By Sarah Mace
The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall sale has grown steadily from its humble beginnings in 2012, regularly setting new benchmarks with each year’s renewal. Monday’s auction was no exception. The sale that has evolved into a fall staple in New York established new records for total sales, average and median, and posted the lowest RNA rate in five years. The New York-bred weanling sector, which had a breakout year nationally in 2017, led the way, topped by a $140,000 colt from the first crop of Sequel’s New York sire Laoban.
The results of the full sale – mares and weanlings combined – were outstanding. A total of 115 individuals sold for a $29,402 average price, which was up 29.7 percent over last year’s average of $22,674. The $20,000 median increased 66.7 percent over the $12,000 median of 2017. The session’s total sales of $3,381,200 improved 3.6 percent on last year’s record of $3,265,000. Since the sale’s first year, when it grossed $1,933,600, it has grown 68.9 percent. Six individuals in all, four weanlings and two broodmares, brought six figures.
Mares and Weanlings combined results
| Year | Offered | Sold | RNA% | Total Sales | Average | Median |
| 2018 | 170 | 115 | 35.4% | $3,381,200 | $29,402 | $20,000 |
| 2017 | 236 | 144 | 39.0% | $3,265,000 | $22,674 | $12,000 |
| 2016 | 261 | 164 | 37.2% | $2,780,600 | $16,955 | $8,500 |
| 2015 | 300 | 162 | 46.0% | $2,833,800 | $17,493 | $10,000 |
| 2014 | 331 | 193 | 41.7% | $3,206,100 | $16,612 | $10,000 |
| 2013 | 233 | 179 | 23.2% | $3,363,600 | $18,791 | $11,000 |
| 2012 | 201 | 119 | 40.8% | $1,933,600 | $16,249 | $12,000 |
Weanlings, as usual, made up the majority of the 2018 catalogue. In all, 85 youngsters changed hands (of 122 offered) for a record $2,599,000, eclipsing last year’s $2,331,500 benchmark for 80 weanlings. This year’s weanling average of $30,577 improved on last’s year’s record weanling average of $29,144 by 4.9 percent. The median, likewise, continued the sale’s upward trends, topping out this year at $23,000 from last year’s $20,000. Weanling buybacks improved dramatically, reducing last year’s 48.8 RNA percentage to 33.3 percent, the best number since 2013. Overall, the weanling market at the Saratoga fall sale has grown exponentially since 2012 when 57 weanlings sold for $926,600, averaged $16,249 and had a median price of $12,500
Weanling results
| Year | Offered | Sold | RNA% | Total Sales | Average | Median |
| 2018 | 122 | 85 | 33.3% | $2,599,000 | $30,577 | $23,000 |
| 2017 | 145 | 80 | 44.8% | $2,331,500 | $29,144 | $20,000 |
| 2016 | 142 | 87 | 38.7% | $1,814,000 | $20,851 | $12,000 |
| 2015 | 161 | 78 | 51.6% | $1,879,400 | $24,095 | $15,000 |
| 2014 | 153 | 76 | 50.3% | $1,693,200 | $22,279 | $16,000 |
| 2013 | 94 | 74 | 21.3% | $1,565,200 | $21,151 | $17,500 |
| 2012 | 88 | 57 | 35.2% | $926,600 | $16,256 | $12,500 |
Four weanlings – all colts – brought six figures on Monday, led by Hip 180, a bay colt by Sequel Stallions’ first crop sire Laoban foaled on April 27. Bred by Thomas/Burleson and consigned by Sequel, the Laoban colt went to Bluewater Sales LLC, Agent. The colt’s dam is Promising Vow (Broken Vow), a Kentucky-bred winner purchased by Chester Broman for $22,000 at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale. Promising Vow has produced one winner, The Two Nancy’s by Desert Party, and is a half-sister to stakes winners Top Surprize and Dr John’s, as well as stakes performer Cosmic Queen. The colt’s third dam is group winner Live at the Top.
The second top-selling weanling, Hip 78, was purchased by Machmer Hall for $125,000. The bay colt by first crop sire Outwork was bred by Saratoga Glen Farm, John P. Hicks and William Martin and consigned by Catalyst Bloodstock, LLC. He is the third foal from Bluegrass Ellie by Bluegrass Cat, whose first foal and only runner to date Funnel Cake is a six-figure earner. Bluegrass Ellie is a half sister to stakes winner and graded stakes performer Tiger Hunt.
Machmer Hall also picked up the co-third top seller of the day, Hip 72, a dark bay colt by Kantharos out of Bedside Posse, who drove the bidding $100,000. Bred by Sugar Maple Farm and consigned by Vinery Sales, the colt’s second dam is stakes winner Bedside Manner (Dr. Blum), who produced Grade 2 winner Skyway and multiple stakes-winning New York-bred sprinter Ava K.
The final colt of the top quartet, also bringing $100,000, was Hip 225, sired by Not this Time, another new stallion. Bred by Hidden Lake Farm LLC and Axle Ahlschwede and offered by the RFHF consignment of Chris Bernhard of Hidden Lake Farm and Elaine Peck of Rhapsody Farm, the colt was purchased by Bloodstock Investments VI. Foaled in March, the chestnut has a flashy pedigree page. He is out of Truss, a producer of two winners from two foals to start and a half-sister to Confidently. Confidently (Storm Cat) is a sister to Yankee Gentleman and the dam of Chester and Mare Broman homebred Khancord Kid, a graded stakes winner and the dam of Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner Bar of Gold.
