Fasig-Tipton will drop the curtain on its 2021 yearling gross sales season Oct. 25-28 in Lexington, the place 1,586 horses are cataloged to the Kentucky October Yearlings public sale.
As with all different sides of the Thoroughbred gross sales enviornment this yr, the powerhouse gross sales firm loved a yearling market that went from energy to energy within the wake of the downturn attributable to the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020.
In accordance with BloodHorse MarketWatch knowledge, comparisons of 2021 with 2020 yearling gross sales thus far present 4,942 foals of 2020 have offered for gross receipts of $497,258,089, up 33.9% from the $371,324,060 mixture of 2020 when 5,540 yearlings modified fingers. This yr’s cumulative common has jumped 50.1% from $67,026 to $100,619, and the median has doubled to $40,000 from $20,000 a yr in the past. The RNA charge has proven a lower to 18.2% from 25.7%.
After consolidating three gross sales into one Chosen Yearlings Showcase in 2020, Fasig-Tipton welcomed these occasions again to their stalwart spots on this yr’s calendar, seeing encouraging outcomes all year long.
The primary main yearling sale of the season, The July Sale, surpassed gross receipts from 2019 by practically $3 million whereas each the common and median rose accordingly, and the RNA charge declined by 7.8% to 24.9%.
The Saratoga Sale in August noticed key trade gamers pleased to get again to securing future runners for his or her stables. Comparatively, from 2019 to 2021, there was not a lot change throughout the ultimate figures in both course, with the median value for yearlings offered remaining the identical at $350,000.
The New York-Bred Yearlings public sale noticed document figures with an increase in gross receipts by greater than $2.3 million. The typical value jumped to $91,461, and the median climbed by $10,000, serving to the RNA to lower to 21.3% from 30.1% in 2019.
This yr the October catalog is stuffed with lively pedigrees and thrilling updates, together with yearlings out of graded-producing mares.
“The standard must be the strongest and deepest catalog we have now had within the October sale. The amount has remained the identical; we have now some limitations on the grounds with lodging,” mentioned Boyd Browning Jr., president and CEO of Fasig-Tipton. “The sale continues to enhance, gaining acceptance and energy from each patrons and sellers. The synergy has elevated yearly.
Boyd Browning Jr.
“Now we have graduates like Hot Rod Charlie and Jack Christopher ; both are leading contenders pointed to key Breeders’ Cup races, which gives buyers a boost … We all dream of having a big horse,” Browning said. “Into Mischief was an October sale graduate, and look at what he has done, not only on the track but his impact in the stallion barn, being a $50 million—give or take—income producer a year for Spendthrift. To think you could have the opportunity to buy a horse like that at the October sale is amazing.”
A half brother to Sept. 5 TVG Del Mar Debutante (G1) winner Grace Adler is among the first-day offers. Bred and consigned by Blue Heaven Farm as Hip 182, the colt by leading sire Into Mischief is out of the grade 3-winning Newfoundland mare Our Khrysty , a half sister to grade 1 winner Bullsbay. Grace Adler brought $700,000 from Donato Lanni, agent for Michael Lund Petersen, at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase. She now races for Petersen and Willow Grace Farm.
Another active runner can be found in Taylor Made Sales Agency’s Hip 266, a colt by Union Rags out of grade 2-placed, grade 3 winner Purely Hot . The dam’s 4-year-old Empire Maker son Eight Rings won the 2019 American Pharoah Stakes (G1) and returned to the winner’s circle Oct. 2 with an allowance-level win at Santa Anita Park for Corridor of Fame coach Bob Baffert and trade giants Coolmore Stud, Golconda Secure, Madaket Stables, SF Racing, and Starlight Racing. SF Bloodstock/Starlight West sourced the colt from Taylor Made’s consignment to the 2018 Keeneland September Yearling Sale for $520,000.
Tuesday’s choices embrace Hip 545, a Mendelssohn colt out of Super Girlie, the dam of Super Stock , who captured the Arkansas Derby (G1) in April and the Runhappy Ellis Park Derby in August, and was third last out in the Sept. 26 Oklahoma Derby (G3). Yearlings by Ashford sire Mendelssohn, a Scat Daddy half brother to popular sire Into Mischief, have been sought after this year with 83 of the 103 offered at public yearling auctions sold, averaging $159,337.
Spendthrift Farm’s young sire Bolt d’Oro , whose first yearlings have commanded attention at this year’s yearling auctions by averaging $174,863 for 73 sold, has 29 offspring slated to go through the ring at the October sale. Among them is Hip 548, a colt out of Super Phoebe, the dam of the $2.4 million earner and multiple grade 1 winner Got Stormy . Consigned by Pope McLean’s Crestwood Farm, the colt was bred by the partnership of Mt. Joy Stables, Pope McLean, Marc McLean, and Pope McLean Jr., the same connections that bred Got Stormy. A $2.75 million purchase by Spendthrift Farm last year from The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton’s marquee breeding stock sale, Got Stormy is currently campaigned in partnership with MyRacehorse and is headed to the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for a third time.
Among the consignors looking forward to sending more stock under the hammer after a powerful comeback year is Candy Meadows Farm.
“We have a nice group, nearly all of these horses—this is their first sale—were pointed to this sale specifically. Some are later foals that we decided to give a bit more time,” said Matt Lyons, senior vice president of Candy Meadows Farm. “I’m excited to get Hip 640, a colt by Munnings , to the grounds and start showing; the mare has shown us she can throw a nice horse.”
Hip 640 is out of the Tizway mare Tizacity. His half brother Dupuis, by Distorted Humor , sold at this sale in 2019 for $165,000 to Kevin McKathan, agent for Newday TC, who turned him around to sell at the 2020 Ocala Breeders’ Sales July 2-Year-Olds in Training and Horses of Racing Age Sale for $700,000 to West Bloodstock, agent for Robert and Lawana Low.
“A lot of good horses have come out of this sale the last few years; I have sold some good horses out of this sale and when something works for you, you tend to do it again,” Lyons said. “We sold Coach here in 2019 (for $65,000 to Liz Crow, agent for BSW Bloodstock); she has gone on to win the Rags to Riches Overnight Stakes and be graded stakes-placed in both the Golden Rod Stakes (G2) and the Fantasy Stakes (G3) this year, and ran in the Longines Kentucky Oaks (G1) this year.”
Coach’s half sister by Collected will sell as Hip 844 in Wednesday’s session. Her half brother by Klimt named The Judge and Jury sold at last year’s October sale for $117,000 to Golf 2020. Owned by trainer John Ennis and Hayden Noriega, he was fourth Oct. 9 at Keeneland in his debut.
Final yr, from 1,553 cataloged to this sale, Fasig-Tipton reported 961 yearlings offered for a mean of $34,073 with gross receipts of $32,743,700 and a median value of $15,000.
Tommy Eastham of Legacy Bloodstock
“Now we have discovered through the years this sale has produced runners, being nice for sellers,” mentioned Tommy Eastham, proprietor of Legacy Bloodstock. “A variety of what we promote is for smaller farms that do not essentially have the staffing to take action themselves, so it is extra person pleasant for them. These October yearlings get a month to 6 months further time outdoors to develop and be a horse, which is helpful.”
“The October sale has a novel high quality in that it is the ‘final name for alcohol,'” Eastham added. “Luckily, on this good market the place provide and demand are extra in stability, it is OK to (supply a yearling) on the finish of the yr.”
As of Sunday afternoon, 174 hips have been withdrawn from the sale. Periods start at 10 a.m. ET each day.
