rate that kind of smoothed out as the sale progressed. But it was a solid sale, a good sale. Last year was essentially a record-breaking sale and to be statistically improved in two key categories is a really good start.”

With just a third of the catalogue through the ring Sunday, Browning was loathe to make any big predictions on the state of the New York-bred yearling market.

“We have got a full day tomorrow, so we won't be making any bold proclamations or assertions,” Browning said. “We will have a better ability to access the overall market tomorrow. But it was certainly a good start and we are looking forward to another good day tomorrow.”

The New York-Bred Yearlings Sale continues Monday at noon with a further 264 catalogued head scheduled to go through the ring at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion.

Baccari, McPeek Strike for Violence Colt
Chris Baccari, who has been active buying on behalf of Toby Keith this year, got the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale off to a quick start when acquiring a colt by Violence for $380,000 (hip 306) for the country singer Sunday in Saratoga. Baccari did his bidding out back alongside trainer Ken McPeek.

“To me, he looked extremely sound and he had a lot of good qualities about him that were unique for his pedigree,” Baccari said. “That's why I told Kenny and Toby that this one we would have to stretch on. To me, he's a very solid horse.”

The bay colt is out of Liam's Lookout (Liam's Map), a half-sister to graded winner Itsaknockout (Lemon Drop Kid). Bred by Fred Hertrich, the yearling sold for $175,000 to SKPJ Stables at this year's Keeneland January sale. He was consigned Monday by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa.

“Chris Baccari and I are good friends and we have been for a long time,” McPeek said. “I have a lot of respect for his work and he knows some of my work. We both liked the horse. We are putting a group together to race in New York. We will probably have Magdalena as some sort of share in him. He's a lovely horse. I thought he was a real standout. You have to pay for the good ones and he was a good one.”

Bidding for Keith's Dream Walkin Farms, Baccari purchased a filly by Fast Anna for $100,000 at the OBS June sale and Baccari and McPeek teamed up to buy a Blame colt for $310,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July sale.

“I've known Toby and had mares for him for a long time,” Baccari said. “In the springtime, he called me up and said let's try to get a racing stable. So, that's what I'm trying to do.”

Asked if there was a target number for the stable, Baccari said, “Every deal is it's own deal. When I walk up and see a horse, then I try for it”

Gun Runner Filly to Trade Winds Farm
Tom D'Ambra, standing alongside his daughter and farm manager Agatha Reid, went to $290,000 to acquire a filly by Gun Runner (hip 369) Sunday in Saratoga. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, the yearling is out of graded winner Pantsonfire (Ire) (Sir Percy {GB}). She was bred by Richard Nicolai.

“We really wanted her,” D'Ambra said. “She's a filly, she has residual value If she doesn't run, it's a great family. We hope she will have a good racing career, but even after that there is more in the tank.”

Trade Winds Farm is located in Rexford, New York and has campaigned stakes winner Bounding Charm and multiple stakes placed Scientist.

D'Ambra, who indicated the filly would likely be trained by Brendan Walsh, admitted he was willing to spend more to acquire the yearling.

“I thought she would go higher, so I thought this was good deal,” he said.

Asked if he was still shopping, D'Ambra said, “That's it for tonight, but we will be back tomorrow.”

Eclipse, Repole Back for Mo
Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Repole Stables, who teamed up to purchase a yearling by Practical Joke for $150,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton New York sale, returned to the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion two days after that colt broke his maiden first-time out at Saratoga to acquire his half-sister by Vekoma (hip 349) for $235,000.

“It's the exact same partnership as on the brother,” said Repole advisor Jacob West. “So we are combining forces and hope we do it again.”

Asked how much her half-brother Trust Fund's 2 1/4-length debut victory impacted their decision to buy the sister, West said, “We knew that she was in here and we knew what he was doing prior [to Friday's race]. The page was turned down on her before he ran. But the filly, on her own, was very, very nice. She was a beautiful filly. We hope he goes on and does well and we have some residual leftover.”

Hip 349, who was consigned by Straight Line Equine Sales, is out of Mo Savings (Uncle Mo), a half-sister to stakes winner and graded placed Clipthecouponannie (Freud). She was bred by Windylea Farm.

“She's been really nice ever since she was born,” Windylea's Kip O'Neill said of the yearling. “We thought she would bring $80,000 to $125,000 before the timely update that happened Friday. Certainly we were watching out for that horse. Once that happened, we thought we would get into the high $100,000s. She got over $200,000 and we are very happy with the hands that she's in. Jacob has bought quite a few from our farm over the years. It's becoming a good relationship.”

Windylea Farm claimed the unplaced Mo Savings for $40,000 at Belmont in 2019. Trust Fund was her first foal. She has a weanling filly by Tacitus.

“We still have the mare,” O'Neill confirmed. “We decided not to breed her back–it was a late foaling and we decided to give her the year off. We were going to have to give her a year off sooner or later and she's worked hard for us. So we figured we would give her a little bit of a break.”

Vekoma had a pair of yearlings sell Sunday night. In addition to the filly, the Spendthrift stallion also had a colt (hip 354) sell for $200,000 to Klaravich Stables.

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“It was an outstanding session tonight,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “It was a great start to the New York-bred sale. The place was full of people and full of energy again, just like it was for the selected sale. There was broad participation across the board. There was just very, very good trade and enthusiastic bidding. It's a tribute to the quality of the program. It continues to be unquestionably the best state-bred program in the world. The quality of the program increases each year, in terms of pedigree and presentation.”

A total of 64 yearlings sold Sunday for a gross of $6,900,000. The average was $107,813 and the median was $77,000. The buy-back rate was 23.8%.

During last year's opening session of the New York-bred sale, 62 horses grossed $6,497,500. The average was $104,798 and the median was $80,000. The buy-back rate was 24.4%.

