Fasig Winter Sale Starts Strong

As expected, graded stakes-winning mares proved to be popular during the opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale, which started its two-day run Monday in Lexington with Grade III winner Super Majesty (Super Saver), offered as a broodmare prospect, topping the session when selling for $475,000. The opening session saw 164 horses sell for a gross of $4,702,300, an average of $28,673, and a median of $9,750. The RNA rate, from 74 horses not sold, was 31.1%.

Compared to 2016, gross increased 42.7%, while the average was up 60.1% and the median was up 21.9%. Last year, 184 horses sold for $3,294,500 during the opening session, leading to an average of $17,905 and a median of $8,000. The RNA rate was 25.4%.

“It is really hard to compare the context of the February sale from year-to-year,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “The composition of the catalogue can change pretty significantly. Last year, we had an imbalance in the two days. Day two was much stronger than day one, just because of how the catalogue fell. All in all, the reality is that the market is probably stronger on the upper level horses and weaker on the lower level horses.

“It is a continuation of the market we have seen in recent years,” Browning said. “I think it is a pretty good idea of what we can expect throughout 2017. There was significant bidding activity and great competition on the upper-end offerings, and unfortunately, there was very little market on some of the less expensive horses.”

Midway through the day there was plenty of bidding for Super Majesty (hip 238), who sold for a session-best to Susan Chu's Baoma Corp. The 5-year-old was consigned by Darby Dan Farm on behalf of her owners, LNJ Foxwoods.

Early in the session, millionaire She's All In (Include) fetched $325,000 from RML, agent. She's All In (hip 96), the second highest-priced offering of the day, was consigned by Vinery Sales, who was acting as agent for the dispersal of Rockin' Z Ranch.

“There was plenty of activity, and the market was generally as expected,” Browning continued. “It goes to show you there is certainly a vibrant market even in February. If someone has a nice broodmare prospect or mare in foal, they can bring her here with complete confidence and know there is going to be plenty of buyers willing to compete for any horse of quality.”

In total, 12 horses sold for six figures, compared to just five at last year's opening session of the auction. The leading short weanling was a colt by The Factor (hip 157) who sold for $135,000 to Blue Sky Sales. Out of the Cat Thief mare Tazarine, he was consigned by Stuart Morris, agent.

The two-day sale concludes Tuesday with hips 327-640. For catalogue, results and outs, or to watch the sale live, visit www.fasigtipton.com.

A Super Choice

Graded stakes winner Super Majesty (Super Saver) was expected to sell well Monday at Fasig-Tipton, and she did not disappoint. After some spirited bidding, the broodmare prospect went to Susan Chu's Baoma Corp. for $475,000 to top the opening session.

“This is February, so I thought she stood out here,” said Donato Lanni, Hill 'n' Dale's bloodstock services director, who signed the ticket on behalf of Chu. “We are happy to have her. She was a really good racemare. She never got the chance to win a Grade I or Grade II, but she was that type of filly, I thought.”

On the track, Super Majesty's biggest victory came in the GIII Dogwood S. at Churchill Downs in 2015. In addition to her talent, she was selected out of the sale for a very specific purpose.

“Susan, like everybody else, is a fan of American Pharoah,” said Lanni. “She wanted a mare to breed to American Pharoah, so this was our last stop. Super Majesty will come back to Hill 'n' Dale, and we will get her bred. Susan won an Eclipse a few weeks ago with Drefong, and she's a lucky woman. She's easy to work for.”

Darby Dan Farm consigned Super Majesty on behalf of her owners, the Roth family's LNJ Foxwoods. The 5-year-old mare had originally been entered in the Fasig-Tipton November Sale last year, but her connections decided to point for February instead.

“This is a fantastic marketplace for a mare coming off the track,” said Carl McEntee, Darby Dan's sales and bloodstock director. “Stakes horses, they just do very well. We are a week away from the breeding season, and everyone has one mare that they want or they have no other chances to grab one. Fasig-Tipton does a great job and makes sure everyone is in town. We knew we were going to come here all along. We had nominated her for the November Sale, but I think this was a better marketplace for her.

“I am very pleased for the owners, LNJ Foxwoods. It was one of their first big offerings at the sales. I think it was a solid price. She will go to a good home, so we are delighted for the new client. We had heard lots of people say she was one of the best mares in the sale. It is nice when they look like that, perform at the racetrack, and go on and actually do well in the sales ring.”

All in on Getting Out

A dispersal always gives a sale an added bit of intrigue, and the February sale was no different. Horses of all ages from Robert Zoellner's Oklahoma-based Rockin' Z Ranch were offered without reserve, but drew plenty of attention.

Leading the way during the opening session was millionaire She's All In (Include), who hammered down for $325,000 to RML, agent, making her the second highest price lot on Monday.

On the track, the Oklahoma bred won the GIII Sixty Sails H. and was second to champion Royal Delta (Empire Maker) in the GI Delaware H.

“I bought her for an undisclosed buyer,” said Ran Leonard. “I am from Oklahoma, and I am a long-time friend of Dr. Zoellner, so obviously I have been a fan of this mare. I own a mare named Tiz Miz Sue, and she and She's All In ran against each other all the time. We would have dinner bets over who would finish in front.

“I am lucky enough to buy and sell horses for different people. I had some people interested in her, and obviously I could provide a lot of information about her because I have been around the mare since she was little.”

Vinery Sales consigned the Rockin' Z Ranch horses at the February sale. The operation is being liquidated due to personal reasons surrounding the Zoellner family.

“I thought it was a nice price for her,” said Vinery's Derek MacKenzie. “She was really hard to appraise. Everybody asked me what she was going to bring, and I had a hard time appraising her. In this market, which I would call soft, I thought she did fine. For a mare in a February sale, she showed a lot. She is a real classy mare and easy to work with. She looked great.”

One Rockin' Z Ranch horse who was withdrawn is homebred Rowdy the Warrior, who was slated to sell on day two of the sale. The Warrior's Reward colt picked up two GI Kentucky Derby qualifying points after running third in the Smarty Jones S. at Oaklawn Park this January.

“He has not been sold,” said MacKenzie. “I am not privy to any particular reason, but I do know he was supposed to get on the van, and an hour or two before it was decided he wouldn't get on it. I am disappointed because we figured he would top the sale.”