The 103rd Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Horse Auction will begin on August 5 in Saratoga Springs, New York, and consignors and sales staff are optimistic about the heat and crowds visiting the auction grounds ahead of the auction.
Fasig-Tipton cataloged 240 yearlings for the August 5-6 meet at the Humphrey S. Finney Sales House.
“We’ve put together a huge catalog, and we couldn’t be more excited and looking forward to a big two days,” said Boyd Browning Jr., president and CEO of Fasig-Tipton. “We’re thrilled with the level of activity. It’s been very busy since Friday morning. The right people are here, and the consignors are very happy with the traffic they’re getting.”
According to BloodHorse Marketwatch, the Saratoga Sale is the highest-ranked yearling sale in North America in terms of percentage of Grade 1 winners and graded winners. The sale is responsible for back-to-back winners of the Preakness Stakes (G1)—National treasures in 2023 and Grasp the gray in 2024.
Seize the Grey wins the Preakness at Pimlico
National Treasure is being sold for $500,000 in 2021 to a partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables. The Quality Road colt is consigned by Bridie Harrison. After winning the 2023 Preakness, he has won the Pegasus World Cup Invitational Stakes (G1) and Hill ‘n’ Dale Metropolitan Handicap (G1) this season.
Seize the Grey sold for $300,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton auction to minority Thoroughbred ownership group MyRacehorse. He was consigned by Mill Ridge Sales. This prominent ownership group is preparing to add to their stable again and has been active on the sale grounds, taking potential buyers on tours as they go through the steps required to acquire a successful racehorse.
Other notable graduates include Sierra Leone winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and runner-up of the Kentucky Derby (G1); Prince of Monaco 2023 Del Mar Futurity (G1) winner; and Stephen Foster Stakes (G1) winner King .
Last year’s Saratoga auction brought in $75,055,000, with an average of $487,370. Eleven horses sold for $1 million or more, with one The Observer –Curlin The colt topped the sale price of $4 million. It was sold to Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing, and consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.
Taylor Made President and CEO Mark Taylor said traffic and sentiment at the barns over the past three days has been good.
“It’s one of those things that you can’t really describe, but you just feel it. There’s a lot of energy,” Taylor said. “It seems like people are optimistic and ready to jump in and buy some really nice yearlings. Some years, you don’t feel that. You feel like, ‘Are people just going to sit tight and maybe wait until September and see what happens?’”
Taylor is still hesitant to predict seven-figure results, but he says the portfolio’s consistency bodes well.
“I think Fasig-Tipton has done a good job of selecting these horses, so it’s a pretty even group of horses with physical quality and that helps a lot. Not all of them have to have blue blood pedigrees, but the physical condition here is very good across the board.”
Hips 1-120 sell on August 5, with hips 121-240 closing the auction on August 6. The first offering in the second auction on August 6 will be part of a top young stallion Complexity . He leads all early season breeds in winners, black-type winners, black-type winners, ranked winners and offspring earnings. The stakes will be held by Airdrie Stud, short for Complexity.
Complexity at Airdrie Stud
Complexity’s top performers include What is MoPlex? Sanford Stakes (G3) winner at Saratoga Race TrackAnd Forza Black , winner of the Richmond Stakes (G2) on August 2 at Goodwood racecourse.
The Saratoga auction is typically a proven stallion auction, but there are many first-year stallions of interest, including Quack , Maxfield , Yaupon , Essential Quality , Known agenda And Tacitus .
“All of our foals are proven stallions, except for one—Hip 45 (by Maxfield),” said Carrie Brogden of Machmer Hall Sales. “He’s been so well received, it’s great to have a new one.”
Hip 45 is a colt bred at Machmer by the yearling stallion Maxfield, and is the first foal to the mare Uncle Mo Fiscal Literacy, a half to grade 2 winner. Dixie City and the winner Win .
Machmer Hall, based near Paris, Ky., is no stranger to bringing top horses to prestigious auctions. Some of their notable graduates include two-time Eclipse champion and Hall of Famer Tepin and 1st place winner Be Praised .
“Overall, we have a really solid group,” Brogden said. “I feel as positive as I can.”
