Monday's session will begin at 3:00 p.m. ET and features a catalogue of 124 head. The remainder of the 412-horse catalogue will be offered on Tuesday beginning at 11:00 a.m.

Last year's catalogue was somewhat larger at 526, grossing $10,266,400 at an average of $26,597 (down 10.1% from $29,578 in 2021) and median of $15,000 (down 25% year-over-year from $20,000). The 2022 buyback rate was a relatively low 17% and in line with what it was 12 months earlier.

“Everyone has choices as to where they want to market their yearlings, so that certainly plays into it,” Fasig's Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett said when asked about the smaller catalogue. “We do have a supplement of 20 horses. I think a lot of horses got sold as weanlings and a lot of the end users bought weanlings to race.”

She continued, “A lot of the programs [are strong]–Virginia has become really popular–and some people probably have some uncertainties with the market. If they know that the market is very strong at the top, some might feel that they aren't in that top percentile, and they have the ability to take them to the races, a lot of them are choosing to do that instead.”

The 2022 sale topper was a $320,000 Maryland-bred Uncle Mo filly (hip 158) purchased by Legion Bloodstock, agent from the consignment of Scott Mallory, agent for Matt Dorman's Determined Stud. The same buyers and sellers were also responsible for one of the co-second-toppers at $200,000.

Maryland and Pennsylvania-breds by popular Kentucky stallions dominated the top of the market last year, and this year's catalogue features plenty of sire power as well, with the likes of highly coveted established sires such as Good Magic, Gun Runner, Munnings, Nyquist and Twirling Candy represented; youngsters by each of the top seven 2023 freshman sires on offer; and yearlings from the first crops of many of the most popular first-season stallions, including one by that group's decided standout, Authentic, available.

“We have a lot of popular sires that people are looking for to either take to the races or pinhook,” Bennett said. “I think we have the sires, and from what I'm hearing from a lot of people, we have good physicals. Some people have said, 'This is a stronger consignment for me this year than it was last year,' and last year they had a good, strong consignment. So, we're hopeful that buyers will perceive these offerings the same way and, hopefully, come Monday and Tuesday, we'll have some good competition.”

Bennett also noted that there have been plenty of significant updates to the catalogue.

The seemingly ever-present phenomenon of market polarization will presumably remain relevant in Maryland, but Bennett notes that one strength of the Midlantic market is its diversity

“I don't think there's going to be anything different this year than from years past,” she said. “We're just fortunate that our marketplace can feed to so many different racing jurisdictions and avenues. We have lots of people who come to buy horses to pinhook to the 2-year-old sales next year–a lot come to Maryland to bring horses back to the May sale, which has been very popular and works well–and they've had a lot of successes that way. We also have horses who might work better for folks who run in the different [nearby] areas, be it Pennsylvania, New York; smaller outfits taking shots. Some of the horses might not be in some peoples' minds as commercially appealing, but that's not to say those horses can't run as well as a high-dollar one. You just really never know what's going to happen.”

With past sale graduates like 2022 GI Spinaway S. winner and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Leave No Trace (Outwork), purchased the prior year for just $40,000, there figure to be plenty of buyers from throughout the Midlantic region and beyond taking their shots Monday and Tuesday.

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For the second consecutive year, 63 races were conducted, with more than $2 million in purse money distributed. A total of 400 horses raced at the meet, the highest since 2018 and up 8.85% from last year. There were no equine fatalities during the seven-day meet.

“On behalf of the Maryland State Fair and Agricultural Society, we appreciate the support from our racing staff, participants, horsemen and fans during our race meeting,” said Bill Marlow, the chairman of the Maryland State Fair race committee. “The historic gains we have achieved would not have been possible without their support.”

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The meet will offer two added-money events this year: the $100,000 Timonium Distaff for fillies and mares, 3-years-old and up, going 61/2 furlongs on Saturday, Aug. 26 and the $100,000 Timonium Juvenile for 2-year-olds going 6 1/2 furlongs on Saturday, Sept. 2. Both races are $75,000 guaranteed, plus $25,000 for Maryland-bred or Maryland-sired.

The Maryland State Fair is sponsoring $20,000 in trainers' awards. Grooms awards to the best turned out horse in each race will also be awarded.

