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Tiznow Filly Tops Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita Sale

by Dan Ross & Jessica Martini

ARCADIA, CA – The Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale returned from its year-long hiatus with a steady, if slimmed down version, Wednesday in Arcadia. A filly by Tiznow brought the auction's top price when selling to Spendthrift Farm for $250,000. The filly was one of eight to sell for six figures during the one-session auction.

“I think we saw today that there is a viable marketplace,” said Fasig-Tipton's President Boyd Browning, Jr. “There were plenty of buyers in attendance at the sale and overall I thought horses sold well and were well received.”

From a catalogue of 115, 68 went through the ring and 53 sold for a gross of $2,981,000. With 15 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 22.1%. The average was $56,245 and the median was $50,000.

With 69 of 108 offered horses sold for a gross of $3,769,500 in 2019, the average was $54,630 and the median was $30,000.

“I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed in the size of the catalogue,” Browning said. “We offered less than 70 horses today and I think, long-term, you have to question the viability of a sale with this number of horses.”

Fasig-Tipton has been stymied by various factors in its attempts to gain traction in the California marketplace. The company conducted its first Santa Anita 2-Year-Olds sale in 2019 against the backdrop of safety concerns and a large number of equine fatalities at the Arcadia track. The 2020 juvenile sale was completely wiped out by the global pandemic.

“We started coming to California in 2019 and obviously the first year we had the racetrack situation at Santa Anita,” Browning said. “They clearly addressed that and made amazing progress on the safety issue, but 2019 was a difficult year to recruit horses under those circumstances. And then you have the COVID year of 2020, so there was no track record to recruit horses, particularly from outside California, to ship here in 2021.”

Browning continued, “I think the California industry has to make a decision whether they want to have a viable sales marketplace or not. We had very little support from the significant California breeders this year. And ultimately, the strength of any sale is based on the quality of product you are able to attract. The local constituents need to make a decision on whether they are going to be supportive of auctions in California or not. We are going to do everything we can in terms of providing customer service and in recruiting buyers and conducting a first-class auction.”

Tiznow Filly to Spendthrift

Trainer Carla Gaines went to $250,000 to acquire a filly by Tiznow on behalf of Spendthrift Farm at the Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita sale Wednesday. Consigned by Pike Racing, the bay juvenile is out of Soot Z (Empire Maker) and is a half-sister to graded winner Amalfi Sunrise (Constitution). She worked a furlong in :10 3/5 during Monday's under-tack show.

“I liked everything about her,” Gaines said after signing the ticket on the youngster. “She is fast. And she has a very strong pedigree, with a good first dam.”

Soot Z, who is a daughter of graded stakes winner Bella Chiarra (Phone Trick), has also produced group placed Gotti (More Than Ready) and stakes placed Senatus (Sky Mesa). The mare, in foal to Into Mischief, sold for $800,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Her Tiznow filly, bred by Tolo Thoroughbreds and Art Tanaka, RNA'd for $290,000 as a weanling at that same sale.

Of immediate plans for the filly, Gaines said, “We will probably give her a little time. We are talking about giving her 30 days.”

West Point Strikes for Maclean's Music Filly

A filly by Maclean's Music (hip 65) will be joining the Southern California stable of trainer John Sadler after West Point Thoroughbreds' Terry Finley made a final bid of $155,000 to acquire the youngster at Santa Anita Wednesday.

“She is a beautiful filly,” Finley said. “We liked her when we saw her. And we liked the work [:10 3/5]. Obviously the stallion has gotten very hot–he's probably going to be a top stallion for years to come. We are very excited about her.”

The bay, consigned by McCarthy Bloodstock, is out of the unraced Bauble (Tale of the Cat), who is a half-sister to Grade I winner Persistently (Smoke Glacken). The mare also produced stakes-placed Royal Story (Lemon Drop Kid). Bred by Merriebelle Stable, the juvenile was purchased by Justin Wojczynski for $39,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“She'll go to John Sadler and we will try to get her to the races as soon as possible,” Finley said. “I'll turn that over to John and his team, they do a pretty good job on that. I think there might a shot to make Del Mar, I hope so, if not we'll get her here [at Santa Anita].”

Of the filly's final price, Finley added, “I wasn't quite sure she would bring that kind of money, but she stood out here. We think we have a good prospect, but you have to pay for good prospects.”

West Point, whose California purchases over the years have included Grade I winner Awesome Gem (Awesome Again) and multiple stakes winner and graded placed Galilean (Uncle Mo), bought three horses during Wednesday's auction. The operation acquired a filly by Holy Boss (hip 99) for $110,000 and a colt by Union Jackson (hip 87) for $42,000.

“We are big supporters of Fasig-Tipton and we're big supporters of California racing,” Finley said. “We hope we are here for a long time. It takes time and money to come out here, but to support something you've got to show up.”

