Hip 2102, a filly by Honor A. P. bred by Arindel, sold for $80,000 to highlight Book 4 of the Keeneland September sale. Photo provided by Lane’s End.

A filly from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Honor A. P. sold for $80,000 during Monday’s session to highlight the Book 4 New York-bred offerings at the Keeneland September yearling sale.

Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton’s Silverton Hill LLC purchased Hip 2102, who is the third foal out of the winning Midshipman mare First Salute. Bred by Arindel and consigned by Lane’s End, agent, the filly was originally sold as a weanling for $45,000 at last year’s Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

The filly is a half-sister to Honor Factor, a 5-year-old son of The Factor who sold for $120,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale; and Never Satisfied, a 4-year-old gelding by Exaggerator with a record of 3-4-7 in 24 starts and $98,925 in earnings. First Salute is also the dam of a weanling filly by Waiting also bred by Arindel and foaled Feb. 1 in New York.

Arindel purchased First Salute, carrying the Honor A. P. filly in utero, for $27,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November sale.

Monday’s session also saw the sale of Hip 1984, a filly from the first crop of New York-based stallion Honest Mischief, sell for $25,000.

Blue Dog Racing LLC purchased the filly, who is the third foal out of the unraced Curlin mare All in Time and was consigned by Highclere Sales, agent. Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC and Cypress Creek Equine LLC, the filly was sold as a short yearling for $20,000 at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

The filly is a half-sister to the unraced 2-year-old New York-bred Practical Joke filly Stress Reliever, who sold for $175,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale; and the 3-year-old New York-bred Laoban filly Libban, a winner July 9 at Gulfstream Park and a $250,000 purchase by C2 Racing Stable and Paul Braverman at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale. All in Time is also the dam of a weanling filly by Improbable also bred by Sequel and Cypress Creek and foaled April 28 in New York.

Keeneland reported sales on 23 of the 30 New York-breds through the first eight sessions for a total of $3,607,000, an average price of $156,826 and median of $100,000.

The sale continues with the ninth session and start of Book 5 at 10 a.m. Wednesday.

Hip 1687, a colt by Improbable bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinksi, sold for $150,000 Sunday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Paramount Sales.

A pair of New York-bred colts sold for six figures apiece Sunday as Book 3 of the Keeneland September yearling sale wrapped up in Lexington.

Hip 1687, a colt from the first crop of multiple Grade 1 winner Improbable, sold for $150,000 to Matthew Robert. Bred by Jerry Bilinski, DVM, and consigned by Paramount Sales, agent, the colt is the second foal out of the Tapit mare Ellie’s Smile.

The colt is a half-brother to Superstarsusan, a 2-year-old New York-bred daughter of Hard Spun who sold for $95,000 at this year’s OBS April sale. Originally sold for $45,000 as a weanling at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale, Superstarsusan made her debut Aug. 10 at Saratoga and finished fourth in her second start Sept. 15 at the Belmont at the Big A meet.

Ellie’s Smile, purchased by Bilinski in foal to Hard Spun at the 2020 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Dust and Diamonds and stakes-placed Sandra, the dam of New York-bred stakes winner Water’s Edge.

The Improbable colt originally sold as a weanling for $170,000 to Norevale Farm at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale.

Hip 1832, a colt by Kantharos bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds and Tuscany Bloodstock, sold for $140,000 Sunday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Sequel New York.

Hip 1832, a colt by Kantharos and half-brother to four winners, sold for $140,000 to Barry K. Schwartz. Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC and Tuscany Bloodstock and consigned by Sequel New York, agent, the colt is out of the winning Ghostzapper mare Owl Moon. She’s the dam of six foals, including the stakes-placed $76,120-earner Blue Strike and $118,841-earner Evei’s Prince.

Owl Moon, the winner of two of eight starts, is a half-sister to stakes-winner Fool’s Paradise and is out of a full-sister to Grade 1-placed classic starter Atswhatimtalknbout from the family of Moonwalk, Thatswhatimean, Enbarr and Stormy Lucy.

Keeneland reported sales on 17 of the 24 New York-breds offered through the first six sessions for a total of $3,310,000, an average price of $194,706 and median of $150,000.

The sale continues with the first of two Book 4 sessions at 10 a.m. Monday.

Hip 1071, a half-brother to multiple New York-bred champion Mr. Buff, sold for $500,000 Thursday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Sequel New York.

