Trio Share Top Billing During Vibrant Saratoga Sale

A trio of weanlings shared top price of $150,000 during a day of vibrant trade at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale Monday in upstate New York. By the close of business, 136 horses had sold for $4,533,200. The average of $33,332 jumped 48.5% from the 2021 auction and the median doubled to $20,000. With 46 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 25.3%. It was 29.7% a year ago when 163 horses grossed $3,657,800 for an average of $22,440 and a median of $10,000.

“The market up here was very strong and very honest all the way through, from the top to the bottom,” said Stuart Morris, who consigned two of the three co-toppers. “We were fortunate to bring some quality horses in here with good pedigrees and be rewarded by a strong marketplace. We are in a very fortunate cycle in our industry right now where we have a very high purse structure and, obviously the production level isn't what it was in the past, so I think that's feeding it as well.”

Glencrest Farm, with Dailey Bloodstock, as agent, purchased hip 196, a colt from the first crop of multiple Grade I winner Vekoma (Candy Ride {Arg}) from the Morris consignment for $150,000. The weanling is out of Nice Smile (Smiling Tiger), a half-sister to multiple Grade I-placed Red Vine (Candy Ride {Arg}). The chestnut was bred by Constance Wickes, Amy Rabanal and Highclere, Inc., who purchased Nice Smile with the colt in utero for $70,000 out of this sale last October.

“My father and two of his partners bred him and he's always been a lovely colt,” Morris said. “Our expectations coming up here were strong, but not aggressive and we were very happy with the result on the horse. We thought he would be in that range and we were very happy to be rewarded by the marketplace and that they agreed with our opinion of his quality.”

Morris also consigned hip 167, a filly by Not This Time who sold to trainer Christophe Clement for $150,000. The weanling is out of Lookin Sharp (Lookin at Lucky), a half-sister to stakes winners Malibu Beauty (Buffum), Steady Warrior (Cherokee's Boy) and Steady N Love (Not for Love). She was bred by Drumkenny Farm, Springhouse Farm and Magnolia Mares. Magnolia Mares purchased Lookin Sharp for $53,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton February sale.

“She was a super, quality filly,” said Morris. “We had similar expectations for her and we were also rewarded by the market.”

Glencrest and Dailey Bloodstock also purchased a colt by Complexity (hip 179) for $100,000 Monday.

The trio of co-toppers at the Saratoga auction was rounded out by a filly by Malibu Moon (hip 14), who was purchased by Carolyn and David Cannizzo's Willow Brook Stables. Consigned by Vinery Sales, the weanling is out of graded-placed Stopspendingmaria (Montbrook) and is a half-sister to stakes winner No Mo' Spending (Uncle Mo) and to stakes-placed Blewitt (Uncle Mo). She was bred by Rockridge Stud, Ascendant Farms and Spendthrift Farm. Rockridge Stud purchased Stopspendingmaria for $32,000 at the 2019 Keeneland January sale.

“I thought she was a standout of all the fillies in the sale,” trainer David Cannizzo said of the purchase. “She was the top horse on my short list; she had a good pedigree, great physical and a great walk. She really stood out. I thought she was the sale topper by the end of Saturday morning and it proved to be correct. I was prepared to go a little higher if I had to. I thought she was a special individual.”

Asked for plans for the filly, Cannizzo said, “We will see how she grows and go from there. You might see her in a yearling sale or she might be a racehorse.”

Willow Brook enjoyed pinhooking success buying out of this sale a year ago. The operation acquired a colt by Bolt d'Oro for $120,000 at the Fall sale and resold him for $355,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred Yearling sale in August.

“It could be a very similar move,” Cannizzo said of this year's weanling purchase.

Willow Brook came back later in the session to acquire a colt by Practical Joke (hip 222) for $95,000.

Cannizzo said the strength of the state's racing and breeding program allowed him to buy New York-breds with extra confidence.

“The New York market is always very good because New York racing is at the top of the list with the great purses and great program we have for New York-breds,” he said. “You can always bail a client out, or bail yourself out, with a horse that you might have pushed a little harder to get to with the money you paid for them, but there is always a way out with the way the purses are in the New York breeding program.”

