Hip 45, a colt by Justify out of Breeders’ Cup winner and New York-bred champion Bar of Gold, sells for $825,000 Monday at the 100th Saratoga Sale. Fasig-Tipton Photo.
By Mary Eddy
Success by New York-breds at the Fasig Tipton Saratoga sale of selected yearlings continued this year with five of six yearlings bred in the Empire State sold over the two-day run that ended Tuesday night.
Leading the way was Hip 45, a colt by Triple Crown winner Justify out of New York-bred champion Bar of Gold, who sold for $825,000 to Travis Durr, agent for David Hudson’s Hoolie Racing. Bred by Chester and Mary Broman and foaled at their farm in Chestertown, the colt is the second foal out of the 2017 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint winner and was one of the top prospects of the sale. Becky Thomas, who consigned the colt for the Bromans through her Sequel New York, was confident that he would light up the board when he went through the ring.
“I knew he would do well, you just never know when you get into that top level,” Thomas said. “Mr. Broman is very reasonable on reserves so we knew we would not be up against the reserve. (It’s) really exciting.”
The Bromans, who were the New York Thoroughbred Breeders’ breeder of the year for four straight years from 2016 to 2019, have enjoyed success with the female side of the colt’s family, having bred both his dam and second dam, Grade 3 winner Khancord Kid.
“They have a top of the top breeding program,” Thomas said.
Yearlings by freshman sire Justify had all eyes on them, averaging $567,500 over the two nights. Thomas said she’s been impressed with what she’s seen from the first foals of the 2018 Triple Crown winner.
“(They’re) beautiful horses,” she said. “This horse looked so much like his dad. Big scopey, stretchy, beautiful horse.”
The top-priced New York bred is a half-brother to Coinage, a stakes-placed winner who finished third in the Rick Violette Stakes July 21 at Saratoga Race Course. Impressed with the strong pedigree on both the top and bottom, Hudson said being a New York-bred helped with the colt’s appeal.
From left, Travis Durr, David Hudson and Becky Thomas after Bar of Gold’s second foal brought $825,000 at the Saratoga Sale. Fasig-Tipton Photo.
“(The New York-bred program) is certainly a lucrative program, so we’re excited to give it a try,” said Hudson. “The colt is very athletic and looked the part, and is a New York-bred to boot, so in this market you’re really got to pay for a nice horse.”
The five New York-breds that reached their reserves sold for a total of $2 million, an average price of $400,000 and median of $300,000. The last time the Saratoga select sale was held in 2019, eight New York-breds sold for $2,525,000, an average price of $315,625 and median of $292,500.
The gains of 2021 were aided by SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Racing, which purchased two New York-bred colts during Monday’s opening session through agent Donato Lanni.
The first purchase for the duo was Hip 68, a colt by leading third crop sire Constitution, purchased for $300,000. Bred by Newtownanner Stud and foaled at Jack’s Farm on the Hill in Millbrook, the colt was consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, agent.
“We had a lot of interest in him this week,” said Hanzly Albina. “He was a top physical. Constitution is a great sire. There’s way more to come. If you look at his stats, they’re off the charts as far as a new stallion is concerned. This is a really good physical. Great walk on this horse, New York-bred. That helps, too, restricted company option there. Pretty shrewd buy by someone.”
Coquihalla, the colt’s dam, is by Elusive Quality and is a half-sister to Rose of Summer, the dam of graded stakes winner and sire Summer Front. She has three winners from six foals, two of them earning wins in New York. Albina said having a New York background was influential to the activity in the ring with Hip 68.
“I think (being a New York-bred) always is (helpful) when you have more options to run your horse. The maidens run for $100,000 and you can run through your conditions more than once; that’s a pretty big advantage. It’s hard enough for owners to recoup their costs, and with a New York-bred, the opportunity is huge.”
The other purchase for SF, Starlight and Madaket was Hip 81, another Justify colt that hammered for $470,000, making him the second-most expensive New York-bred of the sale. Out of the stakes-placed Simon Pure mare Dorothy’s Aurora, he is from the family of multiple graded stakes-placed Great Mills. Bred by Stephen J. Barberino Accumulation Trust and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, the colt was popular all week at the Woodford Thoroughbreds consignment.
“The bidding met our expectations and a little bit more, so we are very happy,” said Woodford’s Beth Bayer. “He was a perfect colt, a perfect gentleman by first year sire Justify. We are excited. There was a lot of interest in him this week.”
Other New York-breds to sell included Hips 3 and 64, two colts by Spendthrift Farm’s Bolt d’Oro.
Hip 3, who is out of the winning Speightstown mare Tarquinia, was bred by Three Diamonds Farm and foaled Stonegate Stables in Fort Edward and sold to West Point Thoroughbreds for $260,000.
Hip 64 is out of out of Cloud Jumper, a Street Cry half-sister to Grade 3 winner and sire Buffum. Bred by Becky Thomas and Wally Burleson and foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson, he was purchased by Al Pike for $145,000.
Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga yearling sale season continues with the two-day New York-bred sale starting at 7 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 15. The second session begins at noon Monday, Aug. 15.
