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Fasig-Tipton November Offers Champions, Breeders’ Cup Winners, and More

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 246 main-catalogue entries for The November Sale, the company's selected mixed sale to be held in Lexington, Kentucky on Tuesday, Nov. 7, following the Breeders' Cup. The single-session sale will begin at 2 p.m.

“The Fasig-Tipton November Sale annually offers a collection of the world's finest bloodstock,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “This year's catalogue is once again outstanding, offering 55 graded stakes winners or producers, 26 of which are Grade I.”

Browning continued: “We have Eclipse Champions, international champions, multiple Breeders' Cup winners, and a Kentucky Oaks winner. On the producer side, buyers will find the dams of Eclipse Award winners, Breeders' Cup winners, and a Royal Ascot winner. This sale is one-stop shopping for those seeking the very best.”

The sale begins with weanlings selected on pedigree and conformation before transitioning into racing/broodmare prospects and broodmares as afternoon turns to evening.

“Weanlings have become a very important part of this sale, and this year, we tightened up our acceptance standards to ensure a high-quality group from top to bottom. It's a very good group of foals,” Browning added. “The racing and breeding offerings are even deeper this year, as well. Buyers will find significant quality at all levels of the market.”

The catalogue may now be viewed online, as may Fasig-Tipton's Enhanced Catalogue.

The Enhanced Catalogue provides up-to-date catalogue pages, Daily Racing Form past performances, and race replays; an Alan Porter pedigree analysis and five-cross pedigrees for all racing/broodmare prospects and broodmares; stallion register pages for all sires of weanlings and covering sires; as well as other tools to aid prospective buyers. All Grade I-winning females off the track or carrying their first foals will also be profiled with individual feature videos.

The catalogue includes 133 weanlings by established and young sires alike, including 2023 first-crop weanling sires Charlatan, Essential Quality, Independence Hall, Knicks Go, Lexitonian, Maxfield, Raging Bull, Rock Your World, Tacitus and Yaupon.

Those weanlings include:
• Hip 3, a Collected colt whose second dam, Mien, produced champion Big Brown.
• Hip 8, a Ghostzapper colt whose second dam Salty Strike produced champion Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper), also selling at Fasig later on the night;
• Hip 46, a Munnings colt who is a full-brother to Eda, the winner of the GI Starlet S. who sports eight wins in 10 starts;
• Hip 48, a colt by Into Mischief out of Grade I Spinaway S. winner Sippican Harbor (Orb), from Taylor Made;
• Hip 53, a colt by Maxfield who is a half-brother to GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Bright Future (Curlin), who is pointing to the Breeders' Cup Classic;
• Hip 95, a Gun Runner filly whose second dam, Baffled, produced leading sire Constitution;
• Hip 105, a colt by Constitution who is a half-brother to Grade I Preakness S. winner Rombauer (Twirling Candy);
• Hip 107, a colt by Uncle Mo who is a full-brother to Grade II Jim Dandy S. winner Laoban;
• hip 213, a colt by Maxfield who is a half-brother to two-time Grade I winner Up To the Mark (Not This Time).

But it's the mares' section of the catalogue that really wows.

Top mares include:
• Argentinian champion 3-year-old filly Dona Bruja (Arg), in foal to Candy Ride (Arg);
• Impazible Woman, the dam of Tyler's Tribe, who won his first five starts in 2022 by a combined 60 lengths;
• Grade I Cotillion S. winner It Tiz Well, in foal to Into Mischief;
• Moira (Ghostzapper), the champion 3-year-old filly and Horse of the Year in Canada, being offered as a racing or broodmare prospect;
• Fev Rover (Ire) (Gutaifan {Ire}), the winner of this year's GI Beverly D. S. who was also placed in the G1 English 1000 Guineas;