Five New York-bred yearlings bred by Chester and Mary Broman and consigned by Becky Thomas’ Sequel New York sold for six figures Thursday – including a colt for $500,000 and a filly for $400,000 – to highlight the close of Book 2 of the Keeneland September yearling sale in Lexington.

Hip 1071, a colt by Into Mischief and half-brother to multiple New York-bred champion and $1,403,536-earner Mr. Buff, led the way Thursday on the $500,000 bid from L&N Racing.

The bay colt is the seventh foal out of the Grade 3-placed Speightstown mare Speightful Affair. She’s the dam of five winners from five foals to race, a group led by 2019 and 2020 New York-bred champion older dirt male and 11-time stakes winner Mr. Buff. She’s also the dam of stakes-placed winners Quick to Accuse and Organic Gemini.

Hip 994, a daughter of McKinzie and the first foal out of stakes winner Naughty Joker, sold for $400,000 Thursday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Sequel New York.

Hip 994, a daughter of McKinzie and the first foal out of the stakes-winning Into Mischief mare Naughty Joker, sold for $400,000 to Kim Lloyd, agent for Talla Racing.

Naughty Joker went 2-2-3 in nine starts, including a victory in Turfway Park’s Bourbonette Oaks in 2019, and earned $176,403 for owners and breeders Ken and Sarah Ramsey from 2018 to 2020. The Bromans purchased the then 5-year-old mare carrying the $400,000 filly in utero for $430,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale.

Another of the six-figure Broman-bred yearlings, Hip 1004, a colt by Omaha Beach, sold for $230,000.

Quarter Pole Enterprises LLC purchased the colt, who is the second foal out of the stakes-winning Malibu Moon mare Out of Orbit. The winner of four of 24 starts with 11 placings and earnings of $319,328, Out of Orbit won the 2019 Saratoga Dew Stakes at Saratoga in the Broman colors.

Keeneland reported sales on 10 of the 16 New York-bred yearlings over the first four sessions for a total of $2,780,000, an average price of $278,000 and median of $252,500.

After a scheduled dark day Friday, bidding resumes with the first of two Book 3 sessions at the sale at 10 a.m. Saturday.

Hip 355, a colt by Candy Ride bred by Joe Fafone, sold for $525,000 Tuesday at the Keeneland September yearling sale. Photo courtesy of Woods Edge Farm.

A trio of New York-breds led by a Candy Ride colt that sold for $525,000 helped contribute to the strong opening of the Keeneland September yearling sale Monday and Tuesday in Lexington.

Hip 355, the Candy Ride colt out of the unraced Any Given Saturday mare Sweet Love, led the way on that $525,000 bid from Barry Berkelhammer, agent for Albaugh Family Stables. Bred by Joe Fafone and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, the colt was a $250,000 purchase as a weanling by Cavalier Bloodstock at last year’s Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Consigned Tuesday by Peter O’Callaghan’s Woods Edge Farm, the colt is the fourth foal out of the full-sister to Grade 3 winner Adventist and half-sister to Group 3 winner Dijeerr, Isn’t He Clever and Sharp Writer. Sweet Love is the dam of three winners – B C Glory Days, Luna Luca and Tin Pan Alley. Tin Pan Alley is a full sibling to the $525,000 Candy Ride colt and sold for $295,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Showcase.

Hip 219, a daughter of Munnings bred by Pine Ridge Stables, brought the highest price for a NY-bred filly at $350,000 Tuesday at Keeneland September. Photo courtesy of Woods Edge Farm.

The highest-priced New York-bred filly of Book 1 – which consists of the first two sessions of the September sale – and second most expensive New York-bred overall also sold Tuesday when Jacob West’s West Bloodstock went to $350,000 on behalf of Mike Repole’s Repole Stable for Hip 219, a daughter of Munnings.

Bred by Pine Ridge Stables, LTD, foaled at Waldorf Farm and also consigned by Woods Edge Farm, the filly is the third foal out of the Into Mischief mare Magic Mischief. The filly, who sold as a weanling for $230,000 at last year’s Keeneland November sale to Bolter Bloodstock, is a half-sister to the 2-year-old New York-bred Omaha Beach colt Magic Beach who finished fourth in his debut Sept. 3 at Saratoga Race Course.

Repole ended the day as the session’s leading buyer with 11 purchased for $4.79 million. He also bred the session-topping Into Mischief colt that brought $3 million.