Best Pal Could Be on Tap for Bochombo

Bochombo (Street Boss) (hip 20), fresh off a runner-up effort in Sunday's Fasig-Tipton Futurity, could make his next start in graded company after trainer Peter Miller bid $150,000 to acquire the colt on behalf of owner Tom Kagele Wednesday at Santa Anita.

“We will get him down to San Luis Rey and go over him and get a game plan which may include the [Aug. 7 GII] Best Pal S. [at Del Mar],” Miller said.

Miller was taking the 'if you can't beat them, buy them' approach with his bidding Wednesday. Bochombo beat Miller's Bet On Mookie (Uncaptured), who returned with a 5 1/4-length graduation on the turf June 11.

“He beat one of my best 2-year-old who came back to win easily on the garss, so I knew the company that he beat was very solid,” Miller explained of Bochombo's appeal. “That really encouraged me.”

Purchased by Sunset Stables for $15,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale, Bochombo RNA'd for $100,000 at the OBS March sale. He broke his maiden in his second start May 23 for Dan Northrup and trainer Luis Mendez and was second behind the impressive Big City Lights (Mr. Big) in Sunday's Futurity. The colt was consigned to the Santa Anita sale by Havens Bloodstock.

Also Wednesday, Miller purchased a filly by Classic Empire (hip 7) for $35,000.

“I buy the majority of my horses back east, but I think it's important that we have a viable 2-year-old sale in California,” Miller said. “I thought the sale went very well. I thought the quality was up and I thought there were some very nice horses in there.”

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Trio Of Stakes Wins Net Juan J. Hernandez Jockey Of The Week Title

Juan J. Hernandez made the most of closing weekend at Santa Anita winning three stakes races leading to Jockey of the Week honors for June 14 through June 20. The award, which is voted on by a panel of racing experts, is for jockeys who are members of the Jockeys' Guild, the organization which represents more than 950 active riders in the United States as well as retired and permanently disabled jockeys.

On Saturday, trainer Richard Mandella gave a leg up to regular rider Hernandez on Kanderel in the Siren Lure Stakes at 6-1/2 furlongs on the turf. Breaking from the rail in the field of seven, Kanderel was six lengths off dueling leaders Texas Wedge and Tilted Towers heading to the far turn. With a furlong to run, Kanderel rallied from last to win in 1:14.98.

“I broke from the inside, number one post and Mr. Mandella told me to ride the horse like the last time,” said Hernandez. “My horse, he loves to come from behind. I was saving ground and at the (top of) the stretch, I decided to go outside and make my run.”

On Sunday, closing day at Santa Anita, Hernandez rode heavy favorite Big City Lights for trainer Luis Mendez in the Fasig-Tipton Futurity winning gate-to-wire by 7-1/4 lengths while getting five furlongs in :58.20.

“This horse is improving a lot,” said Hernandez. “Last time he broke a little slow, but today he broke really sharp and I was clear in front, probably three or four jumps after. When I asked him at the quarter pole, he took off again, he's a nice horse.”

Hernandez continued his winning ways by riding Warren's Showtime for trainer Craig Lewis in the Grade 3 Wilshire Stakes. Off as the favorite, Hernandez and Warren's Showtime were next to last travelling on the backside. At the top of the stretch, Hernandez took Warren's Showtime four wide to win the one mile turf event by 1-3/4 lengths in 1:34.29.

“We've been knocking on the door the last few times, we were third, second, just missing the winner, but today I think the pace was the key,” said Hernandez who registered his third win of the day. “That was a good pace because she was flying at the end.”

Weekly stats for Hernandez were 24-7-3-2 for 29 percent win rate, 50 percent in-the-money and total purses of $369,886 to lead all jockeys.

Hernandez out-polled Tyler Baze who won two stakes races, Alex Bizer who led all jockeys with 10 wins, Joel Rosario with a graded stakes win and Tim Thornton with a 33 percent strike rate from 24 mounts.

Hernandez finished second in the winter/spring jockey standings with 92 wins and eight graded stakes.

The post Trio Of Stakes Wins Net Juan J. Hernandez Jockey Of The Week Title appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Fasig-Tipton Returns to Santa Anita Wednesday

Fasig-Tipton, which hosted its first Santa Anita 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in 2019, was forced to cancel the 2020 renewal of the auction due to the pandemic, but the sale returns to the Arcadia track for its second edition Wednesday. Bidding is scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m. PT in the Santa Anita winner's circle.

Raul Reyes's Ocala-based Kings Equine, which sold three of the top four lots at the 2019 Santa Anita sale, returns with a 13-horse consignment in 2021.

“It was an easy decision to come back–it didn't take me too long to think about it,” Reyes said of his return to California, which offers him the chance to mix business and pleasure.

“My mom lives here in L.A., so I always like to come out here,” he explained with a smile.

Four horses from the Kings Equine consignment were among the 11 to share the second fastest furlong time of :10 3/5 during Monday's under-tack show: hip 2, hip 10, hip 42, and hip 88.

“It went well. I am very happy with how it went Monday,” Reyes said of his consignment's under-tack show results.

A total of 115 juveniles have been catalogued for the one-day sale–down from 168 in 2019–and there were 39 horses withdrawn as of Tuesday afternoon.

Of the slimmed down catalogue, Reyes said, “I'd like to see the sale be bigger. It's better for the people who we have horses here with because there isn't so much competition, but for the sale to do well, I'd like to see a bit more horses. But there are trainers and a few bloodstock agents here looking and they are all very positive and wanting to buy horses.”

California-based consignor Bruno DeBerdt had plenty of activity at his Excel Bloodstock consignment Tuesday morning.

“I'm showing three horses as we speak and I've only got six horses in the sale,” DeBerdt said. “I'm very, very happy with the activity and there are serious buyers here, not just looky loos. I'd say it's probably at least 60% trainers and then we have agents and a few owners. I am very happy with the turnout.”

DeBerdt agreed the success of the Santa Anita sale is vital to the industry in California.

“It's very important to have this sale,” he said. “I hope everyone supports it because it's our only outlet. Fasig-Tipton just does a Grade A job. The stabling is good and they have good personnel managing it and it's been very pleasant to be here.”

While the auction's momentum was halted in 2020, DeBerdt looks for a strong sale Wednesday.

“We sold in the first sale in 2019 and we did well,” DeBerdt said. “And then we had a very large consignment scheduled for 2020, which obviously didn't materialize. So this year, we kind of toned it down. But the market is very healthy right now overall. Obviously, your better horses are going to bring good money and the not-so-good horses are going to probably not bring very much money, but I think they'll get sold. It's going to be a polarized sale, in my opinion, but we've got enough buyers here.”

Al Pike is offering his first Santa Anita consignment, with nine horses scheduled to go through the ring Wednesday.

“I had some horses at the March sale that we had lost time with due to the weather at home in February, so we weren't ready for March. So we just opted out of there and put them in this sale thinking that this would be a good spot for them,” Pike said of the decision to sell at Santa Anita. “We got more time with these horses that needed it and I am hoping to be rewarded for waiting.”

Of the activity at his barn Tuesday, Pike said, “We have been awful busy here. I am pleasantly surprised. I didn't know what to expect. This is my first time basically coming to California–coming to Santa Anita was on my bucket list, so I can check that off. It's a beautiful place. We've been treated really well here. Fasig-Tipton always does a great job.”

The fastest furlong of Monday's under-tack preview was :10 2/5 and a pair of Pike Racing juveniles (hip 16 and hip 36) were among the 11 who shared the second fastest time of :10 3/5.

“The breeze show went well,” Pike said. “The horses performed well. The track was not a fast track, it was kind of a deep track, but they got over it well and came home good. I had some people ask me, 'Was it slow horses or a slow track?' I said, 'I can tell you from home, it wasn't slow horses.'”

Pike agreed there was always some concern with attracting buyers to a sale with a smaller catalogue, but he said, “If it's a good horse, it's going to sell well. And there are some good horsemen looking at these horses, so I think it's going to be a good sale.”

Among the 22 juveniles in Andy Havens's Havens Bloodstock Agency consignment are a pair of horses who enter the Santa Anita sales ring off strong efforts at the track last weekend. Ko Olina (Stanford) (hip 17) finished first in her third lifetime start last Saturday, but was disqualified and placed second, while maiden winner Bochombo (Street Boss) (hip 20) finished second behind the freakish Big City Lights (Mr. Big) in Sunday's Fasig-Tipton Futurity.

“Bochombo ran a terrific race breaking his maiden [May 23] kind of coming off the pace,” Havens said. “And then he ran second in that stakes on Sunday to what looks like a special kind of colt. He's a fabulous horse. He's really attractive and looks like he is going to go on rather than win at these short distances. And he's very sound. I think he's a really useful horse.”

Of Ko Olina, Havens said, “The horse they gave the race to–Baffert's Munnings filly [Eda]–cost $550,000 [at OBS March]. She beat her and they were 13 lengths ahead of the third horse, so she showed she could win, but the buyer still gets the condition.”

Havens continued, “We are heading into Del Mar and people are looking for horses like this. I think this is a really unusual opportunity for 2-year-olds. These horses have shown they belong at a really upper level and they are sound. So you have as immediate action as you can get with a 2-year-old. We are getting a whole lot of interest here for both of these.”

While sales horses for the 2019 sale were housed in temporary barns near Santa Anita's seven-furlong chute, the 2021 horses are on the track's backside.