• Needmore Flattery, whose second foal was the three-time GISW 'TDN Rising Star' Taiba (Gun Runner), carrying a full-sibling to him;
• two-time GII Santa Monica S. winner Merneith, in foal to Flightline;
• Nest (Curlin), the winner of GI Ashland, Coaching Club American Oaks, and Alabama who was the Eclipse Award-winning 3-year-old filly of 2022, and who is expected to start in this Sunday's GI Juddmonte Spinster S. at Keeneland;
• GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf Fillies winner Pizza Bianca, in foal to Into Mischief;
• Queen Caroline, the dam of Forte, in foal to Flightline;
• Grade I American Oaks winner Queen Goddess (Empire Maker), from an elite Phipps family;
• Sauterne (Kingman {GB}), who won the G1 Prix de Moulin de Longchamp on Sept. 3 and out of a half-sister to multiple champion Stacelita (Fr);
• Grade I Acorn S. winner Search Results (Flatter);
• Grade I Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Oath (Arrogate);
• Grade I Queen Elizabeth S. Winner Shantisara (Ire) (Coulsty {Ire});
• Sophia's Song, the dam of GI Jockey Club Gold Cup winner Bright Future, in foal to Jackie's Warrior;
• Trophy Girl, the dam of GI Champagne S. winner and GI Preakness S. runner-up Blazing Sevens (Good Magic), carrying his full-sibling;
• the dam of Grade I winner and sire Golden Pal, Lady Shipman, herself a graded stakes winner, in foal to Flightline;
• the six-year-old Vigui's Heart, whose first foal Valiant Force won the G2 Norfolk S. at Royal Ascot, selling in foal to Vekoma;
• Wonder Wheel, Into Mischief's first champion juvenile and winner of the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies in a 2-year-old campaign where she went four-for-five;
• America, the dam of GIII Pimlico Special winner and 'TDN Rising Star' First Captain, in foal to Gun Runner, whose last two auction yearlings have each sold for seven figures;
• Arrogate's Grade I-winning daughter And Tell Me Nolies;
• Armony's Angel, the dam of Grade I-winning millionaire Angel of Empire, in foal to Gun Runner;
• Belle's Finale, the dam of Up To the Mark (Not The Time), carrying a full sibling to the turf star;
• Grade I Frizette S. winner Chocolate Gelato (Practical Joke);
• Grade I Starlet S. winner 'TDN Rising Star' Faiza (Girvin);
• Eclipse Award and Breeders' Cup champion Goodnight Olive;

There are also three Grade I-winning daughters from Arrogate's first crop, and mares in foal to first-crop sires Flightline, Olympiad, Nashville, Life is Good, Mystic Guide, and Epicenter.

Print catalogues will be available by October 6. The catalogue will also be available via the Equineline sales catalogue app.

Online bidding and phone bidding will be available.

The November Sale will also offer a supplemental catalogue. Fasig-Tipton will accept approved entries for the supplement through the Breeders' Cup.

The post Fasig-Tipton November Offers Champions, Breeders’ Cup Winners, and More appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Stars Come Out To Play on Travers Day

It's a bit of Christmas in August Saturday at venerable Saratoga Race Course, which plays host to no fewer than five Grade I events for horses of all ages–on dirt and on turf–topped by the main event on the summer calendar, the $1.25-million GI Travers S. While the fields are short on numbers, they are long on quality, as three of the races have attracted reigning Eclipse Award winners, none of whom are anything close to a cinch in their respective heats.

Champion and 'TDN Rising Star' Forte (Violence) has had a tumultuous first two-thirds of the season but has his chance to put it all behind him on Saturday. Having defeated future GI Kentucky Derby hero Mage (Good Magic) in the GI Curlin Florida Derby Apr. 1, the $110,000 Keeneland September bargain was famously withdrawn on the eve of the Run for the Roses–for which he was likely to start favorite–and was first off a 71-day absence in the GI Belmont S. June 10. A highly creditable second to the race-fit Arcangelo (Arrogate), the dark bay exits a rough-and-tumble nose victory after surviving a lengthy inquiry in the GII Jim Dandy S. July 29. But here he is, a golden opportunity to cement his spot at the head of this year's sophomore class straight ahead.

