Brilliant Cut Shines at Fasig-Tipton February Sale

LEXINGTON, KY–Recent GI La Brea S. runner-up Brilliant Cut (Speightstown) (hip 541) was as popular as many expected her to be, topping the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale at $750,000. Japan's Katsumi Yoshida was the winning bidder over the internet.

A total of 431 horses changed hands during the two-day auction for a gross of $17,245,500 with an average of $40,013 and median of $16,000. There were 56 horses led from the ring unsold for a very low RNA rate of 11.5%.

That was a significant increase over last year's auction, where 425 Thoroughbreds grossed $12,506,700 over two sessions with an average of $29,428 and a median of $10,000. There were 99 horses who did not meet their reserves last term for a RNA rate of 18.9%.

“Tremendous horse sale,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said. “There was great activity on all types and levels of horses, unlike a few years ago when it was all or nothing at the top. The encouraging thing was the depth of the marketplace for yearlings, racing/broodmare prospects and mares in foal. People had money to spend and orders to fill. There was a tremendous clearance rate. From our perspective, February has clearly established itself as a meaningful sale on the calendar that people should point horses to the in the future.”

During Wednesday's session, 233 head brought $10,646,700 with an average of $45,694 and median of $18,000. With just 18 horses failing to sell, the RNA rate was 7.2%.

In the equivalent session last year, 218 horses summoned $8,550,400 with an average of $39,222 and median of $11,000. Forty-two horses missed their marks for an RNA rate of 16.2%.

In addition to the sale-topping Brilliant Cut, Japanese buyers also took home Tuesday's top purchase, and the second highest-priced offering of the sale, Bodhicitta (GB) (Showcasing {GB}), who brought $450,000 from K I Farm.

Fred Hertrich, John Fielding and City of Light were responsible for the session-topping yearling for the second day in a row, selling a $180,000 colt by that young Lane's End stallion. Rob Tribbett was also a co-breeder on hip 337, who was purchased by Four Star Sales. The breeders sold a $260,000 colt by that sire Tuesday, who was the auction's top-priced yearling.

Champion freshman sire Gun Runner continued to make a strong showing at Fasig, with two more mares in foal to the Horse of the Year bringing six-figures. The Three Chimneys resident was represented by three other six-figure sellers Tuesday, one yearling and two in-foal mares, all of which were sold by Pennsylvania-based owner/breeder Christian Black.

There was a deep buying bench at the February sale, with the top 12 horses all going to different buyers. On the seller end, Taylor Made accounted for seven of those 12.

“It's tough,” bloodstock agent David Meah said of the February market. “I think this is the new normal and we all have to just get used to it. Realistically, if you think a horse is worth $250,000, you better have $300,000 or $325,000. If you think it is worth $50,000, you better have $75,000. I don't think it is just a now market. I strongly believe it is the new normal. This is the way it is going to be moving forward and I think it has been that way for the last 12 months now.”

Jacob West–whose new outfit with partner Jill Gordon known as Highgate Sales sold topper Brilliant Cut in their inaugural consignment–echoed Meah's thoughts on the market.

“It is strong,” West said. “I had orders to try to buy everything from yearlings to maidens to pregnant mares and I bought one horse. There are quality horses in here and they have been selling well across the board. The results speak for themselves with the median and average from [Tuesday] and the gross total. Today I am sure they are blowing it out of the water. Quality products are bringing quality money and it looks like it is going to be that way for the foreseeable future.”

The Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale marks the end of the breeding stock sales season and the auction scene will transition to Florida with the OBS March Sale, which is quickly followed by Fasig-Tipton's Gulfstream Sale.

Highgate Sales Off to 'Brilliant' Start

Jill Gordon and Jacob West's Highgate Sales came out of the gate running with their inaugural consignment, selling all 10 of its mares, including $750,000 sale topper Brilliant Cut (Speightstown) (hip 541). The GI La Brea S. runner-up was purchased by Japan's Katsumi Yoshida, who did his bidding online.