“I’m trying to be the No. 1 buyer and No. 1 seller at the same sale,” Repole said. “It’s just a great sale. I love the game whether it’s claiming a $25,000 horse or buying stallions or buying mares or weanlings, 2-year-olds. I just have a lot of fun with the game.”

Pine Ridge Stables also bred the top-priced New York-bred to sell in Monday’s opening session – Hip 4, a colt by Triple Crown winner Justify that brought $275,000 from Hartley/DeRenzo Thoroughbreds.

The colt is the fifth foal out of the Rockport Harbor mare Whisper Wisdom, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Connect and stakes winner Tani Maru. The colt was foaled at Stonegate Stables in Fort Edward.

Whisper Wisdom is the dam of the New York-bred stakes-placed, $440,658-earner Curlin’s Wisdom and the 2-year-old New York-bred Into Mischief colt Quiet Wisdom who finished second in his debut Aug. 12 at Saratoga for owners Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable and trainer Todd Pletcher. Quiet Wisdom sold at last year’s Keeneland September sale for $275,000.

The sale of those three New York-breds helped contribute to the two-day total of $118,465,000 brought in for 229 yearlings. Keeneland reported an average price of $517,314 and median price of $400,000 for Book 1.

The sale continues with the first of two sessions that make up Book 2 at 11 a.m. Wednesday.

Hip 628, a colt by Practical Joke bred by Donald McCormick, topped Monday’s session and shared top honors for the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale on a bid of $380,000 from Tom McCrocklin. Susie Raisher Photo.

By Tom Law

The second session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale finished with a flourish early Monday evening to help push the market to results that included a second straight record for total receipts.

Fasig-Tipton reported sales on 219 of the 300 yearlings through the ring over the two-day sale for a record $20,904,000 (including post-sale returns), up 3.6 percent from last year’s mark of $20,175,000 for 188 sold.

The increased number of yearlings sold – which came after an initial catalog of 364 – and rise in overall RNA rate led to a drop in average price. Average price came in at $95,452, down 11.1 percent from last year’s average of $107,314. Median rose 1.4 percent from $74,000 in 2022 to $75,000 this year.

“All in all it’s a healthy market,” said Boyd Browning Jr., Fasig-Tipton president and chief executive officer. “You’ve heard me describe for a while, in July and again here, it’s going to be fair marketplace. The buyers were complaining that they couldn’t buy the horses that they wanted and the sellers were saying they wish they had a little bit more marketplace, particularly in the $30,000 to $60,000 price range. That’s indicative of the world we live in today.

“Overall, a very successful sale. The New York-bred program continues to be a leader in the United States certainly and probably in the world of a state-bred type program. There’s great incentives for people to both breed and to race in New York and that was reflective of the results the last two days.”

The strong finish kicked into gear when Tom McCrocklin purchased the sale’s co-highest-priced yearling, going to $380,000 to purchase Hip 628, a colt by Practical Joke. That price matched what Chris Baccari’s Baccari Bloodstock, acting on behalf of country music star Toby Keith, paid for Hip 306, a colt by Violence, in the opening minutes of Sunday’s session.

McCrocklin also bought the topper at last year’s New York-bred sale, going to $700,000 on behalf of Champion Equine for a colt by Arrogate. He later sold that colt, a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Cave Rock, for $1.05 million at this year’s OBS March sale.

McCrocklin said he plans to pinhook this year’s co-topper, along with his other purchases from the sale. He said he liked “everything” about the Practical Joke colt.

“I thought he was the best horse in the sale and just when you thought Practical Joke was sleepy, he’s come back to life,” said McCrocklin. “I mean the filly of Chad’s [Brown], she’s a legitimate horse, Ways and Means. So, you know it’s a little bit of trying to look into the future so that’s what we do and it’s a lot of risk and a lot of money.

“It worked out last year on a few horses and it’s extreme risk mitigated by expertise. It’s not necessarily my expertise but somewhere in there there’s got to be expertise.”

McCrocklin bought nine yearlings for multiple clients over the two days for an average price of $131,667.

“I always spend more money than I expect to,” he said. “But you know, I say all the time, ‘these guys that are buying these horses, they’re very smart.’ They’re sharp. First you’ve got to find the horse then you have to jump through all the vetting hoops. But really your appraisal skills come into play. ‘How much is this horse worth today?’ Sometimes you get it right and sometimes you get punished. … but I think we’re all adrenaline junkies a little bit so we’ll play the game.”