Additionally, Annual College Day at the Fair will take place on Aug. 26. Ten $1,000 college scholarships are awarded to preregistered full time college students in attendance. College Day is designed to attract millennials to experience Thoroughbred racing and the Maryland State Fair. In addition, Aug. 26 has been designated Ladies Day at the Races.

For more information, click here.

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A new auction for 2023, the sale represents is the last two-year-old sale of the season and is the only sale in June to be conducted over a dirt race track. Ninety two-year-olds have been entered in the sale.

“There are some nice opportunities in this catalogue, which has strong sire power and a variety of state-bred programs represented from both the Midlantic region and beyond,” said Paget Bennett, Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Director of Sales. “This sale should prove advantageous for buyers as it is one of the few auctions in which they can evaluate a two-year-old's performance over a dirt surface. The late June date also allows buyers to send their purchases straight to the racetrack from the sale.”

Sires represented in the catalogue include Arrogate, Audible, Blame, Bolt d'Oro, Catalina Cruiser, Catholic Boy, Classic Empire, Dialed In, English Channel, Flatter, Frosted, Good Magic, Kitten's Joy, Liam's Map, Mitole, More Than Ready, Munnings, Not This Time, Omaha Beach, Practical Joke, Twirling Candy, Uncle Mo, Vino Rosso, Violence, and War Front.

State-bred or regional programs represented are Arkansas, California, Florida, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, New York, Ontario (Canada), Pennsylvania, and Virginia.

The catalogue will also be available in the equineline sales catalogue app. Print catalogues will be available beginning June 12.

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“The Gulfstream Park facilities are not available for 2023 due to some stabling issues,” said Fasig-Tipton's President and CEO Boyd Browning.

“The stalls are not available this year. We learned about this in the fall, and we determined this year that the best approach would be to concentrate our efforts on the Midlantic Sale, which last year produced the highest price of a 2-year-old in training,” said Browning, referring to Hejazi (Bernardini), who brought $3.55 million at Timonium this past May, and who has gone on to be a graded stakes performer at two for trainer Bob Baffert.

“The sale also has an amazing record of Grade I success of graduates on the racetrack over the last five years. We are strong advocates and believers of the importance of buyers having the opportunity to watch horses breeze on a dirt racetrack, and have a great deal of confidence in the Timonium sales venue.”

Browning said that it was too early to say if the sale would return to Gulfstream in future years. The 2023 Timonium Sale will be held from May 22-23. There will also be an additional one-day juvenile sale for the first time in Timonium June 28.

A total of 35 juveniles brought $13.155 million (17 RNAs), led by a $1.2-million Bold d'Oro filly, at the 2022 Gulfstream Sale. At the 2021 renewal, 67 head brought $25.36 million (38 RNAs), including $1.7-million graduate and MGISW Taiba (Gun Runner).

“I don't think it's a surprise to anybody,” said Niall Brennan, who consigned 2015 Fasig-Tipton Florida sale graduate and subsequent GI Kentucky Derby and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Nyquist (Uncle Mo).

“The reality is they have struggled with that sale for the last few years and especially this year. You can look at the numbers yourself–the number of horses that were catalogued versus the number of horses that went to the breeze show and the amount of horses that actually went through the ring after the breeze show. And the last couple of years, it's been significant. It's very hard to have a select sale that way.”

He continued, “It doesn't impact the landscape at all in my opinion. Most consignors that are around here [in Ocala], it's so much easier for us to sell at OBS in March, April and even June. Because it's right here. We don't have to leave home. It's very expensive to go to Miami and that's not Fasig's fault.

“The South Florida Sale for years was a big thing. But the reality is times change. Their response was to put on two sales in Maryland. Time will tell if it's a good move. They've been oversubscribed to their May sale for a few years now.”

Leading consignor Eddie Woods concluded, “It's a shame that sale had to go. It was a great marketplace for many years. But it just proved tougher and tougher to sell there. All you could sell was the cream of the crop. OBS has become king in the 2-year-old market worldwide. So, we'll just go there. You hear some negatives about the synthetic track, but the good judges can pick the good horses out of there and pay a lot of money for them, too.”

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Horses of racing age are catalogued as hips 187-281 in a separate supplemental catalogue.

“We have a quality collection of horses of racing age from leading national stables as well as those from the Midlantic region,” said Midlantic Director of Sales Paget Bennett. “Prospective buyers looking to augment their stables heading into 2023 will find in-form entries that fit a variety of levels, conditions, and regional programs.”