“To roll out our banner for the first time and be able to have a sale topper here at the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale, it's hard to put into words,” said Gordon, the emotion clear in her voice. “We have the utmost gratitude to this ownership group. They have been very good to me and I can't possibly say thank you enough for what they've done for us. This filly has been a class act from the day she got to the sales grounds. She was out over 150 times and gave the exact same show every time she was out of her stall. We are so proud to have represented her and followed her up to the ring.”

Brilliant Cut was claimed by trainer Doug O'Neill and owners Boom Racing, ERJ Racing, Dave Kenney and William Strauss for $50,000 out of her fourth-out graduation at Del Mar in November of 2020. The chestnut was third behind La Brea heroine Kalypso (Brody's Cause) in last term's GII Santa Ynez S. and checked in fourth in the GIII Las Virgenes S. Switched to the grass, she completed the exacta in an Arcadia optional claimer last March, after which she was sent to the sidelines.

Resurfacing in the Unzip Me S. on the Santa Anita lawn in October, Brilliant Cut checked in fourth that day and was sent back to the main track, where she returned to winning ways in an Oct. 30 starter optional claimer. Dismissed at 20-1 when jumping up the class ladder for the Dec. 26 La Brea, Brilliant Cut pressed from second most of the way and stayed on to fill the place spot.

Brilliant Cut has the pedigree to back up her track record, starting with her year-younger half-sister Lemeiux (Nyquist), who won a stakes last year at two and is back in training. Her dam is a half to MGISW Diamondrella (GB) (Rock of Gibraltar {Ire}), who is the dam of GSW Spectropscope (Medaglia d'Oro); SW Highest Honors (Tapit); and SW & MGISP Bonnie Blue Flag (Mineshaft), who is the second dam of GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile romper and impressive GI Pegasus World Cup winner Life is Good (Into Mischief).

“Given the interest that we had in here both pre-sale and on the sales grounds, we were hoping she might get to $500,000 or a little more,” Gordon said. “To walk up and have a result like this, especially off of a $50,000 claim, it's hard to describe.”

Highgate's initial consignment consisted of a mix of 10 in-foal mares and racing/broodmare prospects. They had a 100% clearance rate with a gross of $1.216 million and an average of $121,600.

“We are pleased to report that we went 10-for-10 at our inaugural sale,” Gordon said. “We had a great group of clients supporting us and we can't thank them enough. It couldn't be a better way to start and we are both very excited.”

West added, “Jill has really taken the bull by the horns here. We wanted to come in here with some quality product and make our presence felt. She spearheaded all of that and I couldn't be happier for her. I know how much blood, sweat and tears went into this. I am happy for her and our whole team. The guys at the barn were incredible. We wouldn't be anything without our clients and the horses they gave us.”

Meah Strikes for Lady Edith

Bloodstock agent David Meah had two fillies in mind for the partnership of Bing Bush's Abbondanza Racing and Omar Aldabbagh. He decided to focus his efforts on recent stakes winner Lady Edith (Street Boss) (hip 350) and that paid off early in Wednesday's session when he secured the 4-year-old filly for $370,000. She will be sent to California-based conditioner and Meah's former boss Richard Baltas.

“This was the one filly that we knew we could probably afford,” Meah said. “The other one [we were looking at] was [GISP] Brilliant Cut (Speightstown), but we know she is probably going to go for a lot of money. So, we focused in on this filly. With Santa Anita racing from five to 6 1/2 furlongs on the grass now, it gives us a lot of options. We think she can go over there and probably pick up some graded stakes wins, hopefully. She will run all year and then they will decide whether they want to bring her back here in November to sell again or, since she just turned four, they may run her for a couple of years.”

Bred by the late J. David Richardson and Sandra New, Lady Edith was consigned by Hermitage Farm, acting as agent for Richardson's estate. Out of stakes winner Lady Grantham (Yankee Gentleman), she captured the Mamzelle S. sprinting on turf at Churchill Downs in May and came from the clouds to take the Wishing Well S. on synthetic at Turfway Jan. 29 for trainer Tom Drury.

