Strong Bidding From Start-to-Finish at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale

TIMONIUM, MD – After surviving the uncertainties of a pandemic-delayed 2020 renewal, the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale returned to its traditional May slot with a record-setting two days in Timonium. The auction concluded Tuesday with its highest-ever gross, average and median.

“It was huge. It was crazy good,” Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett said Tuesday evening. “People wanted horses and they fought to the end to get them. Even in the supplement, we still had a lot of strong results.”

Through two sessions, Fasig-Tipton sold 357 juveniles for a total of $33,692,000, bettering the previous record of $29,374,000 set in 2019. The average was $94,375, up 4.7% from the 2019 previous record figure of $90,104. The median of $50,000 bettered the mark of $45,000 set in 2015.

The 2020 renewal, which was held in June due to the pandemic, 303 horses sold for $23,572,500. The average was $77,797 and the median was $40,000.

With 69 horses reported not sold, the buy-back for the two-day sale was a sparkling 16.2%.

The auction's co-highest colt in history sold Monday when Terry Finley's West Point Thoroughbreds paid $1.5 million for a son of Quality Road. Vicki and Mike McGowan's Xtreme Racing Stables purchased the top lot of Tuesday's session, going to $625,000 to acquire a daughter of Tapit from the de Meric Sales consignment.

“It was a great market,” Tristan de Meric said. “It's been solid. It seems like it's carried on from the [OBS] April sale. It's good to see some strength in the market at all levels.”

While the juvenile sales muddled through the pandemic-plagued season a year ago, the demand for horses has come roaring back in 2021.

“We really didn't know what to think coming into this year, to be honest,” de Meric said. “We were expecting it to be better than 2020, but we didn't think it was going to be this much better. It's really been an outstanding year.”

Spendthrift Farm's Ned Toffey felt the record-setting energy in the Midlantic sales pavilion this week.

“This pavilion has been jam packed,” Toffey said. “I think it's been great. It kind of feels like there is this Covid rebound. People just want to get out. They have been cooped up and if they want to spend their money on a horse, I think it's a good thing.”

Tapit Filly for McGowens

Trainer Mac Robertson, bidding on behalf of Vicki and Mike McGowan's Xtreme Racing Stables, purchased a daughter of Tapit out of Grade I winner Gomo (Uncle Mo) (hip 492) for a session-topping $625,000 Tuesday in Timonium. The filly was consigned by De Meric Sales.

“I thought she was the best filly in the sale,” Robertson said after signing the ticket out back. “Mike and Vicki are looking for really good fillies. And I thought she had the best breeze (:10 1/5) and she's out of a Grade I horse by a sire that everybody wants. It made sense to me. We went a little more than we wanted, but the sale is strong.”

Based in Minnesota, the McGowans have been in racing for about six years now. They have been represented on the track by this year's Gazebo S. winner Sir Wellington, who they purchased for $55,000 at last year's Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training sale.

Hip 492 was bred by Bridlewood Farm, which purchased Gomo for $1.5 million at the 2017 Fasig-Tipton November sale. The juvenile RNA'd for $475,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale after working a furlong in :10 2/5.

“She was a standout from day one,” said Tristan De Meric. “Unfortunately, we didn't get the job done in Miami, but she did everything right here. She even shaved a tick off her time from Miami. She just got better and better.”

 

 

Patience Pays off for Brennan

When Niall Brennan brought a son of first-crop sire Practical Joke into the Midlantic sale, he knew the youngster would not be among the fastest horses at the under-tack show, but the Irishman was hoping buyers would see all the potential he saw in the colt. Brennan, who purchased the colt for $85,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale, was rewarded when Spendthrift Farm's Ned Toffey saw off a determined Chuck Zacney to acquire hip 314 for $490,000 Tuesday in Timonium.

“We really loved the sire and when we were looking at the yearling sales, they were popular and they were selling really well,” Brennan said. “But this guy just seemed to fall through the cracks. He was average-sized and maybe just a little bit more of a plainer model, I guess.”