“You're never going to make up for not getting to run in the Kentucky Derby,” Todd Pletcher told TDN's Mike Kane at Tuesday's draw. “But it would be, I suppose, some sort of consolation prize if we were able to win the Travers against the three Classic winners.”

Pletcher has been twice successful in the Travers, most recently with Belmont runner-up Stay Thirsty (Bernardini) in 2011.

The third of the Classic winners to whom Pletcher refers is National Treasure (Quality Road), who outlasted Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) and Mage to win the GI Preakness S. The $500,000 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga grad set a moderate pace when last seen in the Belmont, but gave way readily in the stretch to finish sixth. He looms part of the early pace equation with the outposted Curlin S. hero Scotland (Good Magic) and leaves from gate five with John Velazquez calling the shots. Blinkers come off for the Travers.

“I just got a text from Bob [Baffert] and he loves the post. I don't disagree with Bob too many times,” said Starlight Racing's Jack Wolf. “If he wants to take the blinkers off or put triple blinkers on, that's fine with me.”

Mage, who looks to become the first Derby winner to double up in the Travers since Street Sense in 2007, passed the Belmont and reportedly was underdone when nearly overcoming a wide trip to drop a narrow decision to Geaux Rocket Ride (Candy Ride {Arg}) in the GI TVG.com Haskell S. five weeks ago. Flavien Prat has been named to replace the injured Luis Saez.

Baffert was deep into his Hall of Fame career when sending out Arrogate to that stunning victory in the 2016 Travers, and the late stallion has a chance to join the fellow Travers winners Easy Goer, Birdstone and Bernardini as sires to account for a Travers winner of their own. Arcangelo's rise has been meteoric, as he progressed from a third-out graduation to victory in the GIII Peter Pan S. and an historic Belmont S. score for trainer Jena Antonucci. He makes his first start in 77 days Saturday, but that is of little concern to his connections.

“He's grown up so much and has gotten stronger and more professional over this little bit of a breather we gave him,” Antonucci said. “We're so thrilled to be here and blessed to do this. To have the opportunity to be here at this stage is amazing.”

Winchell Thoroughbreds looks to become the first owner since Ogden Phipps in 1989 and 1990 to score consecutive Travers wins. Disarm (Gun Runner), whose boom sire was a distant third to Arrogate seven years ago, was a troubled fourth in the Derby and won the GIII Matt Winn S. at Ellis June 11, but was a bit one-paced when fourth in the Jim Dandy. To that end, trainer Steve Asmussen tweaks the colt's equipment this weekend.

“We need to find more,” he said of the decision to add blinkers. “We aren't satisfied with the results of his last race and I think he's capable of more. This is our first step in trying to pull it out of him.”

'TDN Rising Star' and GI Toyota Blue Grass S. hero Tapit Trice (Tapit) tries to give his all-conquering stallion a second Travers winner in three years. Seventh in the Derby and third in the Belmont, he'll need to improve many lengths off his latest fifth in the Haskell.

Plenty Of Talent On the Travers Undercard

The elite-level action kicks off with the GI Forego S., a five-horse affair that shapes more like a match race. Juddmonte's Eclipse-champion sprinter Elite Power (Curlin) has very much lived up to his name and carries an eight-race winning streak into the seven-furlong test. To make it nine on the trot, he'll have to once again run down Gunite (Gun Runner), who appeared every ounce a winner in a sloppy renewal of the GI A. G. Vanderbilt H. July 29, only to be run down in the last couple of jumps. The latter was in receipt of just two pounds last month in the handicap, but is critically four pounds better off this time around (124-118).

Elite Power and Gunite threw down in the Vanderbilt | Sarah Andrew

Whereas the two older sprinters should boss the Forego, the GI H. Allen Jerkens S. looms a much more competitive affair, where a case could be made for at least five of the six entrants.