Bred by Donald McCormick and consigned by Nardelli Sales, agent, the co-sale-topping colt is out of the Grade 3-winning Awesome Again mare Golden Mystery.

McCormick purchased Golden Mystery carrying the Practical Joke colt in utero for $60,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Golden Mystery, a 17-year-old who won nine races and earned $540,223, finished seventh in the Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint in 2011 and won the Grade 3 Hurricane Bertie Stakes in 2013.

The colt is the sixth foal out of Golden Mystery, who is the dam of multiple stakes winner and $117,600-earner Apalachee Bay. She’s also the dam of a New York-bred filly by Improbable born May 7.

“For this sale I guess it’s right up there,” said McCormick, who along with his wife Lorna sold two yearlings at the sale. “I’m not sure it’s exceeding expectations, everyone has high goals. For us it was. It was a nice price for a nice colt. They’re getting a nice colt.”

The session got off to a fast start – just as it did Sunday night – with the seventh yearling through the ring bringing $360,000.

Roderick Wachman signed that ticket for MyRacehorse and RT Racing from behind the sales pavilion for Hip 407, a ridgling by Authentic

Hip 407, a colt by Authentic bred by Oak Bluff Stables and Christophe Clement, sold for $360,000. Susie Raisher Photo.

from the family of several top-sellers at the New York-bred yearling sale in recent years. He is out of the winning Street Sense mare Savvy Sassy and was foaled at Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs.

“We like this horse because he is a nice big, scopey, athletic, two-turn looking colt,” said Wachman, global head of bloodstock and racing for microshare syndicate MyRacehorse. “I think he’s going to develop significantly more and we’re really looking forward to seeing him get under tack. … Obviously Authentic is a big draw card. Of course. MyRacehorse was part owners of Authentic.”

Winner of the 2020 Kentucky Derby and Breeders’ Cup Classic, Authentic was voted Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old colt that season. He entered stud in 2021 and his first crop are yearlings.

The 11 Authentic yearlings that went through the ring at last week’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale of selected yearlings sold for an average of $510,909. MyRacehorse purchased an Authentic colt out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Brandy for $400,000 at last week’s sale and another New York-bred by Authentic, a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Casa Creed, sold for $725,000 to Live Oak.

“Actually, they’re not all the same,” Wachman said. “We bought one last week that was more of a sharper model than this guy. Again, both very correct and nice, well-made horses. … He really does seem to put down a nice horse. When I look at the Authentics I think Into Mischief. Hopefully he can go on that trajectory.”

MyRacehorse’s new purchase is a half-brother to the stakes-placed duo of Brattle House, who sold for $775,000 at the 2019 Saratoga New York-bred sale; and Bourbon Bay, who brought $205,000 at the 2018 Saratoga New York-bred sale. Savvy Sassy’s 2020 foal, the Flatter filly Splashy, also sold at the 2021 Saratoga New York-bred sale for $220,000. She is also the dam of a weanling New York-bred colt by Medaglia d’Oro born April 14.

Don Robinson’s Winter Quarter Farm consigned each of those New York-breds for breeders Oak Bluff Stable and Christophe Clement.

“He didn’t need much help; he was very popular,” Robinson said. “We got him off the floor and he sold. Very happy. … As everyone says, for the right horse, they sell. We’ve had some nice horses go through where it’s puzzling and gotten very little interest. But if you have the right horse you can do well.”

Hip 463, a daughter of Munnings bred by Old Tavern Farm, sold for $340,000. Susie Raisher Photo.

The session’s and sale’s top-priced filly went through the ring about an hour later when trainer Wesley Ward, bidding for Preferred Equine, landed Hip 463, a daughter of Munnings out of the Malibu Moon mare To the Moon Alice for $340,000.

“She just looked like a standout individually in the sale,” Ward said. “We’re really happy with her. She looked like the best filly we’ve seen in this sale.”

Bred by and foaled at Old Tavern Farm in Saratoga Springs, the filly is the fifth foal out of the half-sister to Grade 2 winner Unchained Melody. Too the Moon Alice is the dam of New York-bred winner Two for Charging and the unraced New York-bred 2-year-old Ghostzapper filly Don’t Scroll who sold for $160,000 at the 2021 Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. To the Moon Alice’s 2-year-old, a filly by Uncle Mo, was a $77,000 RNA at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale.