Brennan's team knew the colt would improve over the winter, but they were surprised by just how much he moved forward.

“We thought he would fit the pinhook model really well because we thought he would improve and furnish out nicely,” Brennan said. “And it turned out he grew an awful lot and that's why we had to point him to Maryland.”

The colt worked a furlong during last week's under-tack preview in :10 3/5.

 

 

“This horse hasn't had a lot of breezes,” Brennan said. “He only started breezing five or six weeks ago and we brought him along slowly. His breeze here was the first time he was asked to run and he worked in :10 3/5, but he galloped out beautifully. I am glad people looked at that because he's a tremendous horse.”

Hip 314 is out of April Snow (Candy Ride {Arg}), a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner Harmonius (Dynaformer) and to the dam of graded winner Into Chocolate (Into Mischief).

“The sire is pulling him right now, but he has a very nice pedigree and he's a beautiful-moving horse with a great profile,” Brennan said. “We think he has a great future. He's not a 'now' horse and he's a big growthy colt who needed time. Sometimes when you are patient and you give them that time, it pays off.”

Spendthrift's Ned Toffey saw a lot of the colt's grandsire, the farm's super sire Into Mischief, in the youngster.

“Obviously we are familiar with his grandsire,” Toffey said. “He's a big, athletic colt who had a really good breeze. Niall does a great job of not really putting the screws to these horses too much, so we felt like what we were buying, there was still more there. And that's certainly what we hope.”

Of the offspring of the much-hyped first-crop sire Practical Joke, Toffey said, “They do remind me of the Into Mischiefs. He's maybe putting more size on a lot of his. This is a big, strong colt. But they have certainly shown the same ability based on what we're seeing so far. A lot of these are performing really well at the 2-year-old sales, so hopefully that will continue.”

Gormley Stays Hot in Timonium

Juveniles by first-crop sire Gormley continued to be popular in the sales ring in Timonium Tuesday with bloodstock agent David Ingordo going to $450,000 to secure a son of the Spendthrift stallion (hip 417). The colt was consigned by Chris Seale's Bird in Hand Stables.

“He is going out to John Sherriffs in California,” Ingordo said. “He will run in some familiar silks.”

Sherriffs trained Gormley to wins in the 2016 GI FrontRunner S. and 2017 GI Santa Anita Derby.

“John trained Gormley and we very much like the sire,” Ingordo said. “This colt had class and presence about him the whole time. He was well-prepared by the consignor. He was really the one that I had been waiting around to buy.”

Bred by Candyland Farm, the bay colt RNA'd for $49,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic October sale. The Maryland-bred is a half-brother to stakes-placed Jamaican Don (Freedom Child).

Gormley has already been represented by two winners on the racetrack. His son Headline Report, who sold with Eddie Woods for $550,000 at the OBS March Sale, graduated on debut at Keeneland Apr. 23.

“Gormley was a very good horse,” Ingordo said. “He maybe got lost a little in the shuffle and hype after he went to stud because of Practical Joke and Classic Empire. But he was a very good horse in his own right. We were very fond of him and lucky to support him. The one Eddie Woods sold that is already a winner was a beautiful colt and I'd rate this one as highly as that one. I have high hopes for him.”

Gormley, who stands at Spendthrift for $5,000, was represented by a $425,000 colt in Timonium Monday.

“He is carrying on the tradition,” said Spendthrift's Ned Toffey. “The Gormleys have been pretty impressive. We've been hearing great things from breeders right along. They have a lot of style to them. They have that substance that Malibu Moon always threw, but maybe just a little bit more refined. They look like athletes. He is two for three now with his 2-year-olds. So he's off to a great start. We couldn't ask for anything more.”

All Well That Ends Well for Hartley/DeRenzo

For consignors Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo, getting their colt by Classic Empire (hip 512) to the sales this spring proved to be an adventure from start to finish, but the story had a happy ending when the dark bay sold for $400,000 to the bid of bloodstock agents Alex Solis and Jason Litt.