“We have had a terrific amount of interest,” Havens said. “We are on the backside of Santa Anita, so it's really worked out well from that standpoint in terms of interest.”

Havens is hopeful that, after having the sale's momentum interrupted last year, Fasig-Tipton will be able to build on the 2021 results.

“I think it's absolutely essential that we have a 2-year-old sale in California,” Havens said. “I think missing last year really impaired the turnout for this year. Because it has not been a real strong turnout relative to what we used to have. We used to have two sales here. We used to have a March sale and a May sale. When Barretts ended and Fasig took over with this sale in June and then missing 2020 completely, I think it put cold water on people's response to this sale. But they succeeded in getting a number of people from out of town, Florida in particular, and I have a really nice group. So I am very encouraged by that.”

Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni made the highest bid at the inaugural Santa Anita sale in 2019, acquiring subsequent stakes winner Eclair (Bernardini) for $420,000 on behalf of Sarah Kelly. In all, 69 horses sold for $3,769,500 at the 2019 auction. The average was $54,630 and the median was $30,000. With 39 horses not sold, the buy-back rate was 36.1%.

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Speightster Colt, Cupid Filly Fastest at Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita

Luis Garcia's L G consignment sent out the bullet furlong and quarter-mile workers during the under-tack show for the Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in Arcadia Monday. A colt by Speightster (hip 109) worked the day's fastest furlong of :10 2/5, while a filly by Cupid (hip 54) turned in the day's fastest quarter-mile of :22 flat.

Hip 109 is out of stakes-placed Pankhurst (Artie Schiller), a half-sister to graded placed Pro Prado (El Prado {Ire}).

“I got him after the [OBS] April sale–he was with someone else there–and we made the decision to bring him out here,” Garcia said. “He has talent and he's been improving. He worked really well and we are very happy with him.”

Garcia is consigning the colt on behalf of TNT Equine Holdings, which purchased him for $30,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. The juvenile was a late supplement to the Fasig catalogue.

“He's an athletic-looking horse,” Garcia said. “You can tell he has speed. He looks like a Quarter Horse. It was kind of a late decision to bring him here because he had a little bit of sore shins after the April sale, so we had to take care of that. I made the decision at the last minute–I was just waiting to make sure he was sound. I just wanted to make sure he was ready.”

Hip 54 is out of Wild Mocha (Medaglia d'Oro), a half-sister to multiple graded stakes placed Zultanite (El Corredor). The filly was purchased by Valentin Jimenez for $13,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. Consigned by Jimenez's Bold Arrow Thoroughbreds, she RNA'd for $45,000 following a :21 2/5 work at the OBS April sale.

“She RNA'd at OBS with Bold Arrow and he sent the filly to us to sell out here for him,” Garcia said. “She worked a quarter at OBS and I breezed her a couple of three-eighths back home. She was always sound and she was ready to go a quarter. She is a long, nice filly. She's ready to go.”

Garcia has been galloping his consignment over the past week and said he was happy with the condition of the Santa Anita track.

“I thought the track was pretty good and safe,” he said. “It was a little heavy for everybody, but I think it's safe. I gallop my horses, so I was galloping them over it the last week. It's soft and I think it's pretty good for the horses.”

Garcia will be offering his first consignment at the second renewal of the Fasig Santa Anita sale Wednesday.

“It's the first time I came here to California and we wanted to break the ice,” Garcia said. “We have some really nice horses here. I like it here and the Fasig team has done a great job and helped us out a lot.”

Garcia and pinhooking partner Gina Fennell enjoyed a major score at the April sale where they sold a Classic Empire colt for $450,000. The youngster had been purchased for $70,000 last fall at Keeneland. But once the partners realized they would still have horses to sell at Santa Anita, they reinvested some of their profits in a pair of colts at the Ocala auction to ship to California.

“We had horses left after April and it was kind of close to make the Maryland sale, so we decided to come here,” Garcia explained. “Since we already had a couple, my partner Gina Fennell and I decided to buy a couple more. So I bought two at April just to bring them here.”

Garcia and Fennell purchased a colt by Pioneerof the Nile for $30,000 in April. Consigned to the Santa Anita sale as hip 31, he breezed Monday in :10 4/5. The partners purchased a colt by Union Jackson for $15,000 at April. Consigned to the Santa Anita sale as hip 87, the colt also worked Monday in :10 4/5.

Garcia said the under-tack show was well-attended and he was already starting to see traffic pick up at the sales barns Monday afternoon.

“There are people who are starting to look,” he said. “They waited for the horses to cool out, but they are starting to look now and hopefully we will get more later in the day. There were a lot of people at the breeze show, hopefully they will come over to look at the horses.”

The Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita sale will be held Wednesday in the track's winner's circle, with bidding beginning at 1 p.m. PT

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