“She has the pedigree where she is worth quite a bit of money as she stands, even if she never ran again,” Meah said of the filly's appeal. “She just turned four and just won a stakes race at Turfway. Horses don't generally come from off the pace there and she was 14 lengths back after about 25 jumps, so she did it really well. She swung five or six wide in the stretch, mowed them down and galloped out pretty well. That last race sealed the deal for us. It showed she has a big turn of foot. They just don't come from that far back at Turfway. We are excited to get her on the grass in California. Horses with a turn of foot like that really do well there.”

Black & Gun Runner Continue to Succeed

Owner/breeder Christian Black has enjoyed plenty of success in the sales ring over the past six months thanks to leading freshman sire Gun Runner. The principal of Blackstone Farm and Forgotten Land Investments sold a colt by that Horse of the Year for $550,000 at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga sale. The duo continued to succeed at the February sale when Black sold a Gun Runner filly for $225,000 (hip 38) and a pair of six-figure mares in foal to the Three Chimneys stallion during Tuesday's session.

The fun didn't stop there. Black traded two more mares in foal to Gun Runner Wednesday, selling one for $330,000 to Gracie Bloodstock (hip 369) and one for $205,000 to Imaginary Stable and Glen Ellis (hip 377).

“I have always been a big fan of Gun Runner,” Black said. “I have been breeding to him from the first year. Three Chimneys has been very, very nice to me and always let me do what I thought was the right thing to do. They have been very supportive and I am very appreciative of that.”

The first of the two to go through the ring Wednesday was Lucky Draw (Lookin At Lucky) (hip 369), who never made the races, but is a half to stakes winner Killer Bird (Summer Bird). Black picked up the now 7-year-old mare for just $10,000 at the 2018 KEEJAN sale. He kept her first foal, the recently turned 3-year-old filly You Look Cold (Frosted), and races her in partnership with Kinsman Stable. She has won two of her four starts, including the Finest City S. at Presque Isle in September, with lifetime earnings just shy of $100,000 thus far. Black sold her 2020 filly by More Than Ready for $100,000 at FTKOCT and she had a More Than Ready colt last April.

“We were lucky enough that the first foal out of her became a stakes winner,” Black said. “That filly just turned three. She will go on and be a stakes horse this year hopefully, and maybe even a graded stakes horse. She is a young mare with a lot of upside to her, so I think people saw that and were willing to put a value on her that reflected that.”

The second mare is a Blackstone Farm homebred, Malibu Surprise (Malibu Moon) (hip 377). Out of the Ghostzapper mare I'm Surprised, she is a half to stakes winner She's a Big Winner (Bellamy Road). The 7-year-old mare's first foal is a now-yearling colt by Distorted Humor.

“She was born on a Southern Hemisphere season,” Black said. “I always liked the mare. We raised her and she was a decent racehorse. The Gun Runner was in her and I thought that was a good physical match, so we brought her to market and were rewarded. Gun Runner and Three Chimneys have been very good to us. That's for sure.”

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Highgate Sales Hopes for ‘Brilliant’ Debut

Jill Gordon and Jacob West's new venture Highgate Sales looks to get off to a strong start with its first consignment at the upcoming Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale. They have a very good chance to do so thanks to the 10-horse consignment's star, GI La Brea S. runner-up Brilliant Cut (Speightstown) (Hip 541).

“We couldn't be more excited to be offering her on behalf of this ownership group [Boom Racing, ERJ Racing, Dave Kenney and William Strauss],” Gordon said. “They are a fun group of guys and I have had some luck in the past selling some fillies off the track for them. They don't breed, so we thought we would cash in while the iron's hot. On the buyer's perspective, you have limitless possibilities. You can run her for the rest of the year or you can take her directly to the breeding shed. She is by a leading broodmare sire in Speightstown. You combine her looks, her pedigree and her race record and she is the complete package for buyers.”

