Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm OCALA, FL - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training had one more seven-figure juvenile up its sleeve with a colt by Tiz the Law bringing a sale-topping $1.5 million during the final session of the four-day auction which concluded with it third straight record average Friday. "We are very appreciative and glad and happy--all of the adjectives you can apply to the week," OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski said at the close of business Friday. "It was a...

1st-GP, $94K, Msw, 3yo, f, 1 1/16m, 12:50 p.m. ET. FRIO TOWN (Curlin) is set to be unveiled for Mike Rutherford who went to $675,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale to acquire the filly. Sent to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, the chestnut is out of the unraced full-sister of sire Frost Giant (Giant's Causeway). Also set for her first start is Protective Custody (Ghostzapper). The Stuart Janney homebred's dam, Hold Harmless (Blame), is responsible for SW & MGSP Limited Liability (Kitten's Joy), and her full-sister is GSW Onus....

Growing up in the Thoroughbred industry, Headley VanMeter has always dreamed of starting his own consignment. Now, he is doing it by going out on his own this summer under the banner of VanMeter Sales. "Starting a consignment has always been a goal of mine," said VanMeter. "Everything I have done to this point has been to build a strong foundation as a horsemen. I feel like now is a great time to try to start my own business. I've been really fortunate to be surrounded by a lot of...

6th-GP, $65K, Msw, 2yo, f, 7f, 2:47 p.m. ET. Poised for her unveiling under the care of trainer Todd Pletcher, GHANAAYEM (Uncle Mo) is a $750,000 Shadwell purchase during Keeneland September. Bred by Don Alberto on the same Uncle Mo-Bernardini cross as current sires Mo Town and Modernist, the filly is out of GI Chandelier Stakes heroine Angela Renee. This dam is also responsible for GSP Gilded Age (Medaglia d'Oro) and Thielen (Curlin), a $1.75 million buy from the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. Angela Renee is a full-sister to MGISW...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY - The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, a record-setter during its last two renewals, opened with a power-packed start-to-finish session Monday evening in the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion. "We won the first half," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. "It was a really strong start to the opening session of the 2024 Saratoga yearling sale. We averaged over $500,000 tonight and the median was $400,000. Our RNA rate at an elite sale at 20% is pretty remarkable. We always aim for zero, but...

A half-brother to an unraced Curlin 2-year-old colt who brought $825,000 from Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners in this ring last year, hip 97 nearly doubled that return when hammering to Flying Dutchmen for $1.5 million at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga sale Monday night. By Tapit, the colt is the second foal out of 2018 La Canada Stakes winner Mopotism (Uncle Mo), who also placed in four Grade I events. Flying Dutchmen is reported to be the same entity as Travis Boersma's Boardshorts Stables. Lane's End, agent consigned the Feb.19-foaled colt for his breeder,...

About two-thirds of the way through Monday night's boutique Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, it was Robert and Lawana Low, through West Bloodstock, agent, who successfully bid $1.9 million for a bay Curlin filly from a power-packed family. Don Alberto Corporation bred hip 85 in Kentucky after purchasing her dam, MSW & GSP Matera (Tapit), for $1.4 million as a 2018 Keeneland September yearling. The filly is the first foal out of Matera, whose dam, Taylor Made-based blue hen Miss Macy Sue (Trippi), produced sires Liam's Map and Not This Time. The...

Hip 75, a Bluewater Sales-consigned Gun Runner colt out of Lady Godiva (Unbridled's Song). was another high-profile purchase for John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock during the opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, as he was extended to $1.7 million after a protracted bidding duel. An Apr. 17 foal, the gray is closely related to GI Clark Handicap winner and sire Leofric, a son of Gun Runner's sire Candy Ride (Arg), and his dam hails from the Peter Blum family of Grade I winners Well Chosen, Telling and this year's dual...

With the attendees in the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga sale barely able to control their applause, a Not This Time colt from the family of GI Travers Stakes winner Colonel John (Tiznow) brought $3.4 million from Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing, midway through Monday's session. The dark bay, consigned as hip 72 by Nardelli Sales, agent, is a half-brother to 2019 GIII Schuylerville Stakes winner Comical (Into Mischief). Winning dam Kayce Ace is a full-sister to Colonel John, who also captured the GI Santa Anita Derby....

One of the most anticipated yearlings to grace the ring Monday evening in Fasig-Tipton Saratoga's opening session was Hip 57, a half-brother to breakout first-crop sire star Complexity by popular and well-supported first-year yearling stallion Charlatan. He didn't disappoint, hammering for $1.5 million to John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock, who had made no secret of his desire to purchase the colt over the weekend. Consigned by Warrendale Sales, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised, the chestnut colt is also a half to 2018 GIII Doubledogdare Stakes winner and 2016 GI Breeders' Cup...

After a seven-figure RNA earlier in the session, an Into Mischief colt was the first to crack the $1-million threshold in Monday evening's opening session of Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Select Yearling Sale when selling to Coolmore's M. V. Magnier and White Birch's Peter Brant. The Darby Dan Farm-consigned colt was bred in Kentucky by Lothenbach Stables out of the winning Distorted Music (Distorted Humor), dam of 2022 GIII Chilukki Stakes winner She Can't Sing (Bernardini). The Feb. 28-foaled, $1-million colt, who went through the ring as Hip 30, sold earlier this...

If the weather in Saratoga Springs of late is any indication of what's to come at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion Monday and Tuesday evenings, the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale is poised for a volcanic renewal. In 2023, a total of 154 yearlings sold for $75,055,000, averaging $487,370 with a median of 375,000. The gross jumped from $66,955,000 generated for 143 sold in 2022. "The vibe feels good here," confirmed Taylor Made's Frank Taylor. "Everybody you would want to see in the courtyard, you would have seen walk in. The horses...