Niall Brennan, agent for JR International Holdings, landed the fifth most expensive yearling and second highest-priced filly of the sale when he went to $325,000 from behind the sales pavilion for Hip 619, a daughter of Munnings out of multiple New York-bred stakes winner Freudie Anne.

Hip 619, a filly by Munnings bred by Fergus Galvin, Marc Detampel, Jayne Johnson and Adrian Wallace, sold for $325,000. Susie Raisher Photo.

“From the first time we saw her I felt like she was a very, very good Munnings. He’s a great stallion; it doesn’t matter if it’s fillies, colts, turf or dirt,” said Brennan, who said the filly would be raced by Richard Spoor. “The mare was excellent. They do a great job at Hunter Valley. They raced the mare, they raised this filly. She looks like a really good Munnings.

“I thought she’d be expensive. This is what people are stepping up to do now and we’ve tried to buy a few nice fillies with some pedigree that could run for Richard. He loved her. We just set our sights on her from the first day we saw her.”

Bred by Fergus Galvin, Marc Detampel, Jayne Johnson and Adrian Wallace and consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent, the filly is the fourth foal out of the Freud mare. She’s a full sister to the 2-year-old Lamorna, who sold for $320,000 at last year’s Keeneland September sale; the 3-year-old filly Showemyourheels who sold for $350,000 at the 2021 Saratoga New York-bred sale; and the winning 4-year-old colt Eddie the Great, who sold for $100,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Select Yearling Showcase.

“She’s been an incredible mare for us, we’ve sold over a million dollars out of her,” Galvin said. “This is her fourth Munnings. It’s a great cross, with Freud. It’s super physically as well. We’ve had a pretty good sale. We brought some nice horses. I know it’s been a little bit patchy for some people, but we got the right bounce of the ball so to speak. We’ve been very happy.”

Hip 551, a colt by McMahon of Saratoga’s Solomini bred by Hunter Valley Farm, sold for $150,000 to top all yearlings by New York-based stallions at the sale. Susie Raisher Photo.

Hip 551, a colt from the second crop of Solomini, landed the highest price for a yearling by a New York-based stallion at the sale on a bid of $150,000 from Reeves Thoroughbred Racing.

Bred and consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, the colt is out of the Indian Charlie mare Cheyenne Autumn. He’s the eighth foal out of the mare, who is the dam of stakes winner and $267,126-earner Firecrow and one other winner.

Solomini, an 8-year-old multiple Grade 1-placed son of Curlin out of the Storm Cat mare Surf Song, stands for $6,500 at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs.

Fasig-Tipton reported eight yearlings sold for $300,000 or more and 26 for $200,000 or more. Last year’s New York-bred sale saw 12 yearlings bring $300,000 or more – including colts for $700,000 and $600,000 – and the same number sell for $200,000 or more.

“Very good activity, lots of outstanding horses on the sales grounds,” Browning said. “Average declined slightly from last year, probably as a result of some additional horses entered in the sale.

“Being realistic there probably is a slight, slight decline in the middle market. The pinhookers last year had a relatively tough year and are being more selective. There’s increased selectivity throughout the marketplace. We were fortunate in the main sale to have an exceptional group of horses.”

– Additional reporting by Nolan Clancy and Mary Rufo

Hip 306, a colt by Violence bred by Fred Hertrich III, tops opening night of Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale on bid of $380,000 from Baccari Bloodstock. Fasig-Tipton Photo.

By Tom Law

Nine horses sold for $200,000 or more Sunday, including a colt by Violence that brought $380,000 and a Gun Runner filly that landed a bid of $290,000, to highlight the opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

The session’s top horse, Hip 306, went through the ring in the first few minutes of bidding and went to Chris Baccari’s Baccari Bloodstock on a bid of $380,000. Bred by Fred Hertrich III and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, the colt is the first foal out of the winning Liam’s Map mare Liam’s Lookout.

The colt, who was consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa, agent, sold as a short yearling to SKPJ Stables for $175,000 at this year’s Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Liam’s Lookout, a $100,000 yearling at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale, won two of 10 starts with four seconds and earned $49,222. She’s a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Itsaknockout, stakes winner Storm Power and stakes-placed winner Hot Sean.

The session-topping colt helped spark an increase in average price. Fasig-Tipton reported an average price of $113,189 for the session, up 5 percent from last year’s opening average of $107,812.