“I had him for Miami and he had a little shin, so I had to give him some time and take care of his shins and he lost a couple of months,” Hartley said.

The colt's work during last week's under-tack preview was impeded when the saddle slipped under Susan Montanye.

“He was a little green and then the saddle slipped with Susan,” Hartley said. “I couldn't see from the backside what happened. I could see her standing up, but I really couldn't see until she came around the turn and she was hanging off the side of the horse.”

Despite the mishap, the colt, who Hartley/DeRenzo purchased for $160,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearling Showcase, completed his furlong drill in :10 2/5.

“He's been my favorite horse all winter and if he had gotten the workout right, who knows,” Hartley said. “He is just a beautiful horse, classy and so smart. He just got here and all of the commotion didn't bother him. He's just a cool horse.”

Hartley continued, “That's the first one they ever bought off us, so hopefully it will be lucky. They got a good buy on the colt, to be honest. Hopefully he can run and they'll be back buying off us again next year.”

 

 

Fast Start for Sterling Thoroughbreds

Carlos Estrada and Sarah Estrada-Brok are consigning 2-year-olds under the Sterling Thoroughbreds for the first time this year and safe to say the new venture is off to a promising start. The couple sold a colt by Brody's Cause (hip 370), purchased last fall for $6,000, for $290,000 to Larry Zap, as agent for Mike Mellen.

“We bought him out of Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale,” Sarah Estrada recalled. “I was at home and my husband said, 'Come look at this horse with me.' I came out and looked at him and I said, 'All right, let's do it.'”

Of what appealed to him about the colt, Carlos Estrada said, “He had great balance with a big walk. I fell in love with him. I said, 'I want to have him.' He RNA'd at the sale and I bought him privately after that.”

The chestnut colt is out of Candy d'Oro (Johannesburg), a half-sister to graded placed Julia Tuttle (Giant's Causeway), dam of Grade I winner Tom's D'Etat (Smart Strike).

“There were a few little baby issues on the X-rays, but we knew it was something we could work with and he would grow out of mostly and he did,” Sarah said of the colt's bargain price last fall. “He was just about squeaky clean here.”

The chestnut colt turned in a furlong work in :10 2/5, but the Estradas were keeping their expectations in check.

“Coming in we were thinking $40,000,” Sarah admitted. “So he beyond exceeded our expectations. The first two days we didn't get much traffic through there. Then after the Preakness, people started showing up and more and more of the right people showed up to look at him. We were excited, but we still weren't thinking almost $300,000.”

The final price was a highwater mark in the young couple's consigning career. Asked what it was like to watch the colt sell, Sarah said, “I think my heart stopped for a minute.”

As for what their future plans are, Sarah said, “Definitely more pinhooking. This was kind of a test this year to see how we did and clearly we did all right. We have five yearlings to sell at the yearling sales and we will see if we can pick one or two yearlings up and take them to the 2-year-old sales.”

 

The post Strong Bidding From Start-to-Finish at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Things Looking Up As OBS March Kicks Off New Sales Season

OCALA, FL- Hardy attempts at optimism were made at last year's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's March Sale, but an unmistakably ominous atmosphere hung over the grounds. Before the first hip had even reached the walking ring in Ocala, both Keeneland's April Sale and Fasig-Tipton's Gulfstream Sale had been canceled as the tentacles of the Coronavirus pandemic tightened their grip around the nation.

There was an unforgettable discord between the then-normalcy of crowded local restaurants and stores while sporting event and festival cancellations seemed to happen between the start of each breeze set.

“Last year we were in the middle of the breeze show when we knew things were happening,” Sequel's Becky Thomas recalled. “There were people fleeing to what they thought was safety and we were stuck here with a group of horses. It was pretty traumatic. We knew that if we got through this sale it would be some time before we would have another sale.”

“Last year we were terrified,” consignor Eddie Woods echoed. “You know, we were in a total gray area. [The Coronavirus] had just shown up out of the blue and no one knew what to expect, but because of the gray area involved, our expectations were kind of nil.”

