by Sarah Mace
New York-bred yearlings put in another strong showing at this week’s record-breaking Fasig-Tipton October sale, managing to pace with all major indicators and featuring six individuals who sold for at least $100,000.
While the October sale rolled along through three sessions posting new records in overall gross, average and median prices, New York-bred yearlings kept in step. The average price for a New York-bred was $32,974, compared to the sale average of $34,117 which saw an increase of 31 percent over last year. The New York-bred median of $17,000 was identical to the sale median, which rose 33.3 percent from 2012, and New York-bred buy-back rate of 17 percent was on a par with 16 percent RNAs overall, which improved on last year’s 20 percent.
Of the six New York-bred yearlings who brought at least $100,000, the top seller was a $250,000 colt by Harlan’s Holiday, who turned out to be the sixth highest-priced yearling overall and third top-selling colt.
Other standouts included the top-selling New York-bred filly (Hip 804), a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro who sold to Sarazen & Talus Stable for $170,000 in Wednesday’s closing Session 3. Bred by Gallagher’s Stud where she was foaled on January 30, 2012, and consigned by Craig and Holly Bandoroff’s Denali Stud, the bay filly is the second foal produced by Hostess (Chester House), a multiple graded stakes winner who set the current course record for 1 3/8 miles over the Saratoga inner turf course in the 2008 Grade 3 Glens Falls Handicap ($383,918). A $650,000 purchase by Gallagher’s at the 2008 Keeneland November sale, Hostess’ first foal, Z Maitre D (Awesome Again), won on debut at two. She did not produce a foal in 2013 and was bred this year to War Front.
The standout of Session 2 and third highest priced New York-bred at the sale was Hip 431, a chestnut colt by Sky Mesa who is a half-brother to champion New York-bred 3-year-old filly Ava K. (Dixie Union). Purchased by Mark Casse, Agent, from the consignment of St George Sales, Agent II, for $165,000, the March colt was bred by Sugar Maple Farm in partnership with H. Lewis Rapaport. The partners campaigned his stakes-winning New York-bred dam Bedside Manner (Dr. Blum), who was bred by Sugar Maple’s owner Howard Kaskel and went undefeated in her first five starts ($262,223). Her daughter Ava K., who began her career by winning three straight, is a multiple stakes winner and graded stakes-placed ($201,467). Bedside Manner has produced six winners from eight starters and currently has a weanling colt by Bluegrass Cat. She was bred to Posse this year.