Fasig-Tipton also catalogued an additional seven entries in the mixed session–four broodmares (catalogued as hips 32, 57, 146, and 157), a weanling (hip 111), and two yearlings (hips 185 and 186). The Midlantic December Mixed and Horses of Racing Age Sale will begin at 11 am. Online bidding and phone bidding will be available.

For more information, click here.

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Jonathan Thomas, trainer of the versatile multiple Grade I winner Catholic Boy, will judge the 88th annual Maryland Horse Breeders Association Yearling Show. Open to all yearlings eligible for Maryland-bred registration, the show will be held Sunday, July 24 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds' Horse Show Ring in Timonium. Entries are due by June 24.

Thomas was born in Virginia and raised at Paul Mellon's famed Rokeby Farm, where his grandfather, father and mother all worked. Growing up around quality horses, Thomas was 13 when Mellon's homebred Sea Hero won the Kentucky Derby. Twenty-five years later as a trainer, he was sending out Catholic Boy to win Grade Is on the turf and dirt, the latter in Saratoga's Travers S. It was only the third time in history that an American 3-year-old accomplished the Grade I dirt/turf double, following in the footsteps of Secretariat and California Chrome.

Before going out on his own, Thomas was an assistant for leading trainers Christophe Clement, Dale Romans and Todd Pletcher, and spent a year training in Saudi Arabia. He also worked in sales and breaking with J.J. Pletcher in Ocala, Fla., and over the years built up a business buying, breaking and training Thoroughbreds at Bridlewood Farm in Ocala.

Since saddling his first runners in 2005, he has a win percentage of 24%, and more than half his starters finish in the top three.

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At the conclusion of business, 391 horses had sold for a gross of $37,297,700–bettering the sale's previous high mark of $33,692,000 set just last year. The average of $95,391 was another record, bettering the mark of $94,375 set last year. The median dipped to $47,000, just 6% off the 2020 record of $50,000.

“Last year was such a wow year and, when I come to the next year, I always ask, can we exceed what we did last year,” said Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett. “And we certainly blew it out of the park. Next year could be tough. We are tickled to death with records for average and gross and record price for a horse sold in Maryland.”

The median was the auction's only statistic to fail to surpass its 2021 high-water mark.

“The middle market was a little tough,” Bennett admitted. “People were commenting that they couldn't sell a horse for $40,000 or $50,000, but they were selling them for $20,000. And then they were selling for $100,000 or $200,000. That was a surprise and some people asked where were the Maryland trainers. I guess they felt some were missing.”

Some buyers stepped in to take advantage of the softer middle market. David Meah of Meah/Lloyd Bloodstock was pleased with the six horses he is taking home from Timonium.

“I found a lot of very nice horses here,” Meah said. “It's a great sale. I think the market has leveled out a little bit, so it's a bit easier to buy, which is great for me personally. We managed to buy six so far, so we've been very happy with the market and what was on offer here.”

Meah continued, “It's been extremely hard to buy for the last 12, even 18 months, but I think it's just diluted a little bit now, come May. I found it a lot easier to buy horses this week.”

Raul Reyes's Kings Equine sold 25 of 33 horses through the ring this week and enjoyed a number of pinhooking scores.

“I think the market was great,” Reyes said.

Of a potentially soft middle market, he added, “It's been that way ever since I can remember.”

With an eye-catching :9 4/5 bullet breeze, hip 385 was no secret when he entered the sales ring Tuesday and when the dust had settled after a bidding duel between West Point Thoroughbreds and Gary Young, Young had secured the youngster for Amr Zedan for a sale record $3.55 million. The colt was the most expensive Thoroughbred ever sold at public auction in the state of Maryland, bettering the previous record of $1.8 million set by Gamine at the Midlantic auction in 2019. It was the eighth straight year that the Midlantic sale had produced a seven-figure juvenile.

“It just goes to show people can feel confident about bringing that type of horse to the marketplace here in Maryland,” Bennett said of the record colt. “My goal has always been to have two seven-figure horses, but I will take a $3.55 million one. I hope we get him on the cover one day.”