Brilliant Cut was claimed by these connections and trainer Doug O'Neill for $50,000 out of a winning effort at fourth asking at Del Mar in the fall of 2020. Third to La Brea winner Kalypso (Brody's Cause) in the GII Santa Ynez S. last winter, she was fourth next out in the GIII La Virgenes S., after which she was switched to the turf, finishing second in a local optional claimer last March.

Given a brief freshening, Brilliant Cut returned in the grassy Unzip Me S. in Arcadia Oct. 3, finishing fourth. Getting back on dirt, she returned to wining ways in an Oct. 30 starter optional claimer. Dispatched at 20-1 in the La Brea, she tracked pressed from second most of the way and stayed on to complete the exacta.

“We toyed with the idea [of selling her] a little bit before the La Brea and after that effort, it was clear [selling in a breeding stock sale] made the most sense for those guys and what their goals are,” Gordon said. “She shipped to Kentucky the very first week of January and she has been sales prepping at Nick Drion's farm since then. I am really appreciative for all of the hard work that he puts in. He does a wonderful job and she couldn't be in better hands.”

Brilliant Cut has a pedigree to match her ever-improving race record and lovely physical. Her year-younger half-sister Lemieux (Nyquist) captured a stake at Gulfstream last term and is gearing up for her 3-year-old season. Their dam Polish a Diamond (The Factor) is a half to SW & MGISP Bonnie Blue Flag (Mineshaft), who is the dam of one of the most exciting horses in training, GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner and recent GI Pegasus World Cup romper Life is Good (Into Mischief). Polish a Diamond is also a half to MGISW Diamondrella, who is the dam of GSW Spectroscope (Medaglia d'Oro), and to SW Highest Honors (Tapit).

“It is a family that is just exploding top to bottom,” Gordon said. “Life is Good obviously gave us a really good update over the weekend. Her 3-year-old half-sister Lemieux was a stakes winner last year and is back on the worktab for [Mark] Casse. It is a family that seems to have a new update every week.”

Gordon and West announced the launch of their new sales and bloodstock agency just before Christmas and this February consignment will be their first under the Highgate banner. Gordon brings plenty of experience to the consignment from her previous roles at Claiborne Farm and Warrendale Sales.

When asked about what led to this new venture, Gordon said, “It was something I thought about for quite a while. I sat down with Jacob West, who is obviously a very successful agent and a very good friend of mine. We decided to just jump in and do it. We have skill sets that are very complimentary and we work well together. I have sold horses for him in the past. We decided to just take the leap of faith. I have a good group of clients who are going to support me and Jacob brings a lot to the table.”

The Highgate banner will make an appearance at the major yearling, racehorse and breeding stock sales this season.

“We will do breeding stock, racehorses and yearlings,” Gordon said. “We will do the April sale at Keeneland, [Fasig] July, hopefully a [Fasig] Saratoga consignment and then we will roll right into September at Keeneland.”

While Brilliant Cut may be the star of Highgate's shedrow, the remaining nine mares also have plenty to offer potential clients.

“We have a really exciting consignment top to bottom,” Gordon said. “We feel like every horse we are bringing over has something to offer in terms of appeal. We have Vacay (Not This Time) (Hip 501). She is an exciting filly. She was a stakes winner at two and a multiple stakes-placed at three. She is by Not This Time, who couldn't be having a better couple of months.”

She added, “We have mares in foal to red-hot covering sires, like Munnings, Maclean's Music and Connect. We also have an Into Mischief broodmare prospect [Speeding (Hip 502)] with a lot of appeal. She was a winner herself and her recently turned 3-year-old brother was stakes-placed as a 2-year-old and is back on the worktab for Arnaud Delacour.”

As to be expected when starting a new business, Gordon heads into her first sale with Highgate with a mix of nerves and excitement.

“I think anytime you start something new there are a certain amount of nerves associated with that,” she said. “We have a great team around us. I have a guy Jose Vaquera who is going to run the barn with me. He has come with me from place to place, so having him there with me is a big comfort. We are excited to get started. This is something we have been brainstorming and working on for a while. We are excited to bring what we think is a really quality group of horses over for our first sale.”

The Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale, which was delayed a day due to a winter storm in Lexington, runs Feb. 8-9 with each session beginning at 10 a.m.

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Grade 1-Placed Brilliant Cut Headlines First Group Of Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Supplemental Entries

Fasig-Tipton has cataloged an additional 49 supplemental entries to its 2022 Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, to be held on Feb. 7-8 in Lexington, Ky.

These latest entries, which are cataloged as hips 500-548, include:

  • VACAY (Hip 501): Four-year-old daughter of Not This Time was a stakes winner at two and multiple stakes placed at three. Consigned as a broodmare prospect by Highgate Sales, agent.
  • WINK TEXAS (Hip 520): Stakes placed 4-year-old filly from the family of grade 1 winners Seventh Street, American Gal, and Authentic. Consigned as a broodmare prospect by James B. Keogh, agent.
  • ELOQUENT SPEAKER (Hip 536): New York-bred daughter of Flatter finished second, beaten a neck, in the La Verdad Stakes at Aqueduct in her most recent start on Jan. 2. From the immediate family of multiple grade 1 winner Behrens, she is consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
  • JUST READ IT (Hip 537):  Four-year-old stakes winning daughter of Constitution from the family of champion Safely Kept and multiple graded stakes winner Venetian Harbor. She captured the Cicada Stakes at Aqueduct last year and won an allowance/optional claimer at Aqueduct in her most recent start on Jan. 6. Consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
  • BRILLIANT CUT (Hip 541)Four-year-old daughter of Speightstown finished second in the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes at Santa Anita in her most recent start on Dec. 26. Earlier in her 3-year-old campaign, she finished third in the G2 Santa Ynez Stakes. A half-sister to recent stakes-winning 2-year-old filly Lemieux, her immediate family includes Grade 1 winners Diamondrella and Life Is Good, dominant winner of last year's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile to push his career earnings over $1 million. Consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by Highgate Sales, agent.

These entries may now be viewed online and will also be available in the equineline sales catalog app. Print versions of the supplemental catalog will be available on the sales grounds.

Fasig-Tipton will continue to accept approved supplemental entries through the end of the month.

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West, Gordon Launch Highgate Sales

Jill Gordon and Jacob West have launched Highgate Sales, a new sales company which will make its debut at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale in February.

Highgate Sales will offer consignments at breeding stock, yearling, and horses of racing age sales, as well as offering appraisals, private purchases and sales, and portfolio management services.

Gordon formerly worked at Claiborne Farm as the Sales and Client Relations Manager for 3 1/2 years after a three-year stint at Warrendale Sales. In her role at Claiborne, she oversaw all aspects of the public sales consignment as well as outside sales recruitment. She also assisted with private sales and handled client communication throughout the year.

“Jill was a fantastic asset to the team during her tenure at Claiborne. Her depth of knowledge of the industry and work ethic is next to none. I know she will be successful as she takes on this new endeavor and I wish her the best,” said Claiborne Farm President Walker Hancock.

Gordon will help Claiborne Farm transition through next month's Keeneland January Breeding Stock Sale before starting her full time role at Highgate Sales.

“I am very grateful and appreciative for my time at Claiborne Farm,” Gordon said. “I have built some great relationships and have been surrounded by some of the best horses and families in the stud book. I look forward to partnering with Jacob and combining our skill sets to best serve our clients in this new chapter of my career under the Highgate banner.”

Gordon was recently elected to the Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Managers' Club's Board of Directors.

West began his career in racing as a yearling groom at Taylor Made before moving up to the operation's Buyer Account Manager. West also worked as the Director of Bloodstock Services for Three Chimneys Farm where he managed the farm's private and public sales acquisitions.

West has been the Vice President of Bloodstock for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners since 2017, when he also launched West Bloodstock. This year West was appointed as the U.S. agent for Goffs.

“In forming this partnership with Jill Gordon the main focus will be on fulfilling our clients' needs,” West said. “Jill brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the Public Sales space. We look forward to working together and launching Highgate Sales.”

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