LEXINGTON, KY — The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale powered through its opening session in Lexington Monday, with figures up significantly from its record-setting 2024 renewal.
“It was a great start to the October Yearling Sale in Kentucky,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said at the close of business Monday. “All of the statistical categories produced significant increases and we saw a continuation of the trends that we've seen from July carried through August, carried through September and now in October. There was tremendous demand at more levels than we've seen in recent years. Not only was it good at the top, but there was a lot of activity from $20,000 on up.”
During the session, 266 yearlings sold for $16,864,500. The session average was $63,400 and the median was $30,000.
At the opening session of the 2024 October sale, 265 horses sold for $13,198,000. The average was $49,804 and the median was $20,000. The 2024 auction closed with a record average of $52,206, while the cumulative median of $20,000 was the fourth highest in sales history.
Kristian Villante of Legion Bloodstock made the highest bid of the session–and third highest ever at an October sale–when going to $900,000 for a colt by Curlin from the Mill Ridge Sales consignment. The session-topping colt was one of 20 to bring $200,000 or more on the day, up from 14 a year ago.
Denali Stud was responsible for two colts to sell for $400,000 during the session. And, while Denali's Conrad Bandoroff saw plenty of activity, he also admitted there was continued polarization in the market.
“I think as the week continues, if you have a horse that people deem as quality, you are going to get rewarded for it,” Bandoroff said. “The target is small, but when you hit the center target, you are going to get well rewarded. You have to be realistic. It's a little bit of feast or famine, but when they land on your horse, it's fun. If you miss by an inch, you may as well miss by a mile. It's hyper-selective, but when it's good, it's really good.”
The Fasig-Tipton October sale continues through Thursday with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.
Curlin Colt Lights Up Board at Fasig-Tipton
Kristian Villante of Legion Bloodstock made the third-highest bid ever at a Fasig-Tipton October sale when going to $900,000 to secure a colt by Curlin (hip 268) on behalf of a partnership led by Andrew Hudson of Hoolie Racing.
“I've been looking for a couple of nice colts for him throughout the year and this one fit the bill,” Villante said. “He's by a proven sire, champion female family. He's a beautiful colt. We looked at him for three days and we fell in love with him.”
Legion Bloodstock purchased a colt by Good Magic (hip 36) for $1.6 million on behalf of Hoolie Racing at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale and bought the operation another son of Curlin (hip 686) for $500,000 at the Keeneland September sale.
The session-topping yearling, bred by Alpha Delta Stables and consigned by Mill Ridge Sales, is the first foal out of Canadian champion Munnyfor Ro (Munnings). Jon Clay's Alpha Delta purchased the mare, with the colt in utero, for $900,000 at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton November sale.
The colt will head to Travis Durr's training center and will likely be trained by Whit Beckman, according to Villante.
Of the $900,000 price tag, Villante said, “He stood out. We knew we would have to be strong on him. That was probably at the end of where we wanted to be on him. He was a beautiful horse. He deserved to bring that kind of money.”
Denali Colts Bring Matching $400k Bids
A pair of colts from the Denali Stud consignment led early proceedings during the first session of the Fasig-Tipton October sale Monday when bringing matching $400,000 bids.
Bloodstock agent Pedro Lanz has been shopping on behalf of KAS Stables all season and the Saudi operation had one last wish on its list as the final yearling sale of the year got underway Monday in Lexington.
“They wanted a Flightline,” Lanz said. “We had tried to bid on some before.”
Lanz delivered when bidding $400,000 to acquire a colt by the champion (hip 198), the first of two expected to go through the ring at the October sale this week.
“They asked if there were [yearling] sales after this and I said no, baby sales and broodmare sales,” Lanz said. “So we could buy this colt.”
Out of stakes winner and graded-placed Message (Warrior's Reward), the yearling was bred by Woodford Thoroughbreds and, after he RNA'd for $475,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale in August, was selling Monday without reserve as part of the complete dispersal of John Sykes's operation.
“I saw him in Saratoga and he has grown a lot since then,” Lanz said.
Woodford purchased Message, in foal to Charlatan, for $675,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November sale. Her Charlatan colt sold for $275,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale before reselling for $375,000 at this year's OBS April sale.
Hip 198 was consigned by Denali Stud.
“Obviously, he didn't get done in Saratoga,” Denali's Conrad Bandoroff said. “He's a big two-turn horse and he has done nothing but improve since then. From August until now, he's just really come on and improved really nicely. He's been a big fish in a smaller pond here. He's a beautiful strapping colt and he went over really well. There was a ton of activity on him. He got vetted a lot by really good people. This was the result we were looking for in Saratoga. All's well that ends well.”
Shortly before Lanz made his $400,000 bid, Gerard Butler spent the same amount while bidding on behalf of co-breeder Brookdale Racing to buy out partner Three Chimneys Farm on a colt by Gun Runner (hip 48).
“To get a Gun Runner at that level at that price, I thought it was a good day's work,” said Butler. “We had to protect him at some stage. Obviously, he ticked all our boxes.”
The yearling is out of multiple graded stakes winner Lady Apple (Curlin). Butler signed the ticket at $1.2 million to acquire the mare at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Her 2-year-old colt Malus (Into Mischief) was a maiden winner in the Brookdale Racing colors at Saratoga in July.
“That was a good result,” said Bandoroff. “That mare's foals are always kind of late bloomers, so we pointed to this sale all along. It was a plan that really came to fruition. The horse really did well in the last 30-45 days.”
NOTHING BUT NET
'On a Lot of Lists': Mystic Guide Colt Rewards Partners
A group of pinhookers were rewarded for their efforts Monday in Lexington when selling a colt from the first crop of G1 Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide (hip 160) for $150,000 to the bid of Faris Breeding. The group had purchased him under the name Nearco for $22,000 at the 2024 Keeneland November sale.
“He was an absolutely lovely colt with a huge walk,” said Matt Bowling, whose Vinery Sales consigned the yearling. “Good bone, big hip. I think he just really matured into a really nice horse and they were rewarded for it.”
Of the group, a pinhooking partnership that he manages, Bowling said, “They do a good job. They buy good physicals. And the horse just really blossomed at the right time. He showed himself really well and found himself on a lot of lists.”
Thank you to our buyers and consignors for supporting the Kentucky October Yearlings sale. Session 1 results are now online at https://t.co/cD0JL4RBaU. The sale continues Tuesday at 10 AM. #FasigKY pic.twitter.com/FmpRqiUJIF
— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) October 21, 2025
The post ‘Great Start’: Fasig-Tipton October Sale Opens With a Bang appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.