Bernardini Smashes Records in Timonium

A colt by Bernardini (hip 385), who advertised himself with a :9 4/5 work last week, ignited a bidding duel between West Point Thoroughbreds and bloodstock agent Gary Young in the Midlantic sale ring Tuesday. Young, doing his bidding out back while standing alongside advisor Charlie Boden and trainer Bob Baffert and on the phone with Saudi businessman Amr Zedan, answered every bid from the West Point team doing its bidding at the back of the pavilion to ultimately secure the colt for a sales-record $3.55 million.

“Obviously we thought he was a standout and other people did as well,” Young said. “Mr. Zedan was on the phone with me. Originally, we were going to go to $2.5 million, but he just kept answering. He said, 'Up to $2.5 million, it's yours. After that, you've got to have me on the phone.' I kept asking and he kept answering.”

The juvenile was consigned by Becky Thomas's Sequel Bloodstock on behalf of his breeders Chester and Mary Broman. He is out of G Note (Medaglia d'Oro), a daughter of graded winner Seeking the Ante (Seeking the Gold) and half to stakes winner Mineralogist (Mineshaft), as well as to the dam of this year's GII Rebel S. winner Un Ojo (Laoban).

“He did everything,” Young said. “He went :9 4/5 and in the videos, sometimes horses when they straighten up the backstretch they are pretty well spent, but he just kept firing up the backstretch. His third furlong was super.”

On behalf of Zedan, Young purchased a son of Uncle Mo (hip 206) for $2.3 million and a colt by Justify (hip 11) for $600,000 at the OBS Spring sale last month. At the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream, Zedan purchased a colt by Nyquist (hip 62) for $700,000.

All four purchases reflect Zedan's desire to get back to the GI Kentucky Derby, where he was represented last year by the ill-fated Medina Spirit (Protonico).

“You don't think of Bernardinis as :9 4/5 horses, as much as he's been a good sire for a long time, you think of horses that run longer,” Young said. “And that's what Mr. Zedan wants. He has Derby fever. That's his main focus. We will know in about five or six months how this turns out.”

Young said Tuesday's acquisition would likely conclude Zedan's 2-year-old purchases this year.

Hip 385 is the most expensive Thoroughbred sold at public auction in the state of Maryland, surpassing the $1.8 million set by Gamine at this sale in 2019. It was the eighth consecutive year that a horse selling at the Midlantic 2-year-old sale sold for seven figures.

Longtime New York breeders, the Bromans began selling select offerings as part of an estate planning program four years ago. The planning got a jump start with the $2-million Chestertown (Tapit), who topped the 2019 OBS March sale and is campaigned by a partnership that includes West Point Thoroughbreds and the Bromans themselves. Chestertown's half-brother by Into Mischief sold for $1 million at this year's March sale.

“It's huge,” Sequel's Carlos Manresa said of Tuesday's record-setting result. “It just goes to show how much the Bromans can be rewarded for the time that they have put into breeding these mares and keeping these families. It's especially wonderful to have Mr. Broman here for the sale. Whenever we feel like we have something that we think is really going to be exciting, he likes to be here for it. This was certainly an event that called for him to be here.”

Describing the colt's progression, Manresa said, “He's always been really calm around the barn. He is really well behaved and really well mannered. He gallops so calmly, but when we asked him to go fast, he went really fast.”

The colt became the first horse in a decade to shade :10 at the Maryland State Fairgrounds when he worked during last week's under-tack show.

“We knew he would go fast, we just didn't know he'd go quite that fast,” Manresa admitted. “We never expected a :9 4/5, but we were very pleased that he gave it to us.”

Manresa said the result was gratifying for the entire Sequel team.

“Any time you can be part of a horse that brings seven figures, it's really special,” he said. “Not just for me, but for everyone at the farm. Everyone is watching from home and they are all texting me and congratulating us, from the grooms, to the guy who does our track, to the blacksmith that does his feet every month. It's a wonderful team.”

Patience Pays for Kinder

Breeders Ralph Kinder and Erv Woolsey had no hesitation when taking home their American Pharoah filly (hip 443) after she RNA'd for $145,000 at the OBS March sale following a :10 1/5 work over the synthetic surface in Ocala. Rerouted to Maryland, the filly worked a furlong in a bullet :10 flat over the dirt last week and rewarded the partners' decision when selling for $500,000 to trainer Cherie DeVaux.

