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Breeding Stock on Tap at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale

The focus switches to breeding stock with the return of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale, which will be held at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion today. A total of 236 broodmares/broodmare prospects and New York-bred weanlings have been cataloged for the single-session sale, which gets underway at 10 a.m. To view the catalog, click here.

After being KO'd by COVID in 2020, the sale returned in 2021, generating $3,657,800 in revenue for 163 head sold. Heading last season's sale was a filly by Catalina Cruiser, that realized top price of $195,000.

“This is an important sale for those that actively participate in the New York-bred program,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “Saratoga Fall annually offers the highest concentration of New York-bred weanlings of any mixed sale in North America. This year we have 175 weanlings catalogued–all of which are New York-bred.”

Added Browning, “There are also good opportunities in the broodmare portion of the sale, with a number of mares in foal to promising young sires.”

Among this season's young stallion roster with first weanlings or yearlings up for grabs Monday are Instagrand, Leofric, Solomini, Global Campaign, Fog of War, Honest Mischief, King for a Day, Sun to Run, Complexity, Higher Power, Maximus Mischief, Yoshida, Killybegs Captain, Frank Conversation, Mr. Monomoy, Gunnevera, Flameaway, Audible, Country House, Vekoma, Honor A.P., Vino Rosso, War of Will, Gift Box and Tom's d'Etat.

Once again providing strong New York-bred representation, RFHF Bloodstock offers up 21 head–19 youngsters and a pair of in-foal broodmares. Often found among the leading consignors at this venue, RFHF sold the sale-topping weanling, a colt by Practical Joke, for $160,000 during the 2019 renewal of the sale.

“We are going in there with a slightly smaller group of horses this year,” said RFHF's Chris Bernhard. “We had a few April and May babies, and pushing them for an October sale didn't really seem fair to them. I feel we often leave money on the table with them, so I tried to go over there with the horses that are going to fit. Although we have a few less horses than we normally do, the quality and sire power is still there.”

In regard to the positioning on the sale's calendar, he continued, “I always try to have a significant number of horses for this sale. I feel like a lot of the Florida and Kentucky pinhookers have put it on their calendars.”

“I think it's a great opportunity for breeders to sell horses in their own backyard. For me, it's nice to do it at home and be able to sleep in my own bed and then go back at it the next day.

I've always been one of the biggest supporters of the sale and will continue to do so.”

Among RFHF's leading prospects this year is Hip 200 by Honor A.P. out of Italian Highweight juvenile filly Omaticaya (Bernstein), purchased by the operation in foal to the Lane's End sire for $30,000 at Keeneland last November. The Jan. 29 colt is from the family of Irish highweighted router Muhtarram.

“He's a standout,” he said. “He's just really beautiful.”

Bernhard is equally high on Hip 105, a colt by Taylor Made stallion Instagrand out of EZ Passer (Southern Image).

“I like our first year horses which is what I try to program,” he explained. “We go over there with proper horses that are proper physicals and have some pedigree behind them. And try to be the first of that sire's offspring to go through the sale.”

Of the pair of colts, Bernhard added, “They are both big, scopey, pretty individuals. We thought this was a good opportunity here. They both have lovely pedigrees.”

Another colt on offer representing first-season sire War of Will is Hip 209. The colt's dam Parol (Mizzen Mast) was secured in foal to the Claiborne sire for $102,000 at Keeneland last November. The March foal hails from the female family of Pulpit.

“I have intentionally put in first-season sires in this sale because between Taylor Made, Lane's End and Claiborne, they each have their own following in this business and I feel it's strategically a smart place to put them. Hopefully, the individuals can shine and we can top the sale again this year.”

Additionally, Empire State-based sires also can be found on the pages of this season's consignment, including a pair of weanlings by Fog of War (War Front), who stands at Bernhard's Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater, New York. The GI Summer S. winner is represented by his first crop of weanlings in 2022.

Heading the duo is a colt bred by Hidden Lake, Hip 117. The Feb. 4 foal is the fifth offspring out of Fujiana (Fusaichi Pegasus), a half-sister to GSW Josh's Madelyn (Quiet American) and Party Silks, dam of MGSW and MGISP Upstart (Flatter) and SW Practice Squad (Malibu Moon). RFHF also presents Hip 23, a Fog of War colt out of SP Sweet Sugaree (Tiznow).

“They are intentionally put into this sale,” he said. “I have talked to a few people that are keen on [the stallion's first foals] as well. I am excited to see how his progeny fare at this sale and we have a few more that we'll offer over the next couple of months.”

He continued, “I have seen about 70% of [Fog of War's] offspring and I've been really pleased with them as individuals. They have a lot of leg, and are big, stretchy horses with a real powerful shoulder. They are very pretty, balanced and look fast and early.”

