3 minute read
14 yearlings sell for seven figures during Saratoga Sale.
A total of 14 yearlings sold for seven figures at this year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale held over two sessions on Monday and Tuesday. There were also new records set for gross, average and median with 143 lots sold for a total of US$66,955,000.
The gross was up 21 per cent from a year ago when 135 horses sold for US$55,155,000 and was up seven per cent from the previous sale record set in 2018 when 170 yearlings were sold for US$62,784,000. This year's average was up 15 per cent to US$468,217 while the median finished at US$375,000.
A colt by the Three Chimneys Farm-based sire Gun Runner (Candy Ride) topped the second and final session when sold for US$2,300,000 to White Birch Farm and M.V. Magnier late on Tuesday.
Offered as Lot 202.pdf by Gainesway, agent, the colt is the second foal out of the Grade 1 winning Malibu Moon (A P Indy) mare Heavenly Love, from the family of Zenno Rob Roy (Sunday Silence).
Watch Hip 202 c. GUN RUNNER o/o Heavenly Love sells for $2,300,000 at The Saratoga Sale! Congratulations to all the connections!#FasigSaratoga @Gainesway @Three_Chimneys @coolmorestud @WhiteBirchFarm_ pic.twitter.com/7R8MJ4IKQG
— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 10, 2022
"When I saw him in the spring I really thought it was one of the best horses I had seen this year," said Brian Graves, general manager of Gainesway.
"On top of that, he's by a horse that's emerging and becoming a top stallion. Second foal of a young Grade 1 winner at two. It just all added up into the perfect horse. If he runs and wins a grade 1 he's just invaluable with that kind of pedigree and emerging sire."
Gainesway sold six yearlings during day two of the sale for US$5,400,000 at an average of US$900,000.
A partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, and 3C Stable went to US$2,000,000 to secure the sale's top-priced filly, a daughter of Curlin (Smart Strike) offered as Lot 126 https://www.fasigtipton.com/catalogs/2022/0808/126.pdf by Stone Farm, agent (video).
Out of the graded stakes winning mare America (A P Indy), the filly is a sister to multiple graded stakes winner First Captain. The purchase of Hip 126 marks a return to the source for West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing, who purchased First Captain with a group of partners for US$1,500,000 at the 2019 Saratoga Sale, where he was also consigned by Stone Farm.
Watch Hip 126 f. CURLIN o/o America sell for $2,000,000 at The Saratoga Sale! Congratulations to all the connections!#FasigSaratoga @westpointtbred @woodfordracing @stonefarmky @bflay @HillnDaleFarm pic.twitter.com/mVMFeGM5nY
— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) August 9, 2022
"Rarely do you find me speechless," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "We are blown away by the results. The energy, the excitement, it just feels so good from an industry perspective.
"It's not just for us. We've basically had two yearling sales so far this year and both of them have been really good. It gives breeders hope and encouragement. It was just a robust market.
"If you are in the Thoroughbred industry anywhere in the United States, Saratoga is the epitome at the racetrack, and I hope in the yearling sales arena. It is kind of the annual dose of hope and excitement. This is why we do it."
Curlin finished the sale as the leading sire by average with all eight lots offered by the sire selling for an average of US$1,071,875.
Taylor Made Sales Agency was the leading vendor selling 27 of the 34 lots they offered for US$11,710,000 at an average of US$433,704. Agent Mike Ryan was the sales leading buyer having spent US$2,675,000 on three lots.
