Fasig-Tipton photo
By Sarah Mace
The 2017 edition of the Fasig-Tipton sale of New York-bred yearlings got off to a splendid start on Saturday night at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga, posting increases in total sales, average and median prices, and a decrease in buy-backs. In the words of Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, with reference to the record-setting Saratoga selected yearling sale that took place on Monday and Tuesday, “We hit the trifecta again tonight from a sales perspective.”
In all, 93 New York-bred yearlings sold Saturday (including five private sales) of 123 offered, for total sales of $8,155,000. The buyback rate was 24.4%. Last year’s opener (i.e. the horses slated to sell in the opening Saturday session before violent weather caused the auction to be held in one continuous session on Sunday) brought $6,965,500 in sales and produced an RNA rate of 33.6%.
The average yearling price on Saturday was $87,688, up 14.5% from $76,544 in 2016, while the median came in at $75,000, 25% more than last year’s $60,000.
The session topper was Hip 371, a bay colt by the late City Zip out of a multiple stakes-producing mare who was bred by James Lamonica and Lee Sacks, and consigned by Shack Parrish’s Indian Creek. Mike Ryan signed a ticket for $350,000 on behalf of Kindred Racing. Previously the colt was the New York-bred weanling topper at the Keenland November sale, where he sold in Book 2 for $240,000 to Osprey Bloodstock.
Hip 371 (Fasig-Tipton photo)
The City Zip colt, who was foaled on May 27, 2016, is out of Nick’s Honor, an unraced daughter of Jump Start who has produced four winners, topped by stakes winner Kelli Got Frosty (Frost Giant) and multiple stakes winner The Lewis Dinner (Posse). Nick’s Honor has a 2-year-old filly by Tale of the Cat named Thread the Needle, who has not started, and foaled a full brother to the sale colt on June 2.
Mike Ryan (Fasig Tipton photo)
“I thought he was an exceptional colt by an exceptional sire,” said Ryan. “I expect this horse to be competing in open company. He is that kind of physical. I’ve never seen a City Zip with the dimensions of this horse: the scope, the physique, the strength of him and he’s handsome to go with it.”
Ryan continued, “The mare has thrown runners from not-great stallions and City Zip is by far superior to any of the other stallions she was bred to. He is almost a June foal and he looks like a 2-year-old already. I thought he was the best horse in the sale. I guess time will tell. If we read about him 12 months from now, we’ll know.”
Ryan said of his client, Kindred Racing, “He is developing a quality racing stable and he has some horses here in New York with Brad Cox and Rudy Rodriguez. He’s not new to it, but he’s new to racing in New York. He had a good horse last year and he has some nice horses who are going to run later in the meet. He loves the game; his family loves it. He’s enthralled with it.”
Honors for top filly of the opening session go to Hip 428, a chestnut yearling by Union Rags purchased by Robert Masiello for $270,000 from the consignment of Hunter Valley Farm, Agent. Bred by Mares Rule III LLC, the filly is a graduate of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga mixed sale last year, where she went to Central Bloodstock for $70,000.
The filly’s dam is Seattle Society, an unraced Kentucky-bred A.P. Indy mare who has produced two winners, including graded placed Society Beau by Curlin. The filly’s second dam is Grade 2 winner Westerly Breeze. Seattle Society foaled a Mission Impazible filly on February 4, and has been bred to Brody’s Cause.
Fasig-Tipton photo
“We loved this filly,” Masiello said. “Every time we pulled her out of the stall, she just put her head down and walked. She’s a beautiful filly and we love Union Rags. I knew she was going to bring some money. There were a couple other horses that I bid on a little bit earlier in the sale, but I was trying to keep my power because I knew this was a filly I wanted.”
Continued Masiello who bid while sitting alongside trainer Tom Morley, “She could be one that I could try to resell, but I really want to race her I will see if West Point [Thoroughbreds] would want to take a leg, I’ll have to talk to Terry [Finley]. Tom Morley will get her if I race her and I will more than likely race her. I’ll send her to Eddie Woods and if Eddie says she would make a ton of money at a 2-year-old sale, I might sell.”
A total of 28 New York-bred yearlings brought six figures in the auction’s opening session and, in addition to the colt and filly toppers, four more individuals took bidders past the $200,000 threshold.
The second-best seller of the night was Hip 357, a colt by second-crop sire Maclean’s Music named Better B Gud. He is the second foal out of the placed Mineshaft mare My Canary. Bred by David W. Kamp and Dr. Patricia S. Purdy and sold by Vinery Sales, Agent, the yearling went to Vineyard Ventures for $275,000.
Hip 329, a from the first crop of Cairo Prince out of Krakowviak, was purchased by J J Crupi Agent for $225,000 from the consignment of Denali Stud (Craig & Holly Bandoroff), agent for breeder Gallagher’s Stud. Producer of stakes performers Hidden Vow and Morning Calm, Krakowviak is a half sister to graded winner Antoniette, dam of Grade 1 winner and $1.4 million earner Switch.
A First Samurai colt bred by EKQ Stables Corp and out of winner-producer Show Me the Carats (More than Ready) sold as Hip 439 to Shortleaf Stable from the consignment of St George Sales $220,000. Show Me the Carats is a half sister to stakes winner Bright Town.
Hip 444, a Curlin filly bred by Milfer Farm was purchased by West Point Thoroughbreds for $210,000. Consigned by Legacy Bloodstock Agent, the January chestnut filly is out of placed runner Sister Diane by Giant’s Causeway, who is a half sister to stakes winners Our Double Play and Cool Spell, who is also a stakes producer.
The two-day New York-bred preferred yearling sale will conclude on Sunday evening. Trading resumes at the Humphrey S. Finney sales pavilion 6:30 p.m.
sale was great and will go nowhere but UP!!