One omnipresent question sat at the forefront of sales-goers minds. When would these horses even get to see the starting gate?

After a full year of trying circumstances and steady perseverance within the racing community- one where those young sales graduates did get the opportunity to race–a new page is turned as the next crop of juveniles prepare to go through the sales ring as the OBS March Sale marks the beginning of another 2-year-old sales season.

The first of two sessions of the 561-head catalog begins Tuesday at 11:00 a.m.

“We're looking forward to this sale,” OBS President Tom Ventura said. “Last year, we didn't know whether we were moving forward or stopping. We had the sale and we made it work, but now things are loosening up. And you could see the energy on the sales ground here today. Things are doing much better with vaccinations throughout the country and I think the attitude is way different now. There's actually a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Ventura said that interest in this sale has been high over the past months.

“One of the things that was promising even before we got things going here is that the activity in the barns at the training centers was pretty active with people looking in advance at the farms,” he said. “I think one thing about this sale, when we opened it up from the select sale, is that there are horses at the top and then horses at varying budgets. So I think that attracts a broader buying bench and we're hoping that's the case again this year.”

Woods said he believes the results from last fall's breeding stock sales are a strong indication of positive outcomes for juvenile consignors in the coming weeks.

“The fall sales went down really well,” he said. “Now we've gone into the 2-year-old mode off a pretty much solid routine. People are able to move around more and it looks like we got a really good attendance for the first 2-year-old sale. There's a bunch of nice horses here so I think things are just going to be fine.”

Thomas said that her Sequel Bloodstock consignment has been well-trafficked since the start of the sale.

“I can tell you it feels very, very good,” she said, comparing the atmosphere this week from the one a year ago. “There's a lot of interest from agents. We've been steady and busy here this morning. I thought the breeze show was well-attended. Agents are voicing that they've got plenty of interest from owners, so I think it's a very, very good feeling and it bodes well for starting our season.”

RiceHorse Stables' Ali de Meric said that in general, talk on the sales ground has been optimistic.

“It's an exciting time, the first sale of the year,” she said. “There's always a little tint of anticipation and excitement for what's to come. I've very hopeful that it's going to be a strong sale. I think there's a general air of positivity so overall, I'm very happy and excited to present what we've got here to the market.”

de Meric added that she believes the growing market polarization with continue.

“It's ever more polarized, all or nothing, and it's up to us as consignors to set good reserves and set the number because you don't have that burning fire of organic bids making a horse go from zero to 200 naturally,” she said. “So you kind of get good at understanding the market. And if you can get that number right, you'll sell your horses profitably and everyone is happy and goes home a winner.”

Ventura said that an impact is expected due to the loss of the Korean market with the Korean Racing Authority's temporary restriction on foreign-bred racing imports.

“They were fairly active last year,” he said. “They're predominantly buying in the price range where the market could use some help so it's disappointing that they're not able to buy horses. Hopefully next year they'll be able to participate.”

“We will miss seeing the Koreans here,” de Meric echoed. “They're really good under-bidders and a solid middle-market group for us. But I see plenty of people to support a good, healthy sale.”

Ventura also noted that fewer pinhooks are present in this sale's catalogue.

“Looking at the broad picture, on average our pinhooks are down a little bit, which is expected because the market was down,” he said. “So I don't know if we have the exact same sale as we did last year. People will be doing better because they came in with less investment. But I'm very pleased with the horses on the ground and I think that as always, the top of the market is strong.”

Three under-tack sessions were held during last week's breeze show. A trio of juveniles fired off :20 2/5 quarter-mile breezes while another 25, entered as of Monday, shared the quickest :9 4/5 eighth-of-a-mile breeze time. Learn more on the under-tack sessions held Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Despite a disrupted racing season due to the pandemic, several stakes performers have come out of last year's auction including three-time stakes winner Joy's Rocket (Anthony's Cross) ($47,000) and dual stakes winner Madone (Vancouver {Aus}) ($125,000). Recent GIII Herecomesthebride S. victress Con Lima (Commissioner) RNA'd here 12 month ago.

