NEWS: SALES

Top New York-bred colt and filly fetch $300,000-plus at Fasig-Tipton opener

Monday, August 12th, 2019

Fasig-Tipton photo

By Sarah Mace

New York-bred yearlings made a fine showing in the “short” opening session of the two-day Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale on Monday evening. The top colt and filly were hammered down for $340,000 and $300,000 respectively, while seven youngsters sold for more than $200,000. Just over a third of the yearlings to change hands (23) brought six figures.

Fasig-Tipton adopted a new format for the annual sale this year. Typically conducted over two evening sessions on Saturday and Sunday, this year the sale began with a Sunday session beginning at 7:00 p.m. and covering approximately one-third of the catalogue (Hips 301-420 or 120 head). The second session, which is comprised of Hips 421-632 (or 211 horses), is scheduled to begin at 12:00 noon on Monday to capitalize on the new dark day in Saratoga’s racing schedule. Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. said that the adjustment was a response to feedback from buyers and sellers. “With a lot going on, including the races, the sale has reached a level of importance that buyers and sellers felt they needed more time to look,” Browning said.

Over the course of the auction’s first session 66 youngsters sold of 97 offered (including 5 private sales) for a 31.96% buyback percentage. The average price on day one was $90,492 and the median price came in at $75,000.

Hip 342 (Fasig-Tipton photo)

The top-seller in Session 1 was Hip 342, a bay March 29 colt by Constitution from the family of Micromanage. Purchased by trainer John Terranova on behalf of an undisclosed client for $340,000, the colt was bred by Newtown Anner Stud and consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services LLC, Agent I.

The colt’s dam is Akris Queen, a winning Kentucky-bred daughter of Arch. Akris Queen is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Indescribable and graded stakes winner and New York sire Micromanage, whose first foals are hitting the racetrack this year. Another stakes-winning half-sibling is Elaflaak. Akris Queen has produced two winners from two foals to start and foaled a filly by Flatter this year. She has been bred to Good Samaritan.

“We’re really happy we got him and our client was as well,” said Terranova, who trained Akris Queen. “We thought he was the best horse in the sale, and we’ve seen Constitution get off to a hot start with 2-year-olds on the track. The mare’s got a big pedigree, and it’s nice to see her throwing a good-looking colt like that.”

“With everything lining up with the sire getting as hot as he has been currently, this horse’s physical was really, really strong,” said Nick Sallusto, part of the consignment team.

Fasig-Tipton photo

The top filly of Monday’s session, Hip 380, hails from the first crop of Runhappy and brought $300,000. Oracle Bloodstock signed the ticket on behalf of Reeves Racing/R.A. Hills, Corms. She was consigned by Gainesway on behalf of (as it happens) Fasig-Tipton’s Boyd T. Browning Jr. and Partners. Billy Terrell and Browning are the breeders of record.

The bay February 3, 2018 filly is the second foal out of Charismata, a stakes-placed runner by Curlin and a half-sister to stakes winner and six-figure earner Little Dancer (Successful Appeal). The second dam Jack’s Little Girl is a stakes producer, and abundant black type appears under fourth dam, graded winner Honoria. Charismata produced a Bernardini colt this year and has been bred to Army Mule.

Patti Reeves, who signed the ticket, said, “We loved her from the start and we love the incentive program for New York-breds. We had a feeling she would be in high demand. We like Runhappy a lot and I love what [owner Jim McIngvale] did from a marketing standpoint.”

A filly and a colt consigned by Denali Stud on behalf of Mrs. Vivien Malloy’s Edition Farm and Mrs. Marlene Brody’s Gallagher’s Stud, respectively, sold for $260,000 and $250,000 during the session

The Edition Farm yearling, a dark bay filly by Twirling Candy foaled on May 17, 2018 went to JCE Racing/Travis Durr for $260,000 as Hip 353. As a daughter of Awesome Bull, producer of five winners from five foals to start, the filly is a third generation product of the Edition Farm breeding program.

Mrs. Malloy purchased the filly’s third dam Mine Tonight, a multiple stakes-winning, Washington-bred daughter of Upper Nile at the 1999 Keeneland November sale for $300,000 in foal to Awesome Again. Mine Tonight produced eight winners, including a pair of stakes winners and her Awesome Again foal, Miney’s Awesome, became the sale filly’s second dam. A multiple winner for Edition Farm, she is the dam of Awesome Bull, the sale filly’s dam. She delivered a filly by Edition Farm-bred A Shin Forward this year.

The Gallagher’s Stud yearling from the Denali consignment was Hip 417, a bay Ghostzapper colt foaled on April 5, 2018, and purchased by Randy Bradshaw Agent for $250,000. The colt is out of Excellent News, a California-bred multiple winner by Rahy who earned over $200,000. Excellent News, out of stakes performer Mstoyou, is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Here’s to You. The colt’s second dam is stakes winner and stakes producer. Excellent News, originally a $250,000 juvenile purchase by Kaleem Shah, was resold by Gallagher’s at last year’s Keeneland November sale.

Other noteworthy sales of the night, each crossing the $200,000 threshold were Hips 387, 357 and 335.

Hip 387, a bay colt bred by Donald Schupak’s Anjes Farm and consigned by Thomas J. Gallo Sales Agency Agent XI, sold to SGV Thoroughbreds LLC for $235,000. Foaled on March 24, 2018, the youngster is by Distorted Humor and third foal out of accomplished New York-bred race mare Clear Pasaj, a multiple stakes winner and earner of over $350,000 also bred by Anjes Farm. Clear Pasaj has already produced a winner, Opportunist by Ghostzapper, who brought $400,000 as the top colt in the opening session of last year’s Fasig-Tipton New York-bred sale. The colt’s second dam is Saintly Scholar, an unraced Kentucky-bred daughter of Danzig, purchased for Schupak by Gallo.

Hip 357, a chestnut filly by Sky Mesa bred by Sugar Maple Farm and H. Lewis Rapaport went to Bradley Thoroughbreds, Agent for $230,000 from the St. George Sales consignment. The filly is out of successful producer Bedside Manner by Dr. Blum who is responsible for nine winners, including Skyway, who won the Grade 2 Best Pal for John Oxley and multiple stakes-winning sprinter Ava K. Barren this year, Bedside Manner has been bred back to Sky Mesa.

Finally, Hip 335, a chestnut colt by Nyquist out of Yanquee Reign, who was consigned by Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds LLC Agent on behalf of breeder Kingsport Farm, went to Grand Oaks for $220,000. As buyers were informed before the bidding began, this colt as foaled in New York but did not meet the criteria to become registered New York-bred. [This was also the case for Hip 369 from the same consignment.]

“It was a solid opening session to the New York-Bred sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. “There was lots of interest across the board. We continue to see the strength of the New York-bred market. It was on display again tonight.”

The Fasig-Tipton New York-bred auction resumes on Monday at 12:00 noon.

 

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