“She did not like the surface down there, she didn't relax over the surface,” Kinder said of the OBS work. “She's a better horse on the dirt. She galloped out great here and her video was off the chart.”

The filly is out of Jordan's Henny (Henny Hughes), who won the 2018 GIII Hurricane Bertie S. and placed in four additional graded races for Woolsey and Kinder, and is a third generation product of their breeding program.

“We raised her and still have her granddam–all three generations–that's the third generation,” Kinder said. “We were a little hesitant to sell her because we race as well.”

Asked why the partners had decided to sell the filly, Kinder laughed and said, “Economics.”

Another Filly for Black Type Team

The Black Type Thoroughbreds partnership has already had success buying gray fillies from Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables consignment and went back to that formula when purchasing a daughter of Malibu Moon (hip 487) for $500,000 Tuesday in Timonium. The group, founded by Jake Ballis, purchased Grade I placed Up in Smoke (The Big Beast) for $230,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale.

“We love fillies,” Black Type's Maddie Mattmiller said after signing the ticket on the filly alongside Ballis and television personality Jonathon Kinchen, a newcomer to the partnership. “We have had good luck with gray fillies off of Ciaran Dunne. He has always given us good advice when we've found one we like over there.”

Hip 487 is out of Lorelei True (Unbridled's Song), a half-sister to graded winner Sparky Ville (Candy Ride {Arg}). The juvenile's third dam is Win Crafty Lady (Crafty Prospector), who produced Harmony Lodge, Graeme Hall and Win McCool.

“She was a big filly with a ton of leg under her,” Mattmiller said of the filly's appeal. “She looks like she can go two turns. She carried herself well and she has good pedigree behind her, out of an Unbridled's Song mare.”

The Lehigh Bloodstock pinhooking partnership that includes Dunne and Kirk Wycoff purchased the filly for $110,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

A newcomer to the Black Type partnership, Kinchen also teamed up with Ballis and Mattmiller to purchase a colt by Mosler (hip 454) for $165,000 earlier in the session.

“I've known Maddie and Jake for a long time, so when I decided to do this, I was obviously going to do it with their guidance,” Kinchen said. “We are excited about it. [Hip 487] will go to New York and likely be with George Weaver. We can keep an eye on her all summer while we are up in Saratoga. It should be a lot of fun.”

Mattmiller added, “We love Jonathon's support. We are excited to have him in the Black Type team. We have a good group of guys, so Jonathon only adds to that excitement.”

Reyes Scores With Bolt d'Oro Colt

Raul Reyes of Kings Equine cashed in on the popularity of first-crop sire Bolt d'Oro Tuesday in Timonium when selling a colt by the Spendthrift stallion (hip 364) for $500,000 to Holly and David Wilson. Reyes purchased the youngster for $40,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

“He looked really nice, very strong and very handsome,” Reyes said of his initial impressions of the colt. “I got lucky. He was late on a day in the sale and I had a chance to buy him right. He kept developing the right way. He got bigger and he never went the other way.”

Out of Australian stakes winner Forever Discreet (Aus), the dark bay colt worked a furlong in a bullet :10 flat during last week's under-tack show.

“Every year, I try something different,” Reyes said of his approach to the Maryland sale. “You don't always hit it. I brought the Bolt d'Oro, a first-year sire, and he did great. You never know what horse is going to work out. Just when you think you've got it, it goes different.”

Eight juveniles by Bolt d'Oro sold at the two-day auction for an average of $309,625, topped by a $675,000 colt sold by Pike Racing to Spendthrift Farm and Frank Fletcher Racing during Monday's first session.

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“It was a very solid opening session to the sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “There was diverse bidding activity literally from buyers all around the world participating today. This has become a really solid marketplace where you can sell a quality horse, you can sell a state-bred horse. There was lots of activity at really all price ranges.”

A total of 172 juveniles sold Monday for a gross of $15,755,700. The average of $91,603 dipped slightly from the opening session of 2021, while the median was up 11.1% to $50,000.

Last year's record-setting auction concluded its two-day run with its highest average–$94,375–and highest median–$50,000.

With 59 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate Monday was 25.5%. It was 19% during the first session of the 2021 auction.

Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, bidding on behalf of Michael Lund Petersen made the day's highest bid when going to $725,000 to acquire a filly from the first crop of GI Haskell Invitational winner Girvin. Monday's session topper was consigned by Paul Sharp.