Agent Joe Hardoon made the session's highest bid of $600,000 when he acquired the colt by Hard Spun from the Perrone Sales consignment. That figure matched the highest price for a colt at the sale which was set by a Pioneerof the Nile yearling in 2018. The auction's record price was set by a filly by Malibu Moon who sold for $775,000 in 2019.

The Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearlings Sale continues with a final session Monday. Bidding begins at noon.

Hard Spun Colt All Gold At Saratoga

Owner Al Gold, through bloodstock agent Joe Hardoon, went to a co-sales record $600,000 to acquire a colt by Hard Spun (hip 378) from the Perrone Sales Ltd. consignment late in Sunday's opening session of the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearlings Sale.

“He is a big, beautiful chestnut colt with a lot of size and leg to him,” Hardoon said. “For how big he is, he was very light on his feet. He was a beautiful mover. It looks like he will be a nice two-turn horse. He was really everything we look for in a colt and he's a New York-bred on top of that.”

Gold has enjoyed top-level success this season with GI Arkansas Derby and GI Haskell S. winner Cyberknife (Gun Runner).

“When you have a horse like Cyberknife, you always have to try to find the next one,” Hardoon said. “Al has put so much into this game and he's waited so long for a horse like Cyberknife, we'd like to try to find the next one and not make him wait as long until he can get the next one.”

Consignor Jim Perrone watched the sale of the colt from the periphery of the auction stand while a pair of grooms stood in the ring doing a celebratory dance as the yearling's price continued to escalate.

Perrone was consigning the chestnut on behalf of his breeders, Bill and Jane Moriarty's Apache Farm.

“Bill and Jane Moriarty are unbelievable horse people,” Perrone said. “They are in Camden, South Carolina, they have a little farm. Their son has a farm in New York, it's called Apache Farm North. And Jane, she does everything herself. She foals them all herself. She brings them up there, they stay up here a while and then she brings them right back to Camden. She raises them and preps them. They are great people.”

The yearling, bred in partnership with Godolphin, is out of Passe (Dixie Union) and is a half-brother to the Apache-bred multiple stakes winner and multiple Grade I placed Wonder Gal (Tiz Wonderful).

“This colt has done everything right from day one,” Perrone said. “His name at the barn was 140 because he was 140 pounds when he was born. He was a monster, this guy.”

Of expectations for Sunday's sale, Perrone said, “We kind of felt like $300,000, in that vicinity, would be really good. The kind of people we had on him, we thought he would be ok. We never expected that. It was a great night for everyone.”

Watch Hip 378 c. HARD SPUN o/o Passe sell for $600,000 at New York Bred Yearlings! Congrats to all the connections! #FasigNY #NYBred @nytbreeders @godolphin @DarleyStallions @joe_hardoon pic.twitter.com/QJB94aM1MD

— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 15, 2022

More Saratoga Magic for Reeveses

Dean and Patti Reeves, who made the highest bid at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale last year, were back in action at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion Sunday, going to $370,000 to acquire a filly by Good Magic (hip 341).

“I loved her,” Patti Reeves said after signing the ticket on the yearling. “When I saw her, I thought she looked fabulous. They had her on the short list, but I hadn't seen them at all. When I saw her, I said, 'If you're going to get one, get that one.'”

The Reeveses have recently acquired a farm in Micanopy, Florida, which is managed by Nellie and Chetley Breeden, along with Jimmy Gladwell.

“She'll go down there and get in with the rest of them,” said Dean Reeves. “We will be able to get her started early and look forward to how she stands up to the rest of the crop.”

The couple warmed up for the sale with a dominating score by their Big Invasion (Declaration of War) in the Mahony S. at the racetrack across the street Sunday. Friday evening, their colt Senbei (Candy Ride {Arg}) was named 2021 New York-bred champion 2-year-old.

“We really are enjoying the New York program,” Dean Reeves said of their focus on Empire-breds. “We have been successful in it and we're having a good time with it. The incentives of the New York program, being able to get a lot of the money back out of the horse quickly up here in New York is really a big deal for us. It helps turn the money back over for us. It is an integral part of our stable, right now, New York-breds, whether it's here or at Keeneland or at the 2-year-old sales. If they happen to be New York-breds, that's an added incentive for us.”

Hip 341 was consigned by Vinery Sales on behalf of her breeder, Lere Visagie's Rockridge Stud. She is out of graded stakes winner Majestic Heat (Unusual Heat), a full-sister to Grade I placed Mensa Heat.

Visagie acquired the mare, with this foal in utero, for $130,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November sale after she was originally led out unsold.

“I didn't have a lot of expectations,” Visagie admitted, while accepting congratulations Sunday. “I knew I needed to sell the filly and I knew she was good. Obviously, I didn't expect any of this, but now I feel so much better about buying the mare.”

Visagie, who has around 12 mares, said circumstances helped make his six-figure purchase of Majestic Heat.

“I knew she was the best mare I could afford ever,” Visagie said. “Because of the circumstances–somewhat I have to thank COVID because there were not a lot of people there to buy her.”

Sunday's sale came just a day after champion Good Magic was represented by his first graded winner when his daughter Vegas Magic upset the GII Sorrento S. at Del Mar.

“The timing on this was as good as it gets,” Visagie said. “You just sit and enjoy and savor every minute. This is my highest sale. It's life-changing.”