Last summer, 2019 sales graduate Speech (Mr Speaker) ($190,000) reached Grade I stardom in the Ashland S. at Keeneland. Also since last year's sale, 2019 graduate Café Pharoah (American Pharoah) ($475,000) won a trio of graded races in Japan including the G1 February S. this year.

The 2020 sales topper, a filly by American Pharoah consigned by Wavertree Stables, sold for $650,000 to Katsumi Yoshida. Now named Russian Samovar, she is a winner in Japan.

According to subsequent post-sale transactions added to the 2020 OBS March Sale statistics, 295 sales were recorded for gross receipts of 27,349,500 at last year's edition. The $92,710 average was down 35.9% from $144,603 in 2019. 2019 sales averages were also down from $164,494 the year prior. The median last year decreased from $95,000 in 2019 to $50,000.

“I think everybody on the ground is in a much better frame of mind just from walking around the barn and seeing the activity, and even in the grandstand during the under-tack show,” Ventura said. “We're looking forward to a good sale and I think the mind set at the barns is very positive. This is certainly a glass-half-full business and that's what we're looking forward to. Compared to last year, it's so, so different. As we get closer to the finish line here with this pandemic, I think people are ready to get back to business. We're ready to start the 2-year-old season and looking forward to a good couple of days.”

For more information, visit www.obssales.com. Watch full coverage of both sessions of the sale, beginning Tuesday at 11 a.m., at www.thoroughbreddailynews.com.

The post Things Looking Up As OBS March Kicks Off New Sales Season appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Another New Home for Goresbridge Breeze Up

For the third time in as many years, Friday’s Goresbridge Breeze Up will have a different home. Originally developed and hosted by Martin Donohoe’s Kilkenny-based auction house, the sale merged with Tattersalls Ireland last year with proceedings transferring successfully to County Meath. Another switch, this one not of the strategic kind rather more out of necessity, sees the action move across the water to Tattersalls in Newmarket as the sale, originally slated for two months previously, bids to make up for lost time. Between additional wildcards and withdrawals around 150 horses breezed in Newmarket adjacent to the Rowley Mile Racecourse on Wednesday and while there was reportedly a smallish crowd in attendance it is hoped there will be enough interested parties on hand on Friday to allow for some decent trade to take place.

Surprisingly enough trade at the earlier rescheduled European breeze-up sales held up remarkably well given events throughout the world and while it is fanciful to expect Friday’s turnover to match last year’s figure of €5,010,500, Tattersalls Ireland’s Marketing Director Simon Kerins is hopeful another important metric, the clearance rate, will keep tabs on both previous editions and other breeze-up sales held this year.

“All things considered we are reasonably hopeful the sale will go well,” he said. “The Tattersalls team here in Newmarket have been brilliant, they put together a new stabling plan and they have been hugely helpful in accommodating the sale at very short notice. I think the transfer has gone relatively smoothly, obviously there have been challenges, especially for vendors who were working under the expectation that the breeze would be in Fairyhouse with the sale across the road from that in Tattersalls Ireland. That plan was changed at short notice but the breeze seemed to go well on Wednesday and given the amazingly resilient nature of this industry and the fact that trade has held up well at other breeze ups we are hopeful of a good solid sale.”

Last year’s top lot was a son of Lope De Vega (Ire) that Norman Williamson’s Oak Tree Farm sold to Blandford Bloodstock for €175,000 and subsequently named Haqeeqy (Ire). He has done well this summer for trainer John Gosden winning twice at Yarmouth and Newmarket. Meanwhile Parent’s Prayer (Ire) (Kingman {GB}), bought by BBA Ireland for €165,000 in 2019, got off the mark at the third time of asking in a maiden at Ayr for Archie Watson on July 14.