“It's been tough all year,” Lanni said of the 2-year-old market. “It's been a crazy year. Good horses bring a lot of money and it doesn't matter who they are by, if they perform and they look like a racehorse. People want a racehorse. It's good to see the market be so strong.”

Sharp said the traditionally deep buying bench in Timonium can reward sellers.

“This sale has always been like that,” Sharp said. “If you have a horse that's kind of risen to the top, people are very excited about them. And it's a good buyer base. I like to bring meat and potato horses here, they seem to get looked at and do well here.”

The Midlantic sale continues with a final session beginning at 11 a.m. Tuesday.

Girvin Filly to Lund Petersen

Donato Lanni, bidding on behalf of Michael Lund Petersen, signed the ticket at $725,000 to acquire a filly from the first crop of GI Haskell Invitational winner Girvin (hip 88). The filly was consigned by Paul Sharp on behalf of Baltimore native John Davison. Erin Wismer purchased the filly on Davison's behalf for $90,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton July sale. She is out of Sweet Pistol (Smart Strike), a daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Pomeroys Pistol (Pomeroy) and a half-sister to multiple graded winner Thousand Words (Pioneerof the Nile).

“She was just a really cool filly,” Lanni said. “She had a lot of class. She did everything they asked her to do and she stayed pretty cool all the way through. I liked her a lot. I showed her to [trainer] Bob [Baffert] and Bob liked her as well.”

Girvin, who stands at Ocala Stud for $6,000, has had a solid spring of results in the sales ring with a half-dozen six-figure juveniles led by a $300,000 colt at the OBS Spring sale.

“I have been impressed by the Girvins I've seen,” Lanni said. “They look like they have speed and they look like they want to go two turns. This is a tough year for freshman sires because there are a lot of really good freshman sires. So he's against Justifys and Bolt d'Oros, but I've been impressed by what I've seen from him.”

Sharp agreed with Lanni's assessment of the offspring of Girvin he's seen.

“They kind of seem to have some class with some precocity,” Sharp said. “They are good-looking horses. They have some scope and look like they can get some distance, too.”

Lund Petersen purchased the top lot at the Midlantic sale in 2019 and 2020. He purchased champion Gamine (Into Mischief) for $1.8 million in 2019 and a $1.1-million son of Uncle Mo in 2020.

“Michael lives down the road and this sale has been lucky for him,” Lanni said. “He likes to be here and it's been fun to have him come to the sale. It's nice to see him be here in his backyard.”

Sharp admitted the filly's final price tag exceeded expectations.

“I had no idea she would bring that much,” Sharp said. “Coming in, we had pegged her at the $300,000 mark, after that we are only guessing. It's a guessing game about who feels the most passionate about the horse. There were several underbidders. And we are definitely thankful for them. Only one person can win, but they definitely never get enough credit, but I like to thank the underbidders.”

A filly by freshman Girvin sells for $725k in Timonium. Donato Lanni signs the ticket on the filly who was consigned by Paul Sharp. She was a $90k FTKJUL yearling. pic.twitter.com/BSgZxGCMQO

— Jessica Martini (@JessMartiniTDN) May 23, 2022

Wismer, Davison Form Winning Partnership

Bloodstock agent Erin Wismer and John Davison have turned a chance meeting at Fasig-Tipton a few years ago into a profitable partnership, never more so then when Davison sold a filly by Girvin for $725,000 Monday in Timonium. Wismer had picked the youngster out for Davison, paying $90,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton July sale.

“We met a couple years ago at Fasig-Tipton when we were both bidding on the same horse,” Wismer recalled. “We kept in touch for a couple of years. He is very passionate about the industry, but didn't know a lot about buying horses, so he asked if he came to the sales if I would teach him. He came to the sale and we just started looking at horses and I showed him what I like and what I don't. And he decided he was ready to buy one.”

The partnership's initial investment was a filly by Twirling Candy who was purchased for $40,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September sale. Returned to the ring last spring in Timonium, the filly (hip 468) sold for $200,000.

Hip 88 was Davison's second pinhooking prospect and Wismer admitted the filly's $725,000 exceeded all expectations.