According to Bernhard, partner Chris Larsen's 3C Stable has made a concerted effort to improve his broodmare band in an effort to support his New York program. As a result, several of the resulting foals secured in utero over the past year have made their way to the sales ring this fall.

“We bought a couple million dollars worth of mares–about 60 mares over the course of the last two years–to support his investment in Fog of War and Galilean [standing in partnership with West Point],” he explained. “So, these are the first couple of weanlings that are coming out of that group, which includes our War of Will and Honor A.P. colts”

“[From those mares] we have a lot of those babies are nicely sired Kentucky horses and we'll have another group of horses that will go to Keeneland. We'll probably hold back 60 or 70 weanlings to look at for the August sales in Saratoga.”

“Basically, we were looking to get our initial investment back from the 22 foals out of the mares we purchased and can also give [Fog of War and Galilean] a proper opportunity to be bred to nice mares.”

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UK Quarterback Will Levis and Walker Hancock Join ‘Catching Up with Katie’

In the first episode of the TDN's new video series 'Catching Up with Katie,' host Katie Petrunyak sat down with the University of Kentucky's starting quarterback Will Levis and Claiborne Farm's Walker Hancock at Wallace Station Deli and Bakery outside of Lexington to discuss the N.I.L. (Name, Image, and Likeness) deal between Levis and Claiborne stallion War of Will (War Front).

The partnership was announced early last month and is the first of its kind for any collegiate student-athlete with a Thoroughbred syndicate.

“The reaction that we have gotten has been incredible,” Hancock shared. “The Tweet that we sent out has over 500,000 impressions, so it literally went viral. It was cool to see other outlets that aren't necessarily in the horse industry pick it up. We are always trying to find new fans and when we can cross sports like this, getting football fans focused on racing and racing fans watching football, it works out really well for both sports. It has been a perfect synergy of our brands with what we are looking to do.”

Set to take the field this fall for his second season as QB for the Wildcats, Levis talked about the opportunities this deal has provided not only for himself and War of Will, but for the Thoroughbred industry at large.

“[Horse racing] is so pertinent to Kentucky's economic success,” he said. “To bring eyes to the industry and to the people that are a part of it has been really cool. You're getting not only the eyes of people in the horse industry and Kentucky football fans, you're expanding the possibilities for fans from brand new demographics because of the uniqueness of the deal and the amount of people that picked up on it. Regardless of if you have interest in horse racing or football, it's still a cool story to read about.”

Levis, who threw for 2,826 passing yards and 24 touchdowns last year to lead UK to one of its most successful seasons on record, has quickly developed an interest in, and perhaps even a bit of a passion for, the sport of horse racing since his move to Lexington. He has already made several visits to Keeneland and this year, attended his first Kentucky Derby.

Asked if he had any desire to someday get further involved in the industry, Will responded enthusiastically. “100%. It's definitely something I want to keep myself involved in one way or another. I still have a lot to learn and I still have just a very surface-level knowledge of the sport, but I'm going to keep dipping my feet in and learning as much about it as I can because it's so interesting. There's a lot of money in it too, and that's not the main reason behind my interest, but while I'm here I have to take advantage of it.”

Later in the conversation, Hancock shared how he envisions the future of other stud farms potentially partnering with athletes in the N.I.L. space, and both Levis and Hancock discussed how each of their family legacies played a roll in building their own success.

Watch this first episode of Catching Up with Katie on YouTube or on TDNTv.

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Deauville, It’s Good To Be Back

DEAUVILLE, France–With a glinting sun, seagulls on the wing, and the occasional hint of a sea breeze, it is hard to imagine on this perfect spring day that there was ever anything wrong in the world. But it was three years ago that Arqana last held its Breeze-Up Sale at its rightful home in Normandy, with a prolonged pandemic twice forcing the uprooting of one of the most popular auctions of the year to Yorkshire.

“It is good to be back here,” says Freddy Powell, Arqana's executive director. “But we are still very grateful to Goffs UK for hosting us for two years. We know our own place better though and it's great to see the smile on everybody's face to be back in Deauville. Some of them are already saying that they can't wait to be back in August.”

It is easy to see why, for there is no more pleasing backdrop to the serious business of a horse sale than the seaside town where racehorses wander through the streets of a morning. With the horses in training back in their stables for the day, it is the turn of the next intake. In front of packed stands and a complimentary hot dog stall, juvenile after juvenile breezes down the back straight of Deauville's turf course with pleasing frequency, coats gleaming now that the winter is fully behind us.

“The consignors have done a wonderful job,” Powell says. “Obviously we have more time than the other sales, and especially with fillies at this time of the year, suddenly they start to look great. The feeling is that if you don't have a horse for the early races, what is the point in rushing them to a sale when you can come to Deauville in May.”

