NEWS: SALES

2015 Fasig-Tipton sale of NY-bred yearlings continues outstanding run in Saratoga

Monday, August 17th, 2015
Hip 491 (Fasig-Tipton photo)

Sunday Session topper Hip 491 (Fasig-Tipton photo)

by Sarah Mace

Going into the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred preferred yearling sale, breeders had seen exponential growth in the marketplace from 2010 to 2014: a 283% increase in gross revenue (from $3,676,000 to $14,099,000), a 105% rise in average price ($39,106 to $80,108) and 141% increase in median ($27,000 to $65,000). It seemed reasonable to brace for some correction in the marketplace in 2015, especially with a 10% decrease in the size of the catalogue, but this was not the case.

The 2015 renewal of the sale, now in the books, posted increases in gross and average, and a dramatic improvement in buy-back rate, while the median held steady. There was also expansion at the very top end. In a nutshell: the market for New York-bred yearlings is holding firmly on to all gains made in recent years, and the sale results should instill confidence in breeders that there is no sign that that demand for New York-breds, especially individuals with strong pedigrees, will drop off any time soon.

Of 252 yearlings offered over two days of trading in the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion this Saturday and Sunday, 182 found new homes. The number was up from 176 sold from last year’s larger catalogue and translated into an improved buyback rate of 28.7%, down from 35.3% in 2014.

Gross sales at the 2015 auction increased to $14,876,500 from $14,099,000 last year, and the average yearling price was up 1.9% to $81,739 from $80,108 in 2014, which was, in its own right, 11% higher than in 2013. The median held steady at last year’s record mark of $65,000.

“There was very, very good energy throughout the sale tonight,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “We’ve reached a very mature market here with the New York-bred sale. The gross sales have been very consistent over the last three years. There was lots of depth to the buying group with lots of activity across the board at virtually every level over the last two nights.”

Continued Browning, “It was a very successful New York-bred sale again in 2015 and it should provide confidence to the breeders that they can breed a quality mare to a quality stallion and raise a quality foal/yearling and be rewarded in the marketplace.”

This year, 50 yearlings fetched six figures over two sessions of trading, comparable to the 51 individuals who sold for six figures last year. Last year only two yearlings sold for $250,000 and more, and the sale topper was a $270,000 filly by Lookin at Lucky out of Rose Rhapsody. In 2015 seven yearlings met or exceeded the $250,000 threshold, and the top four surpassed last year’s topper.

The top seven lots, all selling for $250,000 and up were:

Hip 416, $350,000 the sale topper: a bay filly by Tiznow out of Acey Deucey (Abaginone). Bred by Stone Bridge Farm, consigned by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck) Agent, purchased by McMahon & Hill Bloodstock, agent. (Read more.)

Hip 491, $300,000, top lot in session two, a chestnut filly by Speightstown out of Glory Gold (Medaglia d’Oro). Bred by Twin Creeks Farm, consigned by Denali Stud (Craig & Holly Bandoroff), purchased by John C Oxley. (See more below)

Hip 380, $300,000, second top seller of session one, a bay filly by To Honor and Serve out of Tale of a Dream (Tale of the Cat). Bred by Rf HF Mares Rule #2, consigned by Preferred Equine Agent, purchased by McMahon & Hill Bloodstock, Agt. (Read more.)

Hip 333, $290,000, a dark bay or brown colt by Flatter out of River Nore (Archers Bay). Bred by Oak Bluff Stables LLC, consigned by Winter Quarter Farm Agent, purchased by Lrk Stable Inc. (Read more.)

Hip 351, $255,000, a chestnut filly by Lookin At Lucky out of MSW Shesastonecoldfox (Foxhound). Bred by Dennis & Deborah Petrisak, consigned by Thomas J. Gallo III Sales Agency, agent, purchased by Mike Ryan, agent. Shesastonecoldfox is the dam of NY-bred stakes winners Fox Rules and Fox Rox.

Hip 403, $250,000, a bay colt by Uncle Mo out of Wallingford (Cat Thief). Bred by John N. Lauriello, consigned by Indian Creek Agent, purchased by Eqb Inc., agent for Zayat Stable. Wallingford is a daughter of GSW Coolwind who is also a stakes producer. The colt’s third dam is GSW Til Forbid.

Hip 508, $250,000, a chestnut filly by City Zip out of winner Indy Summer (A.P. Indy). Bred by My Meadowview Farm, consigned by Darby Dan Farm Agent, purchased by Mike Ryan, Agent. Indy Summer is a half-sister to MG1SW Hollywood Story.

Sunday’s session topper and the third top-seller in the sale overall was Hip 491, a Speightstown filly out of Glory Gold, who was purchased by trainer Mark Casse on behalf of John Oxley for $300,000 from the consignment of Craig & Holly Bandoroff’s Denali Stud.

The chestnut, foaled last May 3, was bred by Twin Creeks Farm, who bought the filly’s dam for $125,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November sale. Glory Gold is New York-bred winner bred by Dr. Lance G. Bell and a half-sister to graded stakes winner Mocha Express (Java Gold), a $960,216-earner who set a track record at Louisiana Downs going 1 1/8 miles in the Grade 3 Ark-La-Tex Handicap. Another half-sibling Raving Rocket is a stakes winner.

“(Oxley) was here earlier in the day and looked at her,” said Casse. “He has been doing his own bidding this year, but he had an engagement so he asked me if I’d come bid. He loved her. He asked me to look at a few horses, and I put together a list for him, and he went and saw her, and he said, “I really like her, Mark.’ ”

The top three sellers in the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred sale were fillies, which only added to filly successes in the boutique select sale earlier in the week, when New York-bred fillies topped the distaff side of all yearling sale offerings on both days of trading. The top filly of the opening session was Hip 104 by War Front, bred by Gallagher’s Stud and purchased by Glen Hill Farm for $570,000. On Tuesday bloodstock agent Steven Young signed a ticket for $800,000 on behalf of an undisclosed client for Hip 170, a New York-bred filly by Malibu Moon, who became the best-selling filly of the prestigious auction.

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