“His wife calls it serendipity,” Wismer said of the partnership. “Because it was ironic that we met and it's ironic that we kept a friendship going, because he's from Baltimore and I'm from Lexington. It's kind of funny how it all happened.”

Asked what she liked about hip 88, who was bred by Airdrie Stud's Brereton Jones, last summer, Wismer explained, “My husband [Troy] works for Airdrie and I love buying Airdrie horses. I love the way they raise them. I had never seen this filly before the sale, but she just walked out and she was so classy and she seemed very intelligent. She had a lot of presence and she was a phenomenal mover.”

Wismer and Davison will be back in action Tuesday with a pair of pinhook prospects.

“We have a Good Magic colt (hip 384) and a Classic Empire filly (hip 556) in tomorrow,” Wismer said. “I love both of them, too.”

While Davison is new to the pinhooking game, his family has been breeding Thoroughbreds in Maryland for three generations.

“His grandfather and his mother have been racing in Maryland for a very long time,” Wismer said. “He is very passionate about Maryland racing.”

Spendthrift, Fletcher Team Up for Bolt Colt

The new partnership of Spendthrift Farm and Frank Fletcher, shut out at OBS last month, officially got started Monday in Timonium with the purchase of a colt by Bolt d'Oro (hip 30) for $675,000.

“He will probably go to [trainer] Brad Cox,” Spendthrift's Ned Toffey said. “We tried to get one or two down at OBS and couldn't get anything, but we are always looking for people to partner up with on colts. Frank is a quality guy who has been doing this for a long time. We are really honored to do something with him. We think we have the right colt.”

The partnership was quick to add a second juvenile to its roster when going to $340,000 to acquire a colt by GI Belmont S. winner Tapwrit (hip 47).

Hip 30 turned in a bullet :10 flat during last week's under-tack show and he is out of Shine Softly (Aldebaran), a daughter of champion Soaring Softly (Kris S.). He was consigned by Pike Racing and was purchased by Al Pike for $90,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

Monday's result continued the hot start to the stud career of Spendthrift's Bolt d'Oro, who has been in demand in the sales ring this spring and who has already been represented by a pair of winners on the racetrack.

“This is as good a start as you could ask for from a young sire,” Toffey said. “It is really remarkable how well they've been received, how they have performed at the sales so far, how they are already performing on the track. It's one thing to do it here, but he's got two winners already. You couldn't ask for him to get off to a better start.”

Toffey said hip 30 was typical of the Bolt d'Oros he has seen so far.

“They tend to have some stretch to them and stand over a lot of ground,” he said. “But they are just very athletic, that's the bottom line. We see athletes come in all shapes and sizes, these are big beautiful classy horses. But the things that you are seeing most of all is ability. This track will separate them a little bit. So if they are doing :10 flats, it's pretty strong.”

A smashing $90k to $675k pinhook for @AlPikeracing with this standout colt from the first crop of BOLT D'ORO

Hip 30 is a half to the SW The Grass is Blue from deep Darby Dan family. Purchased by @spendthriftfarm + Frank Fletcher Racing

– @ColtPike @FasigTiptonCo pic.twitter.com/0ijsxGyAeu

— Lucas Marquardt (@ThoroStride) May 23, 2022

WinStar Gets Into Mischief

WinStar Farm's David Hanley signed the ticket at $600,000 to acquire a colt by Into Mischief (hip 70) from the de Meric Sales consignment at the Midlantic sale Monday. Out of multiple stakes winner and graded placed Stormy Regatta (Midshipman), the juvenile is a half to stakes winner Bay Storm (Kantharos). He was purchased by the de Merics for $250,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale and worked a furlong at the under-tack show in :10 1/5.

“He is a beautiful horse and I thought his breeze was one of the best breezes,” Hanley said of the colt's appeal. “He has beautiful balance, he's a beautiful mover and he's full of class. Elliott [Walden] really liked the videos on the horse, so we took a shot on him.”

Hanley signed the ticket on the colt on behalf of the partnership of WinStar's Maverick Racing, Siena Farm and Commonwealth.

“It's been strong right through. I think nothing has changed with that,” Hanley said of the 2-year-old market this spring. “But he's by a proven sire with a nice page, with A.P. Indy and Storm Cat down there, and out of a nice young mare. We were very happy to get him.”

