Honor Code Yearling Tops Fasig Finale

TIMONIUM, MD – The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale concluded two sessions of steady trade Tuesday in Timonium with figures largely in line with the auction's 2018 edition. Eleven yearlings sold for six figures, led by a ridgling by Honor Code who brought the auction's top price when selling for $190,000 to trainer Tim Hills bidding on behalf of Patrick Welsh's Seagull Capital. The yearling was consigned by Bill Reightler on behalf of breeder Barbara Brown.

“I am happy with those results,” said Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sales Director Paget Bennett. “We had a good crowd both days and we had new buyers. At this sale, every year, we see a new face. And I think we'll see a lot of them back here in May [for the 2-year-olds in training sale]. This is a great marketplace and people love buying out of this sale. They always find good value.”

In all, 300 yearlings sold for $7,275,900. The average of $24,253 was up 12% from 2018, while the median of $14,000 dipped 6.7%. The buy-back rate was 21.3%.

During last year's Midlantic Fall sale, 338 yearlings sold for $7,318,700. The average was $21,653 and the median was $15,000. With 94 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 21.7%. Ten yearlings sold for six figures during the 2018 auction, with a top price of $210,000.

“I think, as we say about all the sales lately, it was a bit polarized,” Reightler said as the sale wound down Tuesday afternoon. “The realities of it are, you've got to have a well-conformed, good physical horse who vets well. The Honor Code colt was an outstanding individual who towered over a lot of horses. He was by a good sire and the dam produced a Grade II winner, so everything fit there. Nice horses sold well and for the ones that don't tick the boxes, it's tough.”

The Midlantic sale came on the heels of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and Reightler admitted he was worried buyers might have filled all their orders during that mammoth 13-day auction.

“I didn't really know coming in what to expect with the mass of horses that sold before us-were we going to have enough buyers to have a healthy market,” Reightler said. “But we did. We had plenty of people who were willing to buy a nice horse. I was really encouraged over the weekend by the showing. We showed our consignment over the first two days over 1100 times. And we had a good mix of end-users and pinhookers.”

Hills Makes Top Bid at Midlantic Sale

Trainer Tim Hills made the highest bid of the two-day Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall sale when he went to $190,000 to acquire a ridgling by Honor Code Tuesday in Timonium. The youngster was one of four yearlings Hills purchased on behalf of Patrick Welsh's Seagull Capital during the two-day sale.

Bred by Barbara Brown and consigned by Bill Reightler, the yearling (hip 237) is out of 18-year-old mare Mrs. Vanderbilt (Citidancer) and is a half to graded winner Dancing Afleet (Afleet Alex).

“About everything,” Hills said when asked what he liked about the yearling. “It's an older family-the mare was older, but she throws nothing but runners. The colt just grabs you. He's a handsome colt and all class.”

During Monday's first session of the auction, Hills purchased a colt by Girolamo (hip 138) and a filly by Liam's Map (hip 17), both for $90,000. Later Tuesday, Hills was back in action again, going to $130,000 to acquire a colt by Kantharos (hip 278).

“We've been able to get the ones that we've zeroed in on,” Hills said.

Hills was active finding racing prospects for Sea Gull Capital at the juveniles sales this past spring. He purchased three juveniles at the Midlantic May sale, led by a $290,000 son of Into Mischief (hip 263). Sea Gull Capital's four acquisitions at the OBS April sale included a $430,000 son of Hard Spun (hip 207) and the stable added a colt by Flatter (hip 102) for $350,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale.

“At the 2-year-olds in training sales, we kind of came up with some big numbers, and we thought we'd go back to the source and go this route,” Hills said. “This is normally what we do, buy yearlings, and this has worked out.”

Frommer Stays Strong on Day 2

Cary Frommer, who purchased the second-highest priced lot during Monday's opening session of the Midlantic sale, continued to be active during the auction's second session Tuesday and ultimately signed for 15 yearlings for a total of $761,000.

“I bought for racing people, and for one man who wants to race at a little lower level, and then I bought some pinhooking horses for me,” Frommer said of her two-day buying spree in Timonium. “This is the place to be. ”

Frommer, who purchased a Jump Start colt on behalf of owner Chuck Zacney for $130,000 Monday, paid $120,000 for a filly from the first crop of Upstart (hip 271) Tuesday.

The dark bay, bred and consigned by Dark Hollow Farm, is out of stakes winner Plum (Pure Prize) and she is destined for resale next spring, according to Frommer.

“I like the sire,” Frommer said of the youngster's appeal. “All of them that I've looked at have been really nice. And I had that family. I had Plum, the dam, and I had a lot of the others. There is a horse out there, a 2-coming-3-year-old named Toy (Tapizar) who I think is going to be very exciting. So I know the family is going to be improving, too. And she was smooth and lovely.”

Also Tuesday, Frommer purchased an Into Mischief filly (hip 369) for $100,000. Consigned by CandyLand, the bay filly is the first foal out of Tasha's Moon (Malibu Moon) and was bred by Classic Thoroughbred XXIX.

“The Into Mischief I bought for an owner who races,” Frommer said. “There was a little bit of a vetting issue and he wasn't afraid of it. I think he's going to have a lot of fun with her. I thought it was good value.”

Of the 11 horses to sell for six figures at the Midlantic sale, Frommer purchased four.

“You weren't going to steal any nice horses out of here,” Frommer said. “People were lined up on the nice ones, but that's the same everyone. You can't hide a nice horse.”