Two-time champion Tepin (Bernstein–Life Happened, by Stravinsky), who is carrying her first foal by Curlin, will be offered by owner Robert Masterson at the Nov. 6 Fasig-Tipton November sale as part of the Elite Sales consignment.
“My interest and my love of the sport lies in racing, and my family and I have decided to sell her because we wanted her breeding career to be nurtured by someone who loves that aspect of the business as much as I love the racing aspect,” said Masterson. “It's impossible to describe what Tepin has meant to me and my family. What happened is not believable. Everyone who races horses and who loves to do so has witnessed greatness. But never could you believe, even in your wildest dreams, that the best of the best could be yours.”
“Tepin captured the hearts and imagination of Thoroughbred fans around the world,” said Boyd Browning, President & CEO of Fasig-Tipton. “Her brilliance was only surpassed by her courage and determination to win. Tepin truly has unlimited potential as a broodmare. She is in foal on one cover to Curlin, sire of five Grade 1 winners in 2016 alone. It's a once-a-decade type offering that is truly elite.”
Bred in Kentucky by Machmer Hall, Tepin earned her first Eclipse Award as the nation's best turf mare in 2015 after racking up a trio of Grade I wins. Kicking off that term with victories in the GII Churchill Distaff Turf Mile and the GI Longines Just a Game S., the Mark Casse pupil missed by a nose to Hard Not to Like (Hard Spun) in that term's GI Diana S. and came up just a head short to multiple Chilean champion Dacita (Chi) (Scat Daddy) in the GII Ballston Spa S. Returning to winning ways with a dominant seven-length score in Keeneland's GI First Lady S., the then 4-year-old Tepin dazzled fans in Lexington again next out with a decisive score over 2016 GI Arlington Million hero Mondialiste (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile.
Opening her 2016 account at Tampa with facile wins in the GIII Lambholm South Endeavour S. and GII Hillsborough S., Tepin romped by five lengths in the GI Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. last spring at Keeneland and easily defended her Churchill Distaff Turf Mile title. Her connections felt confident enough in their turf superstar to make the trip across the pond to Royal Ascot, where she rewarded their good faith with another sensational success in the prestigious G1 Queen Anne S.
Given a bit of a breather at Saratoga over the summer following her European exploits, Tepin returned a winner with another impressive victory against males in the GI Ricoh Woodbine Mile last September. Second to a loose-on-the-lead Photo Call (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) when attempting a First Lady title defense, the bay closed four wide to be a valiant second to Tourist (Tiznow) by just a half-length in last term's Breeders' Cup Mile at Santa Anita Nov. 5 and earned her second Eclipse statuette.
Tepin was retired this past April when her connections felt she had lost interest in racing and was bred to Curlin. A $140,00 graduate of the 2011 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale, Tepin closed out her illustrious career with a record of 23-13-5-1 and earnings of $4,437,918.
“I have trained some Breeders' Cup winners and champions, but there is no doubt this is the best horse I ever trained,” Casse said. “She came with her 'A' game at 10 different racetracks, under every possible surface and condition, including wins on turf, dirt and synthetic. It is a special feeling leading one over knowing they are going to run big. We felt that every time with Tepin. She was first or second in her final 15 starts, 11 of those wins. Believe it or not, I think her extremely-wide second in the 2016 Breeders' Cup Mile was her best race ever. We never ducked anyone, and she took my son Norman, my staff and me around the world, and we are proud she went out on top.”
Tepin will be part of the first Fasig-Tipton November consignment for Elite Sales.
“Tepin was legendary on the racetrack, but the chance to add a collector's item like her to a broodmare band is historic,” said Elite Sales' Brad Weisbord. “She is the first mare to come to public auction having been both a Breeders' Cup Mile and Queen Anne winner, which gives her unique worldwide appeal. Tepin has a great chance to shape catalogue pages for decades to come. Of the four fillies that have been Eclipse Champion Female Turf Horse twice, like Tepin, three have produced graded or group winners including Kingmambo (Miesque) and Australia (Ouija Board {GB}), and the fourth had daughters produce graded or group winners.”
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