David Aragona has tabbed 'TDN Rising Star' Arabian Lion (Justify) as the 2-1 favorite on the morning line off his victory in the GI Woody Stephens S. downstate June 10, but so open is the Jerkens that Drew's Gold (Violence,) who endured his first career defeat that day, is the 12-1 outsider. New York Thunder (Nyquist) turned in a Shancelot-esque effort in winning the GII Amsterdam S. by 7 1/2 lengths July 28 to remain unbeaten in four starts, while Fort Bragg (Tapit) drops back in trip off a nose success over subsequent Jim Dandy runner-up Saudi Crown (Always Dreaming) in the GIII Dwyer S. July 1. Even Verifying (Justify) cannot be ruled out, as tries a sprint trip for the first time since debuting victoriously here over six furlongs 366 days ago. The half-brother to Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) gutted it out in the GIII Indiana Derby July 8.

A pair of former champions lock horns in the GI Ballerina S., a 'Win and You're In' qualifier for the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint in early November.

Goodnight Olive (Ghostapper) was making her graded stakes debut in last year's Ballerina and went on to best Caramel Swirl (Street Sense) by 2 3/4-lengths en route to a victory by a similar margin over champion 'Rising Star' Echo Zulu (Gun Runner) in the Filly & Mare Sprint. Easy winner of the GI Madison S. on seasonal debut in April, the dark bay was an unlucky third behind Matareya (Pioneerof the Nile) in the GI Derby City Distaff May 6 and just managed to stave off Wicked Halo (Gun Runner) in the GII Bed O'Roses S. June 17. The latter would go on to frank the form in the July 23 Twin Bridges S. at Ellis.

Echo Zulu is perfect in her two runs this season at four, a 5 3/4-length tally in the May 29 GIII Winning Colors S. followed by a 7 1/4-thumping of Dr B (Liam's Map) in the GII Honorable Miss H. here July 26.

The GI Resorts World Casino Sword Dancer S. offers a fees-paid berth into the GI Breeders' Cup Turf and, really, what's not to admire about the evergreen Channel Maker (English Channel)? A winner of nearly $3.9 million in a career spanning 54 starts to date, horse racing's version of Cal Ripken, Jr. makes a mind-boggling sixth consecutive appearance in the Sword Dancer, including a front-running 5 3/4-length score in a soft-turf renewal in 2020. The chestnut doesn't appear to be slowing down either, as he exits a two-length defeat of Verstappen (War Front) in the GII Bowling Green S. July 30, a race marred when favored Rebel's Romance (Ire) (Dubawi {Ire}) clipped heels and fell.

Peter Brant, Mrs. John Magnier, Derrick Smith and Westerberg's Stone Age (GB) (Galileo {Ire}) was a one-paced third in last year's GI Saratoga Derby and now calls New York home for trainer Chad Brown. Runner-up to Rebel's Romance in last year's GI Breeders' Cup Turf, the dark bay was beaten a long way from home when last seen in the Listed HH The Amir Trophy in Qatar this past February.

Soldier Rising (GB) (Frankel {GB}) was beaten a length into third by then-stablemate Gufo (Declaration of War) in this event last year and was runner-up in the GI Man O'War S. and GI Manhattan S. this spring. He arguably took the worst of it in the Bowling Green and can rebound at a hint of a price here.

Breeders' Cup Berth Up For Grabs In Pat O'Brien

The seven-furlong GII Pat O'Brien S. offers its winner a spot in the field for the GI BigAss Fans Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile up the road at Santa Anita and has drawn a field of 11 that lacks a true standout.

Though still eligible for a second-level allowance, Anarchist (Distorted Humor) was runner-up in the GIII San Simeon S. down the hill in Arcadia Mar. 5 and filled the same spot in the GIII Kona Gold S. on the dirt Apr. 22 before shipping into Woodbine to salute in the May 14 GIII Jacques Cartier S. Second to Elite Power in the GII True North S. June 10, he missed by a head to the outstanding Cal-bred The Chosen Vron (Vronsky) in the GI Bing Crosby S. July 29.