West Strikes Early for Always Dreaming Colt

Bloodstock agent Jacob West struck early in the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale Monday morning, going to $550,000 to acquire a colt from the first crop of GI Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming (hip 11) on behalf of Robert and Lawana Low. The juvenile was consigned by Top Line Sales on behalf of Marc Tacher's Elusive Thoroughbreds, which purchased him for $40,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale. He worked a quarter-mile during last week's under-tack show in :21 2/5.

“I think at the end of the day, he was one of the most talented horses that we've seen in quite some time,” West said of Always Dreaming. “For him to have done what all he did in a short amount of time speaks to the merit of the racehorse he was. And this horse reminded me of him physically. And I thought his breeze was outstanding. He is a big horse that breezed really quick on a small track. He handled it very well. Historically speaking, if you look at the front and back covers of this catalogue, the horses that breeze well here and gallop out are the ones that live up to that hype. I am just hoping he is the next one to make the catalogue.”

Hip 11 is out of stakes winner Saritta (Indygo Shiner) and from the family of graded winners Called to Serve and Behrens.

West made his winning bid just minutes into the first session of the Midlantic sale, but he was expecting action at the auction would heat up quickly.

“I actually told Mr. Low we were going to have to strike early and strike hard because I think, as this sale picks up later today and tomorrow, we are going to see some fireworks. There are some very nice horses here and there is plenty of money walking around. The market has been strong all the way through. I know some people have gotten shut out on top horses. This was a top horse. We were happy to get him.”

Monday's bang-up result continued a strong spring of sales for Tacher.

“It was exactly what you saw today,” Tacher said when asked about the colt's appeal as a yearling. “Physically, he was very impressive and a correct colt. He is a big scopey colt who looks like a two-turn colt who looks like he can go on and do good things.”

Of the colt's yearling price tag, Tacher added, “I was surprised to get him for that. I thought he was going to go much higher. I was happy to get him for $40,000 because I'm always thinking about the 2-year-old sales.”

Asked how his pinhooking has gone this spring, Tacher said, “Fantastic. This has been a great year. Probably my best year.”

Watch Hip 11 c. ALWAYS DREAMING o/o Saritta sell for $550,000 at the Midlantic 2YO Sale! Congrats to all the connections!#FasigMD @WestBloodstock @TopLineTBs @WinStarFarm pic.twitter.com/mCMEFDEQiF

— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) May 23, 2022

Ransom the Moon Colt Tops Big Day for Brewer

Robert Brewer enjoyed a string of pinhooking successes Monday in Timonium, led by a colt by Ransom the Moon (hip 94) who sold for $375,000 to B-4 Farms, LLC. The Texan had purchased the dark bay colt for $55,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton October sale.

“It was a good lick,” Brewer said of the result. “But with all the action that was on him, I thought he might bring more. I thought he could bring $300,000 to $500,000.”

Brewer also sold a colt by Good Samaritan (hip 135), purchased for $27,000 at Fasig October last fall, for $150,000 to Chad Schumer, as well as a filly by Cross Traffic (hip 270) for $150,000 to August Dawn Farm. Paul Neatherlin signed for the filly at $18,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale.

Brewer purchased a colt by Bolt d'Oro (hip 272) for $35,000 at the Fasig October sale and sold him Tuesday for $250,000 to Harmash Racing.

“I was excited when I was seeing how the Bolt d'Oros were selling,” Brewer admitted. “I knew I had a good one, so I knew I would do well with him.”

When Brewer is shopping for yearlings, he said the individual is paramount.

“An athlete,” he said succinctly when asked what he looks for in pinhooking prospects. “[The pedigree] kind of matters on the price, but I don't open my book until I find a horse.”

Asked to assess his Monday in Timonium, Brewer said, “It was good. I RNA'd a couple that shocked me a little bit, but I am getting them sold.”

Thank you to our buyers and consignors for supporting the Midlantic Two-Year-Olds in Training sale. Session 1 has ended. Session 2 begins tomorrow at 11 AM.

Results https://t.co/BaQGsdE2mc #FasigMD pic.twitter.com/r84GYxQtgf

— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) May 23, 2022

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A total of 636 juveniles have been catalogued for the Midlantic sale, which will be held next Monday and Tuesday. Bidding commences each day at 11 a.m.

The post Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Under-Tack Show Begins Tuesday appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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