The horses don't just look good, however. There are some serious pedigrees among the original 145 catalogued and the seven wild-card entries. Just by Lope De Vega (Ire) alone you can find the full-brother to Phoenix Of Spain (Ire) (lot 17), winner of the Irish 2000 Guineas three years ago and now a member of the Irish National Stud roster. At the National Stud in Newmarket is the new recruit Lope Y Fernandez (Ire), and his full-sister pops up in the catalogue as lot 107. Both 2-year-olds hail from the draft of Church Farm & Horse Park Stud.

“We don't worry so much about pushing them to do a really fast time,” says Roger Marley of Church Farm as he watches the breeze with his consigning partner John Cullinan. “I like them to be moving well within themselves and finishing off nicely.”

He adds as their Sea The Moon (Ger) colt (lot 140) gallops by easily under jockey Gary Halpin. “I'm delighted with that, they've breezed really well today.”

Among the onlookers are visitors from America, Dubai, Saudi Arabia, Britain, Germany, Scandinavia and beyond. Bhupat Seemar, who had his first taste of the Kentucky Derby experience with Arqana graduate Summer Is Tomorrow (Summer Front) last Saturday, sits alongside his uncle Satish, from whom he took over the training licence in Dubai last year. Marc Chan, who is represented by former Arqana August yearling New Mandate (Ire) (New Bay {GB}) in Saturday's G1 Lockinge S., is in attendance with agent Jamie McCalmont, and also at the sale is Dean Reeves of GI Breeders' Cup Classic winner Mucho Macho Man fame.

“Obviously through War Of Will (War Front), winning the Preakness with a horse who was sold as a 2-year-old in France was a great thing for us,” says Powell. “But for the last few years we have had Kentucky Derby contenders and that's quite special.

“It shows as well the know-how of our horsemen in Europe, that they are preparing horses to run all over the world.”

He adds, “We are very thankful to France Galop and how they work the Deauville track to ensure it is perfect for the breeze. And we are grateful to the trainers here who had to finish earlier this morning for the breeze, and who cope with not being able to use the all-weather track for a few days. But they understand that it is great for people from all over the world to come here to see all the amazing facilities that Deauville has, and perhaps they will end up having a horse trained here. It's a wonderful showcase.”

Norman Williamson, the consignor of War Of Will at this sale four years ago, offers a pair of juveniles from his Oak Tree Farm, including a Kingman (GB) colt from the Lordship Stud family of Swiss Lake (GB) (Indian Ridge {GB}). As lot 72, he was among the fastest breezers of the day.

“They did a great job on the ground,” Williamson notes. “It was watered every night and they had a great covering of grass. It is quick ground but these are Flat horses and I thought there was a good cover of grass on it. There seems to be a lot of people around here so hopefully it ends up being a very good sale.”

Come Friday night, we will know just how good the sale has been, but the early signs are more than encouraging.

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War of Will Syndicate Partners with UK Football’s Will Levis

The syndicate that owns MGISW War of Will (War Front), who stands at Claiborne Farm and whose first foals are arriving this year, has entered into a partnership agreement with the University of Kentucky (UK)'s starting quarterback Will Levis. The agreement, which was announced by Sports Management Company Athlete Advantage, is an N.I.L. (Name, Image, and Likeness) deal.

“Will Levis loves racing,” said Claiborne's Walker Hancock. “He came out to the farm two weeks ago and he met War of Will. We filmed a commercial and that will be airing on FOX Sports this weekend on America's Day at the Races. He's going to do some social media posts and help promote the stallion. It's kind of a new approach. It's different. It's innovative. It's a different kind of way of looking at marketing. The name was obviously a big play as well. Kind of made perfect sense, with the University of Kentucky right here, and it has been a great partnership. He's awesome. He's a fierce competitor on the field, but in person, he's easy going, soft spoken, and nice to talk to.”

The agreement will consist of a multimedia advertising campaign that will center on the athleticism of both football players and racehorses. It represents the first N.I.L. deal for any collegiate student-athlete with a Thoroughbred syndicate.

Continued Hancock: “We are thrilled to be the first farm to partner with a Division I athlete in this newly created N.I.L. space. Having a star quarterback help promote one of our young and promising stallions is a new way of advertising that we think provides a perfect synergy of our brands. Will's athleticism and performance displayed on the football field mirrors what we saw with War of Will on the racetrack and the reason he is such an exciting stallion prospect.”

War of Will, best known for his GI Preakness S. win after being impeded with in the GI Kentucky Derby and praised for his athleticism for staying on his feet, also won a number of other graded races, including the GI Maker's Mark Mile on the turf.

From Connecticut, Levis threw for over 2,820 yards last year and is attributed with 24 touchdowns. He was part of UK's second win in the VRBO Citrus Bowl and one of the school's most successful seasons on record.

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