Watch Hip 341 f. GOOD MAGIC o/o Majestic Heat sell for $370,000 at New York Bred Yearlings! Congrats to all the connections!#FasigNY #NYBred @nytbreeders @ReevesThorobred @pattiannreeves @vinerysales @rockridgestud @HillnDaleFarm pic.twitter.com/xP92YW9RiN

— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 15, 2022

Bolt d'Oro Sets Early Pace at New York Sale

A colt by Bolt d'Oro (hip 314) set the early pace during the first session of the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearling sale in Saratoga when selling for $355,000 to the bid of bloodstock agent Gregory Martin. Martin signed for the ticket in the name of Jay Provenzano's Flying P Stable.

“He was just a gorgeous individual,” Martin said of the yearling's appeal. “He's put together really nicely and it looks like he will develop into a really nice horse. I love the Bolt d'Oros. He is an all-around beautiful animal.”

Flying P campaigns last year's GII Brooklyn S. winner Lone Rock (Majestic Warrior), as well as last year's GII Bernard Baruch H. winner Tell Your Daddy (Scat Daddy).

Martin admitted the team was almost at its limit with his final price tag.

“The market, I know, is going to be strong,” Martin said. “So we knew what our budget was going to be and we stayed very close to it.”

Consigned by Gainesway, the gray colt is out of Judge Lee (Street Cry {Ire}), a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Euro Platinum. The yearling was purchased by Carolyn Cannizzo's Willow Brook Stables for $120,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton New York Mixed Sale.

“He was a likeable horse,” Gainesway's Brian Graves said of the colt. “That was a little bit more than I thought we would get for him. He was vetted three or four times. I guess it's just a sign of the strength of the main sale and the carryover. Bolt d'Oro is doing well.”

Graves agreed with the sentiments of many horsemen on the grounds.

“I looked around at all the horses and I would say it is a really solid group of physicals,” he said. “It's a little stronger than what I've seen here in the past. Hopefully they all sell this well.”

Watch Hip 314 c. BOLT D'ORO o/o Judge Lee sell for $355,000 at New York Bred Yearlings! Congrats to all the connections!#FasigNY #NYBred @nytbreeders @Gainesway @spendthriftfarm @flying_partners pic.twitter.com/IwbnGbWDku

— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 15, 2022

Blue Chip Gets on the Board

Tom Grossman and wife Lisa D'Angelis, whose Blue Chip Farms is well known in the New York Harness-bred industry, made their biggest Thoroughbred yearling purchase Sunday in Saratoga, going to $350,000 to acquire a filly by freshman sire Oscar Performance (Kitten's Joy) (hip 392).

“This is the first big one that I bought as a yearling,” Grossman said. “I have bought some mares and bred and raced, but it's the first yearling that I really stepped up to buy. We want to play on the high end. I think we started there.”

Grossman continued, “We are New York breeders and we understand the value of the program. We breed quite a few Harness horses and have sold some Thoroughbreds well. We love the program, love the filly and love the team.”

Watch Hip 392 f. OSCAR PERFORMANCE o/o Reachfortheheavens sell for $350,000 at New York Bred Yearlings! Congrats to all the connections!#FasigNY #NYBred @nytbreeders @millridgefarm @JonathanThorne4 @flying_partners @OracleBloodstck pic.twitter.com/sTgmdQqejg

— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 15, 2022

Bloodstock agent Conor Foley of Oracle Bloodstock signed the ticket on the filly on behalf of Blue Chip Bloodstock, West Paces, and Flying Partners.

The yearling is out of Reachfortheheavens (Pulpit) and is a half-sister to Grade I winner Real Solution (Kitten's Joy) and graded-placed Ava's Kitten (Kitten's Joy). She was bred and consigned by Jonathan Thorne of Thorndale Farm, who purchased the mare for $100,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale.

“She probably had the best pedigree and the best physical in the sale,” Foley said. “I thought she was exceptional. It was tough to find anything wrong with her. When they walk and act like that and have a pedigree like that, it gives you a lot of confidence. Oscar Performance's start helps a lot. She's a half to a Grade I winner. But even if she didn't have that kind of pedigree, she was still exceptional just as an individual.”

Thank you to our buyers and consignors for supporting the New York Bred Yearlings sale. ⁣
⁣
Session 1 has ended. Results are available online https://t.co/ju6aFhlnWP⁣
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The New York Bred Yearlings sale resumes Monday, August 15 at 12 PM. #FasigNY pic.twitter.com/fYXAXITSsX

— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 15, 2022

The post Fireworks For Hard Spun Colt As Momentum Continues Into Fasig-Tipton NY-Bred Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“It's our first time upgrading our mares,” Gullo said. “This is the first time we are actually putting them through the sale and running it as a breeding business. We have one in the Select Sale and two in the [Fasig-Tipton] New York-Bred Sale.”

The horseman continued, “Anthony is a great guy, great to work for. He has the same vision as I have, just trying to be first class with everything. It takes time to do. It is a process. It's not going to happen overnight. We are trying to buy top quality mares in foals to nice stallions. We have them at WinStar Farm. Now we are looking to sell some of the babies to offset some cost and keep it running like a business. We might start to keep a few down the road, but our goal is to breed top-quality horses.”

The GMP team will offer Hip 151, a Curlin filly out of MGISP Cassies Dreamer (Flatter), during the second session of Fasig's Select Sale Tuesday. Consigned by Taylor Made, the bay is the first foal out of Cassies Dreamer, who completed the trifecta in both the GI Frizette S. and GI Spinaway S. GMP Stable purchased the now 6-year-old mare for $435,000 with this filly in utero at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

“It is exciting,” Melfi said of selling a horse in the Saratoga Select Sale. “We can't wait to see how it goes and what she brings. She is a beautiful filly by Curlin. We just love her.”

Just six days later, GMP Stable has a pair of More Than Ready yearlings bred in partnership with Dutchess Views Farm and Robert Valeri set to sell during the second session of Fasig's New York-Bred Sale Aug. 15.

The first to go through the ring will be Hip 523, a filly out of Cinderella Time (Stephen Got Even). A $245,000 acquisition at the 2019 KEENOV sale in foal to Twirling Candy, the 11-year-old mare is already the dam of MGSW & MGISP Horologist (Gemologist).

Their other NY-bred offering is Hip 574, a More Than Ready colt out of Giant Blossom (Giant's Causeway). Picked up for $100,000 in foal to Frosted at the same KEENOV renewal, Giant Blossom is a half-sister to GISW Cotton Blossom (Broken Vow).

“We feel good about our New York-breds as well,” Gullo said. “We are getting our feet wet. We are relying on Fasig-Tipton, WinStar and Taylor Made. We are with the right people.”

Breeding and selling is just one area that GMP Stable dabbles in. They also have 25 horses in training across the country with conditioners such as Todd Pletcher, Linda Rice, Gary Sciacca, Robertino Diodoro and Doug O'Neill. The racing stable is a mix of homebreds, 2-year-old purchases and horses claimed at Churchill with an eye on the Del Mar meet.

“We would like to expand eventually,” Gullo said. “We bought some 2-year-olds and will buy more next year. We will also buy another three of four mares in November. Right now we are claiming horses for some action for us, but we are focusing on the higher quality over quantity.”

Gullo and Melfi's main focus at the moment is their farm, which is geared towards racehorse rehabilitation. Previously the Stone Bridge Farm training center, the Schuylerville, New York facility is an equine oasis with a training track, saltwater spas, Theraplates, magnawave and much more.

“We have a beautiful farm that is set up like a rehab, like Fair Hill,” Gullo said. “We are bringing in a hyperbaric chamber. We have saltwater spas, the vibrating plates, lasers, magnawave, thermal imaging. We have a seven-eighths Tapeta track. We redid the base and put a new cushion on it. We had the guy from Keeneland come and redo it all. We are going to have 50 stalls. We have horses here for Linda [Rice], [Todd] Pletcher and Bill Mott. Wesley Ward came out and loved it.”

The GMP farm also houses a spa for humans, offering a wide variety of services. Additionally, Melfi owns two bed and breakfasts on Union Ave. in Saratoga and plans to tie all of the facilities together.

“The spa is called Sacred Spa and Wellness,” said Melfi, who operated an environmental contracting company, which he sold in 2019. “We offer massage, facials, infrared saunas, chiropractic, acupuncture, body sculpting and basically anything you'd find at a high-end spa or wellness center.”

He added, “I also own Union Gables and the Brunswick. We are in the process of incorporating all the properties together to make it more of a destination.”

Between what they already have in the works and their future plans, Gullo and Melfi have a lot to look forward to with their new operation.

The post GMP Stable Takes Next Step Towards Big Dreams at the Spa appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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“The New York-Bred Yearlings sale annually offers the best of the New York-bred crop, and this year's catalogue is very strong in terms of sire power and quality individuals,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “Over $60 million will be distributed in purse money, incentives, and awards for New York-breds this year. In addition, there are new purse enhancements and incentives for the New York Stallion Stakes Series and New York-Sired bonus programs that will go into effect next year. This is a very exciting time to own a New York-bred.”

The catalogue, which features GISW Americanrevolution (Constitution) on the cover, is ready online and will also be available in the Equineline sales catalogue app. Print catalogues are also available.

The post Fasig-Tipton’s NY-Bred Catalogue Available appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Army Mule began his stud career in 2019 at Hill 'n' Dale Farms with a modest $10,000 stud fee after just three career starts, but at this year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, two representatives from his first book of mares brought $400,000-first a colt out of stakes winner Made Me Shiver (Maclean's Music) and then a successfully-pinhooked half-sister to GISW Volatile (Violence). A few days later at the Fasig-Tipton New York Bred Sale, the half-sister to GIISW Wells Bayou (Lookin At Lucky) brought $300,000.

Already this year, 16 of 22 Army Mule yearlings have sold to average $164,375. Despite his unassuming $7,500 stud fee today, Army Mule is one of six members of his stallion crop to have surpassed a $150,000 yearling average heading into the Keeneland September Sale.

“All the right people like the horse,” said Hill 'n' Dale's John Sikura. “I've heard a lot of very good comments from people who really pay attention, so I think there's a very good buzz. We try to be realistic but in the end, the genetic switch is on or it's off. You need the volume of foals on the ground, you need to raise them as well as you can and then they'll either run or they won't. He's poised for success and hopefully they'll be as successful as he was on the racetrack.”

According to Sikura, the key to Army Mule's recent achievements has been the support from Hill 'n' Dale and the young stallion's other shareholders.

“I like to take the approach that when we like a horse, we go all the way,” he explained. “We like to think that we're on board and we're helping drive the success rather than be passive and just passengers in seeing if they can run. If you keep that confidence throughout, it exudes to when people call and ask about the horse. To ensure his success, we bought mares at auction for that purpose. St. Elias has been a great partner and Craig Bernick, through our Elevage partnership, also owns an interest in the horse.”

St. Elias Stables, who campaigned Army Mule through his Grade I-winning career, was a force to compete with when an Army Mule yearling was in the ring at the two recent Saratoga sales. The racing operation of Vinnie Viola purchased both the aforementioned $400,000 yearlings at the Select Sale and the colt out of Made Me Shiver was bought in partnership with West Point Thoroughbreds. Days later, St. Elias took home another pair of Army Mule yearlings at the New York Bred Sale, purchased for a combined $285,000.

Jacob West, who acted as agent for St. Elias in their four new purchases, said Viola had been keen on landing a few Army Mule yearlings as they were preparing their Saratoga shopping list.

