From a catalog of 236 horses, 185 individuals are expected to go through the ring at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Sale Oct. 17 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., beginning at 10 a.m. ET.
The broodmares, yearlings, and weanlings on offer attract a variety of buyers, both end users and those hoping to pinhook their purchases next year.
“It’s my favorite sale in the country,” said bloodstock agent Sean Feld. “It’s a small sale, the weather and foliage in Saratoga are awesome, and it’s so much fun. The New York-bred program is one of the best in the country, and because this sale isn’t as well attended as some others, you can find value.”
Feld hopes he can replicate the successes he’s had at this sale in previous years. In 2014, he partnered with Hibiscus Stables to purchase a Dehere mare, My Sparky, in foal to Frost Giant for $5,700. Her 2017 filly, Robin Sparkles , sold at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale of Preferred New York-Bred Yearlings for $30,000, has earned nearly $532,000 and won the Caress Stakes (G3T) at Saratoga Race Course in July.
A year later, Feld and Hibiscus teamed up again to purchase a Distorted Humor mare, Heavenly Humor , in foal to Big Brown for $25,000. The resulting New York-bred colt sold for $10,000 as a yearling at the Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale and $45,000 a year later as a 2-year-old. Purchased by Gatsas Thoroughbreds at the 2018 Ocala Breeders’ Sales Company’s Spring Sale of 2-year-olds in Training, Funny Guy earned $638,645 in a career that included multiple stakes wins and a runner-up finish in the Vosburgh Stakes (G2).
Feld added: “We’ve bought three stakes-producing mares from this sale for not that much money.”
Feld and Hibiscus will be looking to add to their broodmare band on Monday. He also noted the sale is the first to offer weanlings, providing a preview of the progeny of freshmen sires.
“If you see two or three that you really like in this sale, you can seek them out going forward,” Feld said.
Among the first-crop weanlings on offer are four from multiple graded stakes winner Complexity ; four by grade 1 stakes winner Volatile ; and two by 2019 Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) winner Country House , including one bred and consigned by Hibiscus.
“We like our Country House filly quite a bit,” said Feld. “We’re interested to see how the other one looks.”
The New Hill Farm offers two Violence weanlings, two broodmares, and 12 other weanlings, including three by first-crop sire Honest Mischief , a graded stakes placed son of Into Mischief standing at Sequel Stallions in New York.
“Our three are all really nice,” said Lili Kobielski, owner of New Hill. “I’ve seen maybe half a dozen of them; they’re all beautiful. Honest Mischief is an exciting horse for New York.”
A mix of her own horses and those for clients, Kobielski’s consignment includes offspring of several New York stallions, including King for a Day ; Leofric , who was moved from Rockridge Stud in New York to Darby Dan Farm in Kentucky for the 2022 breeding season; and Solomini .
“Our first to go through the ring is Hip 13, a second-crop Leofric out of a stakes-placed mare,” she said. “She’s the mare’s first foal, and she’s beautiful. I can’t fault her.
“King for a Day is an interesting one for New York. Uncle Mo ‘s sons couldn’t be hotter, and I’ve seen a couple of King for a Days that are all huge, beautiful horses. I think he’s a stallion to watch.
“We always breed to a mix of Kentucky and New York stallions. New York has an amazing racing program, and the breeders’ awards for New York-sired horses are fantastic. It’s absolutely essential for stakeholders in New York to support the program and breed to New York sires.”
Weanlings showing among the fall foliage at Fasig-Tipton
After years without a fall auction in Saratoga, Fasig-Tipton reconstituted and re-established this sale a decade ago, at the same time that gaming revenue began to infuse New York’s racing and breeding entities. The sale’s success, said Fasig-Tipton CEO and president Boyd Browning Jr., is a “direct result of the success, viability, and popularity of the New York-bred racing and breeding programs.
“There’s plenty of activity on the grounds,” Browning said. “I’ve seen several nice foals, and the mares are getting plenty of action.
“It’s nice to see new stallions coming into New York. We’ve got an interesting and attractive group of first-crop foals, and fingers crossed that they’re well received and successful on the racetrack down the road.”
During last year’s one-day sale, 163 horses of the 232 through the ring were sold for gross figures of $3,657,800, at an average price of $22,440 and a median of $10,000. There were 69 horses who failed to meet their reserve, representing an RNA rate of 29.7%.
Vinery Sales sold 42 of its 58 horses on offer to be the leading consignor by gross, recording receipts of $1,094,400 and an average of $26,057.
The highest-priced offering, selling for $195,000, was a weanling filly by Catalina Cruiser out of stakes winner Catcha Rising Star . She was consigned by Sequel New York and purchased by Reeves Thoroughbred Racing. Weanlings accounted for the top 10 highest prices for the single day of selling, with Nice Smile the top-priced broodmare at $70,000. The Smiling Tiger mare sold in foal to Vekoma to Goose Wicks from the Stuart Morris draft for Rocky Top Racing and Highclere.
Reeves Thoroughbred Racing made a total of four purchases, spending $430,000 to be the sale’s leading buyer, just behind St. Elias Stable, which also secured four individuals for receipts of $415,000.
As of Oct. 16, there were 51 horses withdrawn from the single day of selling taking place Oct. 17.