Dean and Patti Reeves, who purchased the 2021 Fall Sale topper, a $195,000 daughter of Catalina Cruiser, were active again Monday in Saratoga, purchasing seven weanlings for $555,000. The group was led by a filly by Maclean's Music (hip 96) who sold for $140,000 and a filly by King for a Day (hip 97).

The Reeveses led a strong contingent of end-users who competed with pinhookers to create a vibrant market in Saratoga.

“There is a very consistent and strong end-user market up here for the weanlings in November,” Morris said. “I sold the Not This Time filly to Christophe [Clement] and some end-users were underbidders on the Vekoma as well. Dean Reeves and Jimmy Gladwell have led that charge and Christophe has some other folks that are doing the same thing. And not just at the higher end, but at all levels. There were some horses I sold for lesser money to racehorse outfits up here as well. So it's becoming a place where there are some end-users sprinkled in every year to buy the weanlings and I think that helps drive the market.”

Morris also consigned the auction's top-priced broodmare, Ventriloquist (Nyquist) (hip 38), who sold in foal to Frosted for $90,000 to MWG, LLC.

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Breeding Stock on Tap at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale

The focus switches to breeding stock with the return of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale, which will be held at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion today. A total of 236 broodmares/broodmare prospects and New York-bred weanlings have been cataloged for the single-session sale, which gets underway at 10 a.m. To view the catalog, click here.

After being KO'd by COVID in 2020, the sale returned in 2021, generating $3,657,800 in revenue for 163 head sold. Heading last season's sale was a filly by Catalina Cruiser, that realized top price of $195,000.

“This is an important sale for those that actively participate in the New York-bred program,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “Saratoga Fall annually offers the highest concentration of New York-bred weanlings of any mixed sale in North America. This year we have 175 weanlings catalogued–all of which are New York-bred.”

Added Browning, “There are also good opportunities in the broodmare portion of the sale, with a number of mares in foal to promising young sires.”

Among this season's young stallion roster with first weanlings or yearlings up for grabs Monday are Instagrand, Leofric, Solomini, Global Campaign, Fog of War, Honest Mischief, King for a Day, Sun to Run, Complexity, Higher Power, Maximus Mischief, Yoshida, Killybegs Captain, Frank Conversation, Mr. Monomoy, Gunnevera, Flameaway, Audible, Country House, Vekoma, Honor A.P., Vino Rosso, War of Will, Gift Box and Tom's d'Etat.

Once again providing strong New York-bred representation, RFHF Bloodstock offers up 21 head–19 youngsters and a pair of in-foal broodmares. Often found among the leading consignors at this venue, RFHF sold the sale-topping weanling, a colt by Practical Joke, for $160,000 during the 2019 renewal of the sale.

“We are going in there with a slightly smaller group of horses this year,” said RFHF's Chris Bernhard. “We had a few April and May babies, and pushing them for an October sale didn't really seem fair to them. I feel we often leave money on the table with them, so I tried to go over there with the horses that are going to fit. Although we have a few less horses than we normally do, the quality and sire power is still there.”

In regard to the positioning on the sale's calendar, he continued, “I always try to have a significant number of horses for this sale. I feel like a lot of the Florida and Kentucky pinhookers have put it on their calendars.”

“I think it's a great opportunity for breeders to sell horses in their own backyard. For me, it's nice to do it at home and be able to sleep in my own bed and then go back at it the next day.

I've always been one of the biggest supporters of the sale and will continue to do so.”

Among RFHF's leading prospects this year is Hip 200 by Honor A.P. out of Italian Highweight juvenile filly Omaticaya (Bernstein), purchased by the operation in foal to the Lane's End sire for $30,000 at Keeneland last November. The Jan. 29 colt is from the family of Irish highweighted router Muhtarram.

“He's a standout,” he said. “He's just really beautiful.”

Bernhard is equally high on Hip 105, a colt by Taylor Made stallion Instagrand out of EZ Passer (Southern Image).

“I like our first year horses which is what I try to program,” he explained. “We go over there with proper horses that are proper physicals and have some pedigree behind them. And try to be the first of that sire's offspring to go through the sale.”

Of the pair of colts, Bernhard added, “They are both big, scopey, pretty individuals. We thought this was a good opportunity here. They both have lovely pedigrees.”

Another colt on offer representing first-season sire War of Will is Hip 209. The colt's dam Parol (Mizzen Mast) was secured in foal to the Claiborne sire for $102,000 at Keeneland last November. The March foal hails from the female family of Pulpit.

“I have intentionally put in first-season sires in this sale because between Taylor Made, Lane's End and Claiborne, they each have their own following in this business and I feel it's strategically a smart place to put them. Hopefully, the individuals can shine and we can top the sale again this year.”

Additionally, Empire State-based sires also can be found on the pages of this season's consignment, including a pair of weanlings by Fog of War (War Front), who stands at Bernhard's Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater, New York. The GI Summer S. winner is represented by his first crop of weanlings in 2022.

Heading the duo is a colt bred by Hidden Lake, Hip 117. The Feb. 4 foal is the fifth offspring out of Fujiana (Fusaichi Pegasus), a half-sister to GSW Josh's Madelyn (Quiet American) and Party Silks, dam of MGSW and MGISP Upstart (Flatter) and SW Practice Squad (Malibu Moon). RFHF also presents Hip 23, a Fog of War colt out of SP Sweet Sugaree (Tiznow).

“They are intentionally put into this sale,” he said. “I have talked to a few people that are keen on [the stallion's first foals] as well. I am excited to see how his progeny fare at this sale and we have a few more that we'll offer over the next couple of months.”

He continued, “I have seen about 70% of [Fog of War's] offspring and I've been really pleased with them as individuals. They have a lot of leg, and are big, stretchy horses with a real powerful shoulder. They are very pretty, balanced and look fast and early.”

According to Bernhard, partner Chris Larsen's 3C Stable has made a concerted effort to improve his broodmare band in an effort to support his New York program. As a result, several of the resulting foals secured in utero over the past year have made their way to the sales ring this fall.

“We bought a couple million dollars worth of mares–about 60 mares over the course of the last two years–to support his investment in Fog of War and Galilean [standing in partnership with West Point],” he explained. “So, these are the first couple of weanlings that are coming out of that group, which includes our War of Will and Honor A.P. colts”

“[From those mares] we have a lot of those babies are nicely sired Kentucky horses and we'll have another group of horses that will go to Keeneland. We'll probably hold back 60 or 70 weanlings to look at for the August sales in Saratoga.”

“Basically, we were looking to get our initial investment back from the 22 foals out of the mares we purchased and can also give [Fog of War and Galilean] a proper opportunity to be bred to nice mares.”

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First-Crop Catalina Cruiser Filly Leads Record Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale Return

The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale returned Monday to Saratoga Springs, N.Y., after a hiatus in 2020 to establish new sale records for gross and top price paid for a weanling.

A filly from the first crop of multiple Grade 2 winner Catalina Cruiser topped the sale when sold for a record $195,000 to Reeves Thoroughbred Racing (video).

The chestnut filly was consigned as Hip 215 by Sequel New York, agent. The filly is the third foal out of the stakes winning Red Giant mare Catcha Rising Star, from the immediate family of Grade 2 winners Ten Below and Fortnightly. Hip 215 was bred in New York by Gentry Stable LLC. She is now the most expensive weanling ever sold at The Saratoga Fall Sale, and the highest since a colt by Into Mischief out of Darling Mambo sold for $170,000 in 2017.

A pair of weanling colts sold for $120,000 to round out the top three:

  • Hip 199, a colt by Kantharos, purchased by St Elias Stables for $120,000 from the consignment of Vinery Sales, agent. Out of Bella Cara, a half-sister to the dam of multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Fear the Cowboy, Hip 199 was bred in New York by SGO Thoroughbred LLC.
  • Hip 265, a colt from the second crop of multiple Grade 1 winner Bolt d'Oro, purchased by Willow Brook Stables, agent for $120,000 from the consignment of Summerfield, agent. The second foal out of Judge Lee, a winning Street Cry (IRE) half-sister to multiple stakes winner Euro Platnum, Hip 265 was bred in New York by Matthew Nestor.

The session's top broodmare came in the form of Nice Smile, carrying her first foal by multiple Grade 1 winner Vekoma, which sold for $70,000 to Goose Wickes.

The 5-year-old daughter of Smiling Tiger was offered as Hip 12 by Stuart Morris, agent for Tocky Top Racing and Highclere Inc., et al. Nice Smile is a half-sister to Grade 1 placed stakes winner Red Vine (Candy Ride), who earned more than $775,000 on the track. Her dam, Murky Waters, is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winning millionaire Fort Prado and stakes winner Cammack.

Overall, 163 horses sold for $3,657,800, a sale record gross and an 8.1 percent increase over the 2019 total, when 134 sold for $3,384,000. The average was $22,440. Seven weanlings sold for six figures.

Results are available online.

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Fasig Saratoga Fall Sale Returns Monday

The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale of breeding stock returns Monday after a one-year hiatus due to the pandemic. A catalogue of 292 broodmares and broodmare prospects and New York-bred weanlings will be on offer at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The 2019 renewal of the sale saw 134 horses change hands for gross receipts of $3,384,700, at an average of $25,259 and median of $15,000. A $160,000 Practical Joke colt from the RFHF Bloodstock consignment topped the sale on a winning bid from Steven Weston. A filly by the same now fast-starting sire of first runners sold for $150,000 the same day.

This year, another freshman stallion could feature prominently on the results sheet, as first foals from buzzed-about McMahon of Saratoga resident Solomini come to auction. The son of Curlin has 19 weanlings catalogued, plus another five mares in foal to him on offer.

A $270,000 KEESEP yearling, Solomini was a debut winner at Del Mar for Bob Baffert before runner-up finishes in the 2017 GI FrontRunner S. and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, book-ended by now in-demand Kentucky-based stallions Good Magic (Curlin) and Bolt d'Oro (Medaglia d'Oro). He crossed the wire first in the GI Cash Call Futurity the following month, only to be controversially placed third by the stewards behind stablemate McKinzie (Street Sense). Solomini was second in the GII Rebel S. and third in the GI Arkansas S. on the Triple Crown trail in 2018, and after amassing $834,993 from 16 career starts, was acquired for stud duties ahead of the 2020 season by a group led by Joe and Anne McMahon's McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, Raymond DeStefano and Chris Bernhard.

Solomini has led all New York-based stallions by mares bred in both of his first two seasons at stud, covering 123 mares this past season–eight more than barnmate and the Empire State's top sire, Central Banker.

“They appear to be pretty consistently correct, good-looking babies and well balanced. They're also pretty mature looking,” said Joe McMahon of Solomini's produce. “I would think that, with his race record and the fact that he's a Curlin, who's doing so incredibly well this year, that there will be above-average interest in them.”

In addition to standing Central Banker, McMahon was also part of the syndicate that owned another recent New York success story in Laoban. The 2016 GII Jim Dandy S. upsetter was relocated from Sequel Stallions to WinStar Farm ahead of the 2021 breeding season after leading all New York freshmen last year and finishing second among North American stallions thanks to the exploits of GI Darley Alcibiades S. winner Simply Ravishing and GII Kentucky Jockey Club S. winner Keepmeinmind. Laoban died unexpectedly in late May.

There are 12 Central Bankers in the catalogue (plus 10 more in foal to him), and eight Laobans.

“Looking back at Laoban, he was hard to sell seasons to early on,” McMahon said when asked to compare the reception for Solomini thus far to Laoban and Central Banker at this same stage in their careers. “He never got the support that Central Banker or Solomini have gotten. We owned a significant part of him, so we were pretty close to the situation and what was going on with him… The Central Bankers were popular from the get-go. Then they came out running, and we kept good books going to him, so he was able to kind of avoid the slump that a lot of stallions have in their third year. We'd love for Solomini to be as successful as either one of those two, that's for sure.”

The Saratoga Fall sale comes on the heels and in the midst of an extremely competitive yearling sales season, including very strong trade at Fasig's New York-bred Yearlings sale here in August and at the recently concluded Midlantic Fall Yearlings sale, which is heavy on New York-breds.

“If you look at the popularity of New York-breds, relative to the amount of purse money that's available, you've got to think that this is a good investment for people, and a good hedge for people who want to be in the breeding business; with these purses being so high and the amount of racing we have in New York. Those are very positive things,” McMahon said. “I think in the economy we have now, and in the sales economy right now where the highs are so, so high… It's still hard to sell a middle-priced horse, but I think the New York-bred program gives people a great edge because of the awards and the purses. I think the market [at Saratoga] is likely to be pretty good.”

Visit www.fasigtipton.com for more.

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