Brickyard Ride (Clubhouse Ride) was a short-priced third in the San Simeon before validating 4-5 favoritism in the Kona Gold with a half-length defeat of Anarchist. The 6-year-old entire was a well-beaten third to The Chosen Vron in the state-bred Thor's Echo S. May 28 and cuts back to a sprint after rounding out the trifecta when trying to wire the field in the GII San Diego H. July 29.

A miniature version of Channel Maker, C Z Rocket (City Zip) tries the O'Brien for a fourth straight time at age nine. Victorious in 2020 when also second in the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint, he rounded out the exacta again in 2021, but was a slow-starting eighth last year. The bay ran on some to be fifth in the Crosby and gets blinkers back on Saturday.

The Estate of the late Jerry Moss is represented by the lightly raced homebred Sir Atticus (Gormley), winner of a 6 1/2-furlong allowance July 21 for which he earned a competitive 94 Beyer Speed Figure.

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Singer Hopes to Strike Early at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale

Texas businessman Craig Singer, a veteran with over four decades in the breeding business, will look to capitalize on recent additions to his broodmare band when he sends three yearlings through the ring at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale next Monday. Through the Taylor Made Sale Agency consignment, a filly by Gun Runner out of Baby Go Far (Brz) (Elusive Quality) will kick off the two-day auction when selling as hip 1. Singer purchased Baby Go Far, with the filly in utero, for $150,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton February sale. Just a month later, the filly's full-brother (video) topped the Goffs Dubai Breeze-Up Sale when selling for €543,210.

“This is really a nice Gun Runner filly,” Singer said. “The drawback, if there is a drawback, is that she is number one in the sale. But I think people will find her. She is a really good-looking filly.”

Asked if he knew about the 2-year-old colt when he purchased the mare, Singer said, “I did, yes. I was told about him. Hopefully, he goes on and does well.”

Also at last year's Fasig-Tipton February sale, Singer purchased multiple graded placed Laseen (Ire) (Dylan Thomas {Ire}), in foal to Uncle Mo, for $150,000. The mare's Uncle Mo filly will go through the ring next week as hip 88.

“I was shopping for young mares in foal to good sires,” Singer said of his buying spree last February. “And I was lucky enough to get these two.”

Singer has already enjoyed quick return on a mare investment this year. He sold a daughter of Volatile for $285,000 at the Fasig-Tipton July sale. The yearling is out of Whisper to Me (Thunder Gulch), a mare Singer purchased carrying the filly for $65,000 out of the Pin Oak dispersal at Fasig-Tipton in 2021.

“She was at the Josephine Abercrombie dispersal,” Singer said of the 19-year-old mare. “I was looking for something in the sale and I thought the mare would go for a lot more than that. She's a difficult mare to get and to keep in foal, but obviously one foal paid for the mare. And she's back in foal [to Idol], too. I thought it was a really good purchase.”

Singer's trio of Saratoga yearlings is rounded out by a colt by Munnings out of stakes winner Haddie Be Good (Silver Deputy) (hip 62). The chestnut is a half to stakes winner Story to Tell (Bluegrass Cat). Singer sold the mare's 2-year-old by Justify for $400,000 at the 2022 OBS March sale and the colt was a debut winner in his lone start to date in Japan earlier this year.

“I am always in the market to sell horses, that's a business for me,” Singer said. “And if I get the right amount of money, I will sell them all. All three of these are nice horses. I think they will sell very well.”

Singer, who founded the family entertainment center operator Nickels and Dimes, Inc. in 1972, has been in racing since 1979. The Texan made his first big splash in the industry with the 1981 purchase of a pair of Classic winners, Cairn Rouge (Ire) and Condessa (Ire), who won the G1 Yorkshire Oaks and was second in the G1 Irish Oaks in his colors that year.

In the U.S., Singer campaigned his homebred Salty Strike (Smart Strike) to victories in the 2011 GIII Dogwood S. and 2012 GIII Gardenia S. He sold the filly to Stonestreet for $800,000 at the 2013 Keeneland January sale and she went on to produce champion female sprinter Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper). The mare died in 2019.

While Salty Strike didn't join his broodmare band, Singer does retain much of the family, while supplementing the band with new purchases.

“I've been cultivating what has turned out to be a great family now with Goodnight Olive,” Singer said. “I sold Salty Strike and Stonestreet did a great job. But I have that whole family. I am going to keep almost all of that family and I needed some new blood, that's why I went back in and bought some new mares.”

Singer has about 15 mares in his broodmare band and the group travels back and forth between his Texas ranch and Kentucky.

“I ship them up to Kentucky to be bred and then I bring them down here to Texas for most of the year,” he said. “Then ship them back up to be bred again and foaled out there. But I raise the babies down here. I have a ranch down here which is also my office. I enjoy having them down here and I enjoy seeing them all of the time.”

Singer said the plan is to sell most of his foals as yearlings.

“I sold a Justify 2-year-old last year that won in Japan, but I normally sell them as yearlings,” he said. “If I don't get what I want and I don't want to keep them to race, then I put them in the 2-year-old sales. I usually keep the fillies and sell the colts.”

And while he currently has just one horse in training with Tom Amoss, as well as a late 2-year-old in Ocala with Niall Brennan, Singer said he isn't opposed to increasing his racing stable if his Saratoga yearlings fail to attract enough attention.

“I don't mind racing them,” Singer said. “I won't have tremendous reserves on any of these, but if they don't bring it, I will keep them and race them.”

A veteran in the industry, Singer still maintains his love of the game.

“I started in 1979,” he said. “I have been doing it for a long time. I love the business. I love having the horses. It's just a passion of mine–but it is a business, you have to run it as a business. But it's always been something I've loved and I've been lucky enough to be able to afford to do it. It's worked out pretty well.”

The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale will be held next Monday and Tuesday at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion. Bidding begins each evening at 6:30 p.m.

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Echo Zulu Returns To The Spa In Honorable Miss

The GII Honorable Miss H. at Saratoga is named after the highly-successful multiple stakes-winning mare from the 1970s. Owned by Edith Bancroft's sons who carried on the family tradition established by their grandfather, William Woodward Sr., the pair founded Pen-Y-Bryn Farm after their own mother's passing.

With only four entered, this year's edition is highlighted by the Saratoga return of '21 champion 2-year-old filly and MGISW Echo Zulu (Gun Runner). The Steve Asmussen trainee won her juvenile debut at the Spa when she soared to become a 'TDN Rising Star' and followed that up with a 4-length win in the GI Spinaway S.

Second last fall in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint between Eclipse champion female sprinter Goodnight Olive (Ghostzapper) and stablemate MGSW &MGISP Wicked Halo (Gun Runner), who just won the Twin Bridges S. at Ellis Park on Sunday, Echo Zulu started her 4-year-old campaign by recording a 5 3/4 length victory in the GIII Winning Colors S. May 29 at Churchill Downs.

Facing her, will be MGISP Frank's Rockette (Into Mischief) from Bill Mott's shedrow. The 6-year-old mare (27-12-9-3) comes back to Saratoga riding a three-race win streak, which includes two Grade III victories at Gulfstream Park. Rounding out the field are a pair of runners who were beaten last time out by Goodnight Olive. Maryquitecontrary (First Dude), who has won six of eight career races, ran second to her in the GI Madison S. in April at Keeneland for new trainer Shug McGaughey, while Dr B (Liam's Map), trained by Butch Reid, was fourth behind her in the GII Bed o' Roses S. June 17 at Belmont Park.

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