Overall, 53 of the 81 through the ring Sunday sold for $5,999,000, down 13.1 percent from last year’s total of $6,900,000 for 64 yearlings sold. The opening night median rose 29.9 percent from $77,000 to $100,000, while RNA rate increased sharply from 23.8 percent in 2022 to 34.5 percent.

Trade Winds Farm purchased the top-priced filly of the opening session, going to $290,000 for Hip 369, a daughter of Gun Runner out of the Grade 3-winning Sir Percy mare Pantsonfire.

Tom D’Ambra, owner of Trade Winds Farm in Rexford, signed the ticket alongside his daughter and son-in-law Agatha and John Reid, who are involved in the operation of the farm located just about 20 miles from the Fasig-Tipton sales grounds.

“They really wanted her,” D’Ambra said. “She’s a filly with a lot of residual value, from a great family and by Gun Runner.”

Hip 369, a filly by Gun Runner bred by Richard Nicolai, sold for $290,000 Sunday night to Trade Winds Farm. Fasig-Tipton Photo.

D’Ambra expected to pay more for the second foal out of the 9-year-old Pantsonfire, who is out of the Galileo mare Rubileo and won the Grade 3 Astra Stakes in 2019 at Santa Anita Park. Richard Nicolai bred the session-topping filly, along with the unraced 2-year-old New York-bred Hard Spun filly Lucky Spin that sold for $115,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale. She was foaled at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater.

Nicolai purchased Pantsonfire for $70,000 in the name of his Fortune Farm at the 2019 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, consigned the filly.

“I mean, Gun Runner, you can’t beat it,” say Taylor Made’s Frank Taylor. “She’s a very athletic filly, she’s got a good walk to her. Had a great night and showed well. She got vetted seven or eight times, we thought it was a fair price for her.”

Taylor Made sold one of the high-priced yearlings on the night, Hip 397, a filly by Omaha Beach out of the winning Harlan’s Holiday mare Ruby Dusk purchased by Oracle, agent, for $220,000. Taylor hopes for more success during Monday’s session.

“We had some horses early on that the market just doesn’t really want, so we bought those back,” he said. “Our better stuff is coming now. Our better stuff is tomorrow. It’s like the first sale, we had kind of a rough night, and then the second night the roof blew off. I think it’s going to be good.”

Phil Hager found a few yearlings he felt were good and purchased three on the night, including the second most expensive filly.

Bidding for Carem Stables, Hager signed a $250,000 for Hip 396, a daughter of Frosted. Bred by Keats Grove Breeders, foaled at Stone Bridge Farm in Gansevoort and consigned by Indian Creek, agent, the filly is out of the Strong Mandate mare Royal Mandate, who is a half-sister to Grade 3 winners Cali Star and Delightful Joy and stakes winner Seymourdini.

“Really, everything,” Hager said about what he liked in the filly. “She’s gorgeous physically. Had some pedigree underneath her and everything. Physically is why we liked her so much for sure.”

Hager, who said the filly would go to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, also purchased Hip 395, a colt by Street Boss for $200,000 for Carem Stables. He also signed a $100,000 ticket for Hip 325, a filly by Instagrand.

The opening session also saw two yearlings from the first crop of Honest Mischief sell for six figures.

Shepherd Equine Advisors, agent for International Equine, purchased the first, going to $100,000 for Hip 314, a filly out of the Posse mare Lode Lady. Bred by Sequel Stallions NY LLC and Scott Miller, foaled at Waldorf Farm and consigned by Ballysax Bloodstock, agent, the filly is the fifth foal out of the winning half-sister to Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike and Grade 2 winner Llanarmon.

Tom McCrocklin, agent, purchased the second, going to $120,000 for Hip 340, a colt out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Miss Malibu Style. Bred by Mark Toothaker and Allen Poindexter, foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson and consigned by Sequel New York, agent, the colt is the third foal out of the daughter of multiple graded stakes winner and $588,227-earner Stylish, by Thunder Gulch.

Honest Mischief, a 7-year-old stakes-winning son of Into Mischief, stands for $6,500 at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson.

The sale continues with the second session at noon Monday, with a large draft of 264 yearlings cataloged.

– Additional reporting to Nolan Clancy and Mary Rufo

The two-day Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale kicks off at 7 p.m. Sunday. Fasig-Tipton Photo.