With so many withdrawals from the main catalogue it was a welcome boost for the sale to recently receive a number of well-bred wildcards to make up for some of the shortfall on offer and those late comers include an American Pharoah filly catalogued as lot 254, the last offering of the day. Offered by Tom Whitehead’s Powerstown Stud, the filly was purchased by her vendor as a yearling at Keeneland last year for $67,000. The daughter of stakes winner Innocent Love (Grand Slam) was actually knocked down to Richard Hughes and Paul Shanahan for £100,000 at the Goffs UK breeze-up at the beginning of the month but returns for another shot at it on Friday.

Another wildcard who didn’t find a buyer in Doncaster was Robson Aguiar’s son of Siyouni (Fr) who is offered as lot 251. The half-brother to two stakes performers was a €66,000 yearling purchase by Deuce Greathouse at Arqana last year, but was bought back by Aguiar at Goffs UK for £100,000.

Also among the wildcards, Willie Browne’s Mocklershill offers a couple of well-bred sorts in lot 227, a No Nay Never half-brother to the stakes winning filly We Are Ninety (Ire) (Thewayyouare) and lot 230, a filly by Night Of Thunder (Ire) that Browne bought at the Goffs February Sale this year for €30,000.

In the original catalogue an early lot that could make a splash is lot 28, a filly by Siyouni (Fr) from Brendan Holland’s Grove Stud. The bay is the first produce out of the Galileo (Ire) mare Surprisingly (Ire) who is a full-sister to G3 Balanchine S. runner up Butterscotch (Ire) and a half-sister to the speedy Coach House (Ire) (Oasis Dream {GB}). However, what doesn’t appear in the catalogue, is the fact that Surprisingly is also a full-sister to Tiger Moth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who broke his maiden last month at Leopardstown before running second to Santiago (Ire) (Authorized {Ire}) in the G1 Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby.

The only remaining juvenile in the sale by leading stallion Kingman (GB) is lot 48, a colt out of the stakes winning mare Mary Boleyn (Ire) (King’s Best). Although a relatively cheap yearling purchase at €20,000 by Egmont Stud’s Mark Flannery, the same vendor topped this sale two years ago with a Bated Breath (GB) colt that went from a 5,000gns yearling to a €210,000 breezer, so Flannery certainly knows how to prepare one for this sale. Egmont also offers a well-bred Gleneagles (Ire) filly (lot 153) out of a half-sister to Group 1 winners Excelebration (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}) and Lancaster Bomber (War Front).

Johnny Collins is another master of his trade and he offers an interesting 2-year-old as lot 75. The colt is a son of US-based first-season sire Mshawish (Medaglia d’Oro), who Collins also pinhooked in Keeneland, before the horse went on to win twice at Grade I level in America for Al Shaqab Racing. This current pinhook cost Collins $60,000 at Keeneland last year and is out of the stakes producing Invincible Spirit (Ire) mare Refreshing (GB) from the brilliant family of Skitter Scatter (Scat Daddy).

Ambrose O’Mullane and Mary Reynolds of Ardglas Stables have enjoyed some good results at this sale in its former guise and they offer a nicely bred filly on Friday as lot 139. The daughter of Footstepsinthesand (GB) is the second produce out of Miss Brazil (Ire) (Exceed And Excel {Aus}), whose first foal Elaire Noire (Ire), a full-brother to this filly, was a stakes winner in Italy last year and also finished second in the G2 Premio Gran Criterium.

Among those who that caught the eye when being put through their paces on Wednesday was lot 87 from Longways Stables, a colt by Awtaad (Ire) who is a half-brother to four winners including the speedy Miss Elizabeth (Ire) (Intense Focus). She was a dual winner and was stakes placed for trainer Eddie Lynam.

Another reported to have clocked a fast time was lot 155 from Eddie Ahern Bloodstock. This filly by Zoffany (Ire), the sire of a recent stakes winning 2-year-old filly in Minaun (Ire), is out of the 2-year-old winner Limetree Lady (GB) (Selkirk) and whose pedigree traces back to the mighty Battaash (Ire) (Dark Angel {Ire}).

The sale will commence at 10:30 a.m. and there will be live internet bidding with potential purchasers required to register at the following link.

The post Another New Home for Goresbridge Breeze Up appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights