Inspections were busy on the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sales grounds leading up to Tuesday’s fall mixed sale. Fasig-Tipton Photo.
By Mary Eddy and Tom Law
The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale Tuesday kicks off the season’s autumn breeding stock slate and an overall sense of optimism could be seen and heard throughout the grounds this past weekend and into Monday.
The single-session sale starts at 10 a.m. and with a catalog of 281 horses before scratches, including nearly 230 New York-bred weanlings, there figures to be something for every potential buyer. Those prospective buyers scoured the sales grounds over the weekend and consignors hope the increased traffic leads to increased interest in the ring.
“The market in general has been really good across the board, so we had high hopes coming up here that this sale would be strong,” said Matt Bowling of Vinery Sales. “A lot of guys that bought babies last year and brought them back to the preferred sale did really well, so I know they were eager to get back here.
“There’s been a lot of new faces that we typically don’t see, so maybe it’s that some guys weren’t able to get a yearling in September because the market is so strong or how well the New York program has been here the past few years, but our foot traffic and showings have been up probably 20 percent from what they normally are, so we’re very optimistic that it will be a good sale.”
“Yesterday was a very strong day of showing,” said Turning Point Bloodstock’s Bill Johnson. “I expected maybe a slow-down [Monday, due to weather], but we’re not seeing that. People are pushing through the weather to come see the horses and we’ve been non-stop all morning. A strong yearling market means a strong weanling market, and I don’t see any slowdown here.”
Results at the Saratoga fall sale have been strong the last few years, including last year when 148 horses sold for $3,920,500, an average price of $26,490 and median of $14,500.
Other recent editions:
• 2023: 157 sold for $4,597,200, an average price of $29,282 and median of $20,000;
• 2022: 142 sold for $4,599,700, an average of $32,392 and median of $20,000
• 2021: 163 sold for $3,657,800, an average of $22,440 and median of $10,000;
• 2020: Sale not conducted (COVID-19);
• 2019: 134 sold for $3,384,700, an average of $25,259 and median of $15,000; and
• 2018: 115 sold for $3,381,200, an average of $29,402 and median of $20,000.
“Saratoga fall is New York’s breeding stock sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning Jr. “With purse parity beginning next year, the New York-bred program will go from strength-to-strength. New York-bred weanlings offered at Saratoga fall will be eligible to compete for these higher purses when they reach the track as 2-year-olds. The same applies to foals carried by mares cataloged in this sale. Now is the time to get involved in New York – the future is bright.”
The sale offers the opportunity for buyers to purchase weanlings from the first crops of promising sires based in New York and beyond, including New York-bred Horse of the Year and Grade 1 winner Americanrevolution. He’s represented by 14 weanlings after updated scratches through early Monday morning. Americanrevolution stands for $12,500 at Rockridge Stud in Hudson.
Other sires with weanlings from their first crops include Annapolis, Arabian Lion, Arcangelo, Country Grammer, Dr. Schivel, Elite Power, Fulsome, Gunite, Loggins, Mage, Mullion, Pappacap, Taiba, Two Phil’s, Up to the Mark and Zandon.
“I think it’s even better than last year. I’m very optimistic,” said Mill Creek Farm’s Anne Morgan. “I would like to see it do well. New York has become a big part of nationwide racing, and I think it needs to be shown to be competitive. This sale is a great pinhook sale. People pick up nice, quality weanlings and get a chance to move on with them. First year sires are always a big deal.”
Mullion, a full brother to Kentucky Derby Mandaloun, stands at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson and is also represented by weanlings from his first crop.
“Very happy with the interest we’ve seen in him,” said Sequel New York’s Becky Thomas. “I’ve looked at a couple that are really nice. We’re cautiously optimistic. Enthusiasm gets better as yearlings and 2-year-olds come along. It’s harder with babies because no one ever wants to take the first step with a regional sire, and this sale starts off the market.”
New stallions aren’t alone in the spotlight at the Saratoga fall mixed sale, which also features weanlings by New York’s four-time leading sire Central Banker, 2025 leading sire Bucchero and top sires Solomini and Honest Mischief.
Hidden Lake Farm is the consignor of a late entry in Hip 281, a colt by Bucchero who is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf contender Argos.
“I got lucky buying a mare a year and a half ago in foal to Olympiad, and then her 2-year-old won a Grade 1 in Canada and is going to the Breeders’ Cup,” Hidden Lake’s Chris Bernhard said. “We sold the mare in the digital sale the other day for $100,000, and I was happy. She is 16, so I thought it was a good, solid play, and I decided to bring the baby over here and see how it shakes out.”
Bernhard agreed with the other consignors about seeing increased activity and equally optimistic it will translate into strong trade Tuesday.
“The showing yesterday was very good; it’s been steady,” he said. “A lot of people were outbid on yearlings in September, and the scuttlebutt I’ve been hearing is that people didn’t get yearlings and are going to have to come back and get a little more aggressive on weanlings. Weanlings that have been bought [at this sale] have done well pinhooking, so I expect this to be a pretty solid sale.”
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