By Nolan Clancy

The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred Yearlings sale kicks off with hips 301-400 Sunday evening at 7, showcasing yearlings by stallions with track records of success and newcomer potential alike. 

If Monday and Tuesday night’s record-setting Saratoga Select Yearling sale is any indication of the state of the industry, breeders and consignors will be in luck.

“I think the sales average is going to be as strong or better than the previous year, which every year seems to be getting a little better,” said John McMahon of McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds. “The Saratoga sale was such a strong segment of the industry, it’s hard not to believe it’s going to trickle down into this sale also.”

John, the son of farm founders Joe and Anne McMahon, heads up the on-site sales operation in Fasig-Tipton’s Barn 7C. Founded in 1971, the birthplace of the late Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner Funny Cide has sent horses to the sale for decades. McMahon of Saratoga stands Central Banker, the leading New York sire by earnings and total winners in 2021 and 2022.

“I don’t think you’ll find a consignment that has produced more winners from this particular spot over the course of the last few years,” McMahon said. “I mean, you can’t compare yourself against the Taylor Made’s or the real giants within the industry, but for a group and a consignment which focuses strictly on this sale, I think the name helps a lot.”

A record 364 yearlings are entered in the sale, which will continue at noon Monday for the better part of the afternoon and evening. For the first time in Fasig-Tipton Saratoga history, they constructed a temporary “Barn 11” at the corner of George Street and East Avenue to accommodate extra horses. 

Fasig-Tipton constructed “Barn 11” to handle overflow of yearlings cataloged for the New York-bred sale. Fasig-Tipton Photo.

“The quality of the horses in the New York-bred sale has improved exponentially over the last decade,” said Boyd Browning, president and chief executive officer of Fasig-Tipton. “When we started the New York-bred sale basically it was viewed as a closed shop. There were New York-bred trainers, there were New York-bred breeders and there really wasn’t a wide net. Now it’s a wide net. Every trainer that has stalls at Saratoga not only has New York-breds, they want to have New York-breds.”

Part of this development in New York-bred prominence is due to the success of a few state-based stallions. 

Central Banker, a 13-year-old by Speightstown, is the stalwart of the group. He’s produced seven crops of yearlings and numerous standouts on the NYRA circuit and beyond. He’ll be represented by five colts and six fillies across Sunday and Monday.

Bankit, a 7-year-old gelding by Central Banker out of Sister In Arms has earned $1,421,405 and finished third in Friday’s Evan Shipman Handicap for Winchell Thoroughbreds and Willis Horton Racing and trainer Steve Asmussen. He’s a graduate of the 2017 Saratoga Preferred New York-bred sale where he sold for $85,000.

In the money in six graded stakes, Solomini also stands at McMahon, and is poised to break out as a top-tier New York stallion. He sends his second crop of yearlings to this sale, and his sire Curlin should be enough to turn heads. 

“I’m really looking forward to the couple Solominis we’ve got going through, specifically 609 and 571 are very nice horses,” McMahon said. Hip 609 is out of Flash Act, dam of six foals to race. Hip 571 is out of Dancing Onthemoon, dam of two foals of racing age and already the mother of a stakes winner. 

Outside of New York, a few upstart stallions send early crops to Fasig-Tipton.

2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Vino Rosso is a relative newcomer to the stallion market, with a first crop making their debuts on the track this year. The Wine Steward, a colt out of Call To Service is 2-for-2, including a win in the Bashford Manor Stakes at Ellis Park in July for Mike Maker. He sold at this sale last year for $70,000. Vino Rosso sends 13 yearlings to the sale. 

The sale also features the first crop of yearlings from 2020 New York-bred Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old male and Belmont and Travers Stakes winner Tiz The Law. He sends six yearlings to the sales grounds with six different consignors, including McMahon.

“I think they should be very well received,” McMahon said. 

New York-bred Horse of the Year and classic winner Tiz the Law will see members of his first crop sell at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. NYRA Photo.

Honest Mischief stands at Sequel Stallions in New York and leads the way of all stallions by quantity, sending 16 yearlings to the sale. He’s been New York’s most popular stallion by mares bred in 2021 and 2022. 

Another main reason for the growth of the sale is the continued development of NYRA’s state-bred racing program. 

“Saratoga is the highlight of the summer racing season and we’re thrilled the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling sale, once again, features a fantastic and comprehensive catalog,” said Najja Thompson, executive director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders, Inc.