Army Mule colt out of SW Made Me Shiver fetches $400,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. | Fasig-Tipton

“Vinnie gets behind a lot of his horses that go to stud, but with Army Mule in particular, he was as brilliant as a racehorse could be,” West said. “When you've raced a horse,  he goes on to be a stallion and you get to follow them along in their careers, it's hard not to be biased and go out and support them. But [the two Select Sale purchases] stood on their own merit. We paid $400,000 for them and obviously if we weren't there to buy them, someone else would have bought them within the $300,000's. I think that speaks volumes to what the market thinks of Army Mule and the chance he has.”

While the son of Friesan Fire is making headlines this summer with his yearlings, it was just last year that he could only fill a book of 47 mares in his second season at stud.

“Army Mule is a horse that, initially, there was maybe a little bit of resistance against,” Sikura admitted. “People talked about Friesan Fire, but when you peel the layers of the onion, you see that Friesan Fire is by A.P. Indy and that his dam was a champion in Australia. She is by Dehere and [his sire] Deputy Minister is hugely influence both as a broodmare sire and a sire.”

Sikura may not be overly surprised that buyers have been impressed with Army Mule's yearlings physically. He noted that Army Mule himself is a picture of a horse.

“Physically, he's impeccable,” he said. “He's very athletic, beautifully-made, well-balanced and very fast looking. He has quality, great muscle type and a beautiful head and eye.”

Bred by Hope Hill Farm, Army Mule was a $35,000 yearling that turned heads six months later as an $825,000 2-year-old purchase at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale.

“I remember Donato [Lanni] was telling me, 'You wouldn't believe this horse. He's the best horse in the sale,'” Sikura recalled. “He was going on and on about this Friesan Fire horse that was an absolute complete freak and little did I know until after the fact that it was Army Mule.”

Trained by Todd Pletcher, Army Mule broke his maiden on debut at Belmont, defeating the rest of the field by 8 1/2-lengths and earning 'TDN Rising Star' status. He followed up that effort the following year at four with a 7 ½-length romp at Gulfstream and crossed the wire just :0.75 off the track record. In his stakes debut in the GI Carter H., the speedy bay drew away from the field in the stretch to win by over six lengths and earn a 114 Beyer Speed Figure. He was forced to retire soon after due to a chipped knee.

Army Mule colt of August Snow (Tapit) sells as Hip 2201 at the Keeneland September Sale. | Katie Ritz

“I think that horses either show ability or they don't,” Sikura explained of their decision to stand Army Mule. “It's unfortunate that horses are running very fast and sometimes, of no fault of their own, they get hurt. If a horse can be brilliant and have near track-record performances in their first three starts, think of how much untapped talent is still left with a horse like that. If you're brilliant and the fastest horse in training in your first couple of starts, I think that's a great indicator of immense quality.”

Army Mule looks to continue with his accomplishments in the sales ring at the Keeneland September Sale. The first-crop sire has 25 yearlings cataloged for the upcoming auction.

Sikura said that the type of yearling his offspring represent should appeal to a wide array of demands within the marketplace.

“I think they're more of a Mr. Prospector type,” he said. “They're medium-sized, very fast-looking, very round and with lots of bone. It's what the pinhookers want and it's what the commercial market wants–quality, early speed that sustains.”

Sikura added that he wouldn't be surprised if Army Mule's yearlings are tough to get ahold of next year once his first group of runners hit the racetrack.

“Just think of the many brilliant racehorses, like Candy Ride (Arg), Maclean's Music and Constitution, that as soon as their first crop ran, their stud fee tripled or quadrupled immediately,” he said. “Any time you get in on them in the beginning and you buy before the entire public is aware of the horse, you have great value and you have a chance to buy a really good horse for a lot less that you would the next year should they be successful.”

West is also looking forward to the Keeneland September Sale, where he says he will be scouring the sales grounds for more promising yearlings from Army Mule.

“He was an incredibly fast horses and all three of his races were basically jaw-dropping performances,” he said. “He fits the mold of what John Sikura and Hill 'n' Dale have done with standing stallions that showed brilliancy. From the weanlings we saw in November to the yearlings we see now, he looks like he's passing along his athleticism and his conformation. We're pretty excited about them and are excited to see what the September catalogue has to offer. Hopefully he's the next big stallion out there.”

The post Undefeated Army Mule in Demand with First Yearlings appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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The sale continued a recent demand from owners, trainers, and pinhookers because New York-breds are winning important open company stakes, and a lot more of them are earning tons of money in bonuses and other rewards offered through the Empire State's incentive program.

However, we are not here to shill for these horses–they do well enough on their own. Rather, we are here to offer perspective on how this has come about, a perspective that will focus on the development of the state's stallion rosters since the program was initiated in the late 1970s. That's because without perspective there is no other way to explain the current success of the program.

First, let's get this concept of “perspective” defined relative to this exercise. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, putting something in perspective has two basic definitions (italics added): 1) “the art of drawing solid objects on a two-dimensional surface so as to give the right impression of their height, width, depth, and position in relation to each other when viewed from a particular point,” 'a perspective drawing'; and 2) “a particular attitude toward or way of regarding something, a point of view.”

Your correspondent is in a unique position to present this perspective because: 1) the algorithms for the biomechanical analysis we have utilized since the early 1980s generates a series of graphs for each horse measured, hence a “picture” of how the horse is constructed in terms of potential racing and breeding efficiency; and 2) your correspondent has been intimately involved in the New York Thoroughbred industry since the early 1980s in many ways including as an adviser to breeders and owners, newspaper publisher, compiler of state sire lists, and one who also helped shaped policy for the program.

As for the latter issue, without getting too deep into the weeds, suffice it to say that as president of New York Thoroughbred Breeders (NYTB), your correspondent wrote the rules and regulations passed into law in 1994 governing mare residency and stallion breed-back requirements, which in 2020 were altered modestly to expand the residency issue to attract more quality mares.

Over the years we have watched the comings and goings of stallions in New York and have come to several conclusions based on what the market wants, what the stallions brought to the breeding sheds in pedigree and biomechanics, and how the development of a stallion program in New York is not very different from those in other states, including Kentucky.

Go for Gin, shown in retirement, was by New York-based Cormorant | Sarah Andrew

Our conclusion: While dozens of stallions were either retired to stand in the state or moved from elsewhere, all faced a basic disadvantage regardless of the rules and incentives promulgated by the state. The majority of available mares lacked either the pedigree and/or biomechanical qualities to match many of the stallions available.

That said and “all Gaul” notwithstanding, the Empire State's breeding program can be divided into three parts (or, in this case, three time periods, or “cycles”). Each is defined by economic and regulatory factors that strongly affected the development of a competitive stallion roster within the state.

Five stallions emerged through those cycles that shaped the story of the entire program: two of which moved into the state and three of which retired to stud there. Parenthetically, each of those five had a favorable biomechanical profile to be successful irrespective of pedigree and, given the quality and quantity of the mares they attracted, all of them succeeded as expected on those scores.

In the late 1970s two stallions moved to New York early in their careers and, despite being completely different in pedigree and race records, dominated the state's sire lists for many years. One was Cormorant, a son of His Majesty who sired Kentucky Derby winner Go for Gin, Eclipse Award winner Saratoga Dew, and Grade I winner Grecian Flight among his 46 stakes winners. The other was Talc, a son of Rock Talk who did not sire as many stakes winners as Cormorant but who consistently battled that one on the sire list. In the 1970s and 80s it was not uncommon for several races a day at NYRA tracks and Finger Lakes to feature one or more offspring of these two.

New York's multiple leading sire, Freud | Sarah Andrew

Both were average sized, very well-balanced individuals who stamped their foals in their own image. Indeed, you rarely saw a Cormorant or Talc that was anything other than bay or brown except when toward the end of his career Cormorant got the gallant gray gelding Gander, a fan favorite. The irony here is that even though Go for Gin sired Grade I winner and sire Albert the Great, the His Majesty line–and therefore the Ribot line–in North America saw the beginning of its end in Cormorant. And the Rasper II line, of which Talc was a major part, also basically ended with his demise.

Yet these two were so consistent in getting winners from any pedigree or physical type that the only caveat during that time was the well-worn advice that you should make sure the mare you bred to Cormorant mitigated his personality (which was, how you say, difficult), but you could breed a dog to Talc and get a runner.

These two paved the way to the next cycle wherein two stallions who retired directly to stud in the state met the challenge in completely different ways. First came D'Accord, a Grade II-winning son of Secretariat out of champion Fanfreluche, by Northern Dancer, who was purchased by John Hettinger of Akindale Farm in 1984. He was unquestionably the most prominent “marquee” stallion prospect to stand in the state if only because of his pedigree.

He came along before his sire became better known as the broodmare sire of epoch-making stallions Storm Cat, Gone West, and A.P. Indy rather than as a sire of sires, and in many ways D'Accord turned out to be right up there among Secretariat's best sons at stud. Richly supported by Hettinger, his book was also very carefully monitored for quality, so he never had huge crops commercial sires required as a pivot for success. Though he got one good son who went on to become a sire in Montreal Red, it was his fillies among his 19 stakes winners who stood out. Thus, like Cormorant and Talc before him, D'Accord, in effect, was one of those who helped precipitate the end of a sire line.

On the other hand, a large multiple Grade III-winning speedball son of Danzig came into the stallion barn at Sugar Maple Farm, a few miles up the road from Akindale, and immediately became the star of the show. That would be Belong to Me, who was not only a phenotypical carbon copy of his sire (though larger) but given his opportunity in New York, a most propitious pedigree and physical match for the state's broodmares.

His first runners set the tracks on fire and after siring four crops at Sugar Maple, he was dispatched to Kentucky where he subsequently became a successful shuttle sire in Australia. By the time of his demise at age 31 last year, and without a son to establish a Danzig branch, it was most probably forgotten by many that he rang the bells initially in New York.

The young Central Banker is getting early, fast runners | Barbara Livingston

Which brings us to the third cycle which has been dominated by a horse with a name that should require him to explain everything to us: Freud. Retired to the state after a modest group-placed career in Europe, he was given a chance primarily because he was a full-brother to international champion Giant's Causeway, being by Storm Cat out of Mariah's Storm, by Rahy. First impressions might lead one to believe, as a friend once remarked, “well, that shoots the full-brother theory,” for Freud is a dark bay resembling Storm Cat while Giant's Causeway was a chestnut though much bigger than his similarly colored broodmare sire.

However, the tale of the tape shows that they were virtually twins phenotypically and in body measurements, so much so that on several key biomechanical tests they scored almost identically. Thus, it was not so much of a surprise to those who bred to him early on with this knowledge that Freud would be successful, at least in a state-bred program. That he has sired nearly 70 stakes winners including 17 graded victors thus far has certainly solidified his standing as the most successful stallion to retire to stud in the Empire State. The fact that two of his leading earners are out of mares by D'Accord sweetens the pot.

Freud has been New York's leading sire many times but in the past two years he has been challenged and now surpassed by Central Banker, a son of Speightstown who benefitted from huge books in his first few years to gain a reputation for getting a lot of early, fast runners. He needs to step up with more than the few black-type earners he has at this time to justify a prognostication for leading a future cycle, but as of now his yang to Freud's yin at the top of the list of stallions retired directly to the state is somewhat analogous to the counterbalance that Cormorant and Talc brought with them when they hopped on vans all those years ago and settled in the Hudson Valley.

Bob Fierro is a partner with Jay Kilgore and Frank Mitchell in DataTrack International, biomechanical consultants and developers of BreezeFigs. He can be reached at bbfq@earthlink.net.

The post Body & Soul: Empire State Perspectives appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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A total of 62 yearlings sold Sunday night for a gross of $6,497,500. The average was $104,798 and the median was $80,000.

“It was an outstanding opening night to the 2021 New York-bred sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “I was thrilled to have the average over $100,000 tonight. It's one of those milestones that we are trying to achieve. Hopefully the strength will continue tomorrow.”

During the first session of the 2019 New York-bred sale, 66 horses sold for $5,972,500. The average was $90,492 and the median was $75,000.

With 20 horses reported not sold Sunday, the buy-back rate was 24.4%. The corresponding figure in 2019 was 32%.

“As encouraging, or more encouraging, it was a very reasonable RNA rate tonight for the New York-bred sale,” Browning said. “In the past we've talked many times about the higher-than-average RNA rate because there are so many opportunities for the owners and breeders of these horses to race given the purse structure in the state. The RNA rate tonight was certainly at an acceptable level. The momentum and enthusiasm from the selected sale continued tonight with a really strong marketplace with a diverse group of buyers.”

Sunday's session was topped by a filly by Uncle Mo who was consigned by Tom Gallo on behalf of her co-breeders and was purchased by Gallo for his Dream Maker Racing partnership. The yearling was one of nine to bring over $200,000.

“The market is fabulous,” Gallo said. “I think this market is strong with people coming out of the pandemic with all of this pent-up enthusiasm and people who didn't get to spend their money last year. And this is a neat market because it's a middle market. It's a meat-and-potatoes market. People can come here and buy a decent horse for $50,000, $70,000 or $100,000 or $150,000 and, with the purses the way they are, if you get just a consistent horse that places a couple of times, wins, places again, you're already up to $120,000 or $150,000 in earnings. You may not break even for everything, but at least you have cash flow coming back.”

The New York-bred Yearlings Sale continues Monday with a final session beginning at noon.

Uncle Mo Filly a Dream for Gallo

Tom Gallo was so impressed by a filly by Uncle Mo (hip 341) he was consigning for her co-breeders that he purchased her for his Dream Maker Racing partnership for a session-topping $495,000 Sunday at Fasig-Tipton.

“Dream Maker Racing is a racing partnership that I manage,” Gallo explained. “It's a group of people who bred her. All of the offspring are bred by Mia Gallo, Mary Kopley, Michael Newton and Elizabeth Weese–they are the ones who own the mare. We just set a price and if she didn't bring the price, we were just going to race her ourselves. But we have to sell it from the breeding partnership to the racing partnership.”

Of the yearling, Gallo said, “We loved the filly. We absolutely loved her. I've loved her since the day she was born. She is a monster. From when she was young, she just had a mind of her own. We raise them as weanlings and then we ship them down to raise them in Kentucky. After she was weaned, if you went up to her and she didn't want to be nice, she would come at you with ears pinned as a baby. And that's rare. So I always liked that because you have to be like that. Sometimes you have to be like that to be competitive and win races.”

Dream Maker Racing also campaigned the yearling's half-sister Satisfy (Candy Ride {Arg}), who was second in the 2018 Iroquois S. Like that filly, hip 341 will be trained by Bill Mott.

“Bill Mott has trained the whole family and he will be training her–he just doesn't know it yet,” Gallo said. “But he's done well with the family. We had the granddam, and we bred and raced the mother and now we are racing her babies. And we even have one of her daughters who just had a foal. So now we are on the fourth generation. And Bill is a breeder's trainer. He trains for people that race daughters of daughters. He is such an intelligent guy and he remembers the traits of the family. So it gives you a little bit of a jump start on the horse.”

Ingordo Stays Bullish on Accelerate

Lane's End's David Ingordo has made no secret of how much he has been impressed by offspring of the farm's first-crop sire Accelerate, and the bloodstock agent acquired another yearling by the GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner when going to $335,000 late in Sunday's first session of the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale.

“I was staying true to my TDN article where I said we would be trying to buy Accelerates,” Ingordo said with a smile after signing the ticket on hip 385. “We bought a beautiful colt in July and I saw this filly and she has got everything you'd want to have. I love her female family. She has the New York-bred to fall back on if we need it, but she looks like an open company horse. She is an excellent representation of what Accelerate is producing.”

The filly, who will be trained in California with John Sadler, is out of Delay of Game (Bernardini). The mare's half-sister is the dam of graded stakes winner Stanford (Malibu Moon) and multiple grade-placed Hedge Fund (Super Saver).

“They are like himself, really balanced individuals with a ton of class,” Ingordo said of what he is seeing in Accelerate's first crop of yearlings. “This filly oozed class. She's been by the ring all night and didn't turn a hair and came up here really well. Accelerate himself is a beautifully-balanced horse and this filly is just like him. She is out of a Bernardini mare. I couldn't get much more.”

Of the yearling's final price, Ingordo said, “She is a good horse and she costs what a good horse costs. She was expensive, but we loved her.”

The bay filly, consigned by St George Sales, was another success out of Delay of Game for Dan Hayden's EKQ Stables. Hayden purchased Delay of Game in foal to Street Sense for $90,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale. Her Street Sense filly sold for $260,000 at the 2019 Keeneland September sale and her Classic Empire colt sold for $310,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale.

Army Mule Filly an Emotional Score for O'Neill

After watching his filly by Army Mule (hip 314) sell for $300,000 to Maverick Racing/Siena Farm Sunday night at Fasig-Tipton, Windylea Farm's Kip O'Neill dedicated the result to his late father and Windylea founder Philip O'Neill, who passed earlier this year. The yearling is out of Whispering Angel (Hard Spun), a mare the father-son team purchased for just $3,000 at the 2019 Keeneland January sale.

“This is for my dad,” O'Neill said. “He died in March. He and I bought that mare together. And when we bought her for $3,000, we looked at each other and said, 'What are we missing?' Obviously, we got lucky.”

The yearling was consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck's Summerfield and while the team celebrated the successful sale in the back of the pavilion, Barbara Vanlangendonck explained with a broad smile, “He told me he had three horses and asked which one we wanted and we picked this one.”

Just four months after the O'Neills purchased Whispering Angel, her son Wells Bayou (Lookin At Lucky) won the GII Louisiana Derby.

“The mare is kind of our franchise mare,” O'Neill said of Whispering Angel. “She is a big, strapping Hard Spun mare and she was successful on the track. She only raced three times and she had some bone spurring, nothing major. So they decided to retire her and sell her. She had slipped a Kitten's Joy filly and that's probably how she slipped to us.”

Of the yearling, O'Neill said, “She's been very forward since she was born. She's been a beautiful filly. It took her a while for it to come together. It's a testament to our staff, they did a fabulous job getting her ready. We are thrilled with the connections that bought her. We wish them the best and we'll see where we go from there.”

Whispering Angel is currently in foal to Speightstown and has a full-brother to Wells Bayou by her side.

Windylea Farm has a broodmare band of 23 head.

“Our plan is to sell,” O'Neill said. “You've got to sell from the top and the middle. It's hard to sell from the bottom. So those we end up racing or finding a different career for.”

Hip 314 was the first Windylea horse to go through the ring at the New York-bred sale.

“Two more tonight and two tomorrow,” O'Neill said of the rest of the yearlings scheduled to sell in Saratoga. “If we better this, I'd be some shocked. She was the queen.”

Sunday night's result continued a strong week in Saratoga for yearlings from the first crop of GI Carter H. winner Army Mule. The Hill 'n' Dale stallion had a colt (hip 140) and filly (hip 148) sell for $400,000 during last week's Selected Yearling Sale.

Into Mischief Colt to Breeze Easy

While he had been in town earlier in the week, Breeze Easy's Mike Hall did his bidding Sunday night on the phone, going to $300,000 to acquire a colt by Into Mischief (hip 330) from the Winter Quarter Farm consignment.

“[Breeze Easy advisor] Tom McGreevey picked this horse out,” Hall said shortly after Fasig-Tipton's Anna Seitz signed the ticket on his behalf. “He's a nice, big, stout colt and well balanced. We just thought he was a good buy. He's a big colt who looks like he can go two turns.”

The bay colt is out of multiple stakes winner and graded-placed Akilina (Langfuhr) and is a half-brother to Japanese Group 1-placed Rieno Tesoro (Speightstown) and graded winner Governor Malibu (Malibu Moon). He was bred by Richard Leahy's Oak Bluff Stables.

“He was a really nice colt,” Winter Quarter's Don Robinson said. “I actually thought he would do better. But I am perfectly happy with what he brought. The mare has been really good. The family has been fantastic for us. I am perfectly happy and a really smart guy bought him, Tom McGreevey. He never wavered.”

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Johnson has owned and operated Stonegate Stables, located about 15 miles from Saratoga Springs in Fort Edward, since 2007. For the past three years, he has been mentored by bloodstock agent and veteran Fasig-Tipton consignor Harry “Chip” Landry in preparation for going out on his own as a consignment.

“We had a lot of clients from our farm saying they wanted me to do this, so we're giving it a go,” Johnson said. “Our farm has grown pretty dramatically in the past five years. We foaled 52 babies this year, with a good mix of Kentucky-sired horses and New York-sired horses. That's why we have such a big group coming for this sale. Our clients have really stepped up in the game and started breeding at a higher level.”

Johnson said that almost all of the yearlings at his consignment this week were foaled, raised and prepped at his Stonegate Stables, adding that he is excited by the diversity his consignment's first roster has to offer.

“If you have a sire type, we've basically got it,” he said. “If you like them grass or dirt, long or short, tall or small, we've got it here. [Fasig-Tipton Account Executive] Peter Penny has been coming out consistently to see our horses and he's been very useful in gearing us towards what they think buyers are looking for.”

Johnson said that as buyers begin to sift through the catalogue, one of their most popular offerings has been Hip 523, a colt by red-hot young sire Nyquist. The youngster is the first foal out of the winning Honor and Serve mare Pursuing Justice, who is herself a daughter of Grade II winner and stakes producer Seeking the Ante (Seeking the Gold). The family also includes three-time Grade I winner Antespend (Spend a Buck).

“The Nyquist colt has drawn a lot of attention,” Johnson said. “He has a big walk on him and a lot of action in his movement. People in New York are looking to find sires like that here.”

He said another popular yearling from their consignment has been Hip 428. The filly is a daughter of Bolt d'Oro, whose first crop made a major splash at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale earlier in the week. She is also the first foal out of stakes winner Grace's Treasure (Rockport Harbor).

“She is certainly a looker and looks to be very fast,” Johnson said.

Turning Point's inaugural consignment also includes yearlings from first-crop yearling sires Good Samaritan and Always Dreaming, plus additional youngsters by Exaggerator, Tapizar, Cairo Prince, Shackleford, Karakontie (Jpn), Tiznow and Frank Conversation.

Johnson spoke on the plans for his consignment for the rest of the year.

“We're going to sell in Maryland at the [Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall] yearling sale in October. I have between 12 and 15 going to that. We'll be coming back to Saratoga for the [Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall] sale and we're going to have a big group for that. I think we could end up having between 15 and 20 horses at this point.”

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