“We’ve been working to provide enhanced incentives for owners and breeders in the New York-bred program and it’s encouraging to see a record number of 384 New York-breds cataloged this year.”

Browning said the program’s success gets fed by several factors.

“What shows you the cooperative spirit between NYRA and the breeders certainly benefits everybody,” Browning said. “The stronger the New York-bred program is, the more it can produce horses that are going to be a significant part of the racecard, everybody wins. There are no losers.”

For breeders in New York, the sale marks the culmination of countless days of hard work getting yearlings ready to hit the ring. 

Madeline Tilletson bred two yearlings at this year’s sale, Hip 539 consigned by Paramount Sales and Hip 655 consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale. She has four broodmares based at Hickory Hill Farm near Glens Falls.

Hip 655 is the first foal out of Joluca, a winner on turf and dirt by Blame for Hall of Fame trainer Jonathan Sheppard. Sheppard also bred the mare.

“We campaigned her during the pandemic when neither Jonathan nor I could be in a winners circle, or in my case be on a track. Lot of attachment to her,” Tilletson said. “We know people seem to like Kitten’s Joy, but this sale will prove whether that’s true or not.”

Hip 89, a daughter of Violence and the lone New York-bred in the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale, sold for $80,000 Tuesday in Lexington. Photo courtesy of Mulholland Springs.

The lone New York-bred yearling in the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale – a daughter of Violence from a winning family – sold for $80,000 Tuesday in Lexington.

Susan Moulton purchased the filly, Hip 89, from the Mulholland Springs consignment. Bred by Mulholland Springs LLC and Tom Grether Farms, Inc., the filly is the sixth foal out of the winning El Corredor mare Dulce Periculum.

A half-sister to Grade 2 winner and $339,242-earner Indian Firewater, Dulce Periculum is the dam of three winners led by $65,570-earner Beauty Quist.

Dulce Periculum is also the dam of a New York-bred filly by Galilean born April 10

Recent debut winner Astonesthrowaway, a 2-year-old daughter of Bustin Stones, sold for $75,000 during Monday’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July horses of racing age sale.

Jordan Wycoff purchased the filly, who sold as Hip 618 and is out of the winning El Corredor mare El Rebecca. Bred by Springhouse Farm and a half-sister to two winners, Astonesthrowaway won her debut June 15 at Belmont Park for owners R. A. Hill Stable and SGV Thoroughbreds and trainer George Weaver.

Paramount Sales consigned Astonesthrowaway, who originally sold for $50,000 to Big D Stables at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Fasig-Tipton reported sales on three New York-breds during the horses of racing age sale for an average price and median of $65,000.

Hip 78, a filly by the late Arrogate, sold for second highest price at Wednesday’s Fasig-Tipton Midlantic June sale. Fasig-Tipton Photo.

A filly by Arrogate foaled in New York sold for the second highest price Wednesday at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic June sale of 2-year-olds in training in Timonium, Maryland.

Ellen Charles’ Hillwood Stable purchased by filly, sold as Hip 78, for $225,000. The gray or roan filly, who was bred by Hidden Lake Farm LLC and 3C Stables LLC and foaled at Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater, also finished as the second most expensive filly at the sale behind Hip 47, a daughter of Kantharos who brought $500,000 from agent Steve Young.

The Arrogate filly is out of the winning Stephen Got Even mare Summer Shade, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Hot Summer and stakes-placed winners Stirred Up and Southwest. Summer Shade is the dam of a pair of winners, including the stakes-placed $223,656-earner Harmon.

The filly was consigned by Cary Frommer LLC, agent. Frommer purchased the filly for a pinhooking partnership that reportedly included Hillwood Stable for $170,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Fasig-Tipton reported sales on nine of the 13 New York-breds through the ring during the one-day June sale for a total of $422,000, an average price of $46,889 and median of $26,000.

Hugh McMahon, agent, landed the top-priced New York-bred colt, going to $47,000 for Hip 70, a son of Catalina Cruiser. Consigned by Navas Equine, agent, the colt is out of the Grade 2-winning Elusive Quality mare Royale Michele.

Barry Ostrager bred the Catalina Cruiser colt and purchased Royale Michele in utero to that stallion for $20,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Royale Michele is the dam of four winners. The Catalina Cruiser colt, also foaled at Hidden Lake Farm, was originally sold for $45,000 to 111 Warriors at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale.