"The catalogue is a little smaller than some previous years," commented Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning, "but that's not something which surprised us. Our Calder consignors reacted to the challenges posed by the market-place by being extremely selective in their purchases. This resulted in the 2010 catalogue being one of the strongest - both in pedigree and conformation - we have put together for a two-year-old in training sale."

Calder Sales' graduates enjoyed a banner year in 2009 at the highest level of racing, led by dual Eclipse Champion Gio Ponti, offered in 2007. The sale produced 14 graded stakes-winners during the year, six of which won grade 1 races, including Eclipse finalists Zensational and Hot Dixie Chick.

The G2 Fasig-Tipton Fountain of Youth Stakes at Gulfstream on February 20 kicks off the company's sales activities in South Florida. The under-tack show at Calder on February 26 will be followed on Saturday, February 27, by the Fasig-Tipton Fillies Festival, at Gulfstream, with 3 graded stakes for fillies on the card that day. The 2010 Calder Selected Sale of Two-year-olds in training gets underway at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, March 2.

"This is an attractive sale from several different perspectives," said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. "There are several mares in foal to 2009 leading sires such as Medaglia d'Oro and Tiznow. We have a number of broodmare prospects coming off the track with graded stakes qualifications. In addition we have 115 yearlings catalogued with domestic and international pedigree appeal."

"The new schedule accomplishes two things," said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. "The mid-week window avoids conflicts with major weekend racing throughout the world for our buyers, trainers and international visitors. It also removes, for California visitors, any clash with the opening of racing at Del Mar."

The two-day, continuous-session auction will begin with a "Freshman Sire Showcase" on Tuesday morning. It will feature only those stallions with first-crop yearlings of 2010. The progeny of second-crop sires will now be contained in the main body of the sale.

"There is unquestionably a positive atmosphere when you offer yearlings by these exciting, young racehorses. The momentum this creates carries right through the sale," added Browning.

January 29 is the deadline for nominations to the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July Selected Yearling Sale. Nomination forms are available from all Fasig-Tipton offices and yearlings can also be nominated through the company's website at www.fasigtipton.com.

Katy Moore, a graduate of the University of Arizona's Race Track Industry Program, with seven years experience in racing and breeding, has been hired to lead the new endeavor. "It is exciting to have the resources of Fasig-Tipton behind a project with great potential for our industry", said Moore. "It will be a full team effort and an opportunity to enhance the sport we love. We expect to enroll our first members at the beginning of 2010."

www.fasigtiptonracingclub.com

Blue Horse Charities was formed in 2001 by the late John Hettinger to financially assist those organizations which find adoptive homes for Thoroughbreds off the racetrack. The charity is financed by buyers, sellers, consignors and Fasig-Tipton. A buyer, seller or consignor can donate one quarter of one percent of a sales activity with Fasig-Tipton, which is then matched 100% by the auction company.

"TCA only recently took over the time-consuming responsibilities of grant verifications and we are very grateful for the speed in which they have accomplished their work," said Terence Collier, speaking for Blue Horse Charities. "With further help from TCA, we intend to bring greater awareness of the plight and needs of retired Thoroughbred racehorses, to expand the mission of Blue Horse and hopefully raise even more money for this cause."

"For this year's round of grants, the top five most productive Thoroughbred retraining and adoption centers were New Vocations Racehorse Adoption Program, Finger Lakes Thoroughbred Adoption Program, MidAtlantic Horse Rescue, South Jersey Thoroughbred Rescue and Thoroughbred Retirement Foundation, who together placed 317 of the 717 tattooed ex-racehorses funded." said Liz Harris, Executive Director of TCA.

"We are extremely grateful to receive this grant," said New Vocations Program Director Anna Ford. "It has been a tough year for unwanted horses and the organizations that care for them. Blue Horse Charities founder, John Hettinger, realized the importance of adoption over retirement and rewards the charities that get horses into homes. It's harder now than ever before to find qualified people that are willing to take on the expense of a new horse. In order to encourage adoptions more time and training must be put into each horse. This grant helps give us the resources to do that."

In a down year for almost every sale, the sale that stands out as the most successful was the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale of selected yearlings on August 10-11 at the Humphrey S. Finney Sales Pavilion. It recorded increases in average price, median price, and total sales.

"The Saratoga select sale was a point of focus the entire year leading up to the sale, from the renovations that were done to the facility to a broad-based recruiting effort for both yearlings and buyers," said Fasig-Tipton Chief Operating Officer Dan Pride. "We were thrilled with the end result."

The sale was the highlight of the auction year in Saratoga Springs, which also hosted the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale on August 15-16 and the New York Breeders' Sales Co.'s mixed sale on October 18.

Despite the extremely difficult economic conditions worldwide, the Saratoga select sale experienced a 45.6% increase in total receipts, to $52,549,500, second highest in the sale's history. It posted a record median price of $250,000, up 9.9% from '08, and average price jumped 11.1% to $328,434, also second highest in sales history. The buy-back rate fell from 25.6% in 2008 to 21.6%. Eighty-seven buyers signed tickets, compared to 72 at last year's sale.

John Ferguson Bloodstock, representing Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, was leading buyer with 12 purchases for a total of $11,850,000. That figure swells by $3,175,000 more if you add in the purchases by Rabbah Bloodstock, which buys for the friends and associates of Sheikh Mohammed, and trainers Richard O'Gorman and Anthony Stroud, who often buy for the Sheikh as agent.

Ferguson bought the sale topper, a $2.8-million Storm Cat colt out of the Mr. Prospector mare Onaga. The colt, named On a Storm, was consigned by Lane's End, agent, one of many consignors who stepped up their commitment to the sale this year, dramatically increasing the quality of offerings.

In addition to the first personal appearance by Sheikh Mohammed at the sale in more than 20 years, Saratoga also drew its first ever consignment from Canadian breeding stalwart Sam-Son Farm.

"We had a number of first-time sellers and returning clients who put their faith in coming to Saratoga," Pride said. "We haven't by any means arrived at our ultimate destination, but the goal for the sale is to make it the number one international yearling sale in the world."

The catalog also expanded in terms of pedigrees to help attract buyers from outside the United States, including yearlings by internationally acclaimed sires Singspiel (Ire), Monsun, and Encosta De Lago (Aus). Foreign buyers accounted for an estimated 42.7% of the total money spent.

"To reach our goal it will require the appropriate mix of pedigrees as well as buyers," Pride said. "We had a number of international buyers attend who gave us great feedback regarding their future returns.

"They told us we made a good move forward from previous years on pedigrees, but we know we have to continue to broaden out the pedigrees on offer. As we speak we have people at Newmarket beginning the recruiting process for 2010."

Article courtesy of Thoroughbred Times

“It’s been a wonderful two nights,” said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning following the sale's final session Aug. 11 in New York. “All in all, we are absolutely thrilled with the results.”

The 160 horses that sold grossed $52,549,500 and averaged $328,434. The median price was $250,000. The gross and average both reached their second-highest levels in the sale's history, exceeded only by the respective figures of $62,412,000 and $385,259 posted in 2001. The median established a sale record, surpassing the previous mark of $245,000, which had been set in 2006. Meanwhile, the buy-back rate fell from 25.6% last year to 22%.

During the post-sale news conference, Browning and Fasig-Tipton chairman Walt Robertson both discussed the efforts made by the company in its drive to make the Saratoga auction the premier yearling sale in the world. They included upgrades to facilities on the sale grounds, more aggressive recruiting of European shoppers and higher quality horses, and the creation of special events to entertain sale participants while they were in Saratoga.

Since last year, Fasig-Tipton has been owned by Synergy Investments, a company headed by an associate of Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed, and that change set the stage for the world’s biggest spender at Thoroughbred auctions to attend the Saratoga sale for the first time in many years. Through his bloodstock manager John Ferguson, Sheikh Mohammed purchased 12 yearlings for $11,850,000, which accounted for 22.6% of the auction’s gross. A number of buyers with close ties to Sheikh Mohammed, including Rabbah Bloodstock and trainer John Gosden, also were active, and another member of Dubai’s ruling family,  Sheikh Hamdan, purchased horses in the name of his Shadwell Estate Co. even though he did not attend the sale.

“I’ve enjoyed it,” said Sheikh Mohammed, who left after Ferguson signed the sale ticket for a $500,000 Street Cry – Randaroo filly near the end of the auction.

The Sheikh Mohammed/Ferguson purchases included four of the sale’s five horses that brought seven-figure prices. Their most expensive acquisition was the $2.8-million sale-topping Storm Cat colt named On A Storm, who went through the sale ring during the auction’s final session. Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas, who was sitting with Westrock Stables’ Joe Ford was the immediate underbidder on the handsome dark bay or brown yearling.

While Ferguson was countering Lukas’ offers from behind the sale pavilion, near where horses enter the auction ring, a relaxed-looking Sheikh Mohammed chatted and laughed with members of his entourage

“To me it was a stretch,” Ferguson said, “but Sheikh Mohammed wasn’t giving me any specific instructions and he seemed very comfortable. He (On A Storm) was just a very, very well-conformed colt with a great presence and great balance. It’s hard to jump through every hoop, and he jumped through every hoop.”

Produced from the 15-year-old Mr. Prospector mare Onaga, who finished second twice and third twice in eight career races, On A Storm is a half-brother to Aragorn (by Giant's Causeway), who captured the Eddie Read Handicap (gr. IT) and the Shoemaker Breeders’ Cup  Mile Stakes (gr. IT) in 2006 and three other graded events.

Will Farish’s Lane’s End consigned On A Storm to the Saratoga sale for his breeder, Summer Wind Farm.  The nursery, located near Georgetown, Ky., is owned by Frank Lyon Jr. and his wife, Jane.

“We did feel that this was very possibly the best colt that we had put up for sale to date from our farm,” said Jane Lyon after thanking Sheikh  Mohammed. “We knew that he was special, and we’re just so pleased that other people thought he was special, too. He is a very forwardly developed, large, solid colt, and we were very, very anxious to come here to Saratoga with him. We are very fond of the Fasig-Tipton group. They have always treated us extremely well, and we’re just happy to be here. This is just an exceptional evening for us.”

The Sheikh Mohammed/Ferguson purchases during the final session also included a Distorted Humor – Quendom colt that is a half-brother to Invasor, who raced for Sheikh Hamdan. Invasor was a Horse of the Year in North American and in Uruguay.

The results for the Saratoga sale’s last session included a gross of $25,760,000 for the 75 horses that sold. The average was $343,467, and the median was $260,000. The buy-back rate was 24.2%.

Article courtesy of BloodHorse.com

The 75 yearlings sold for $25,760,500, added to the first session totals, resulted in 160 horses reported as sold for $52,549,500, a 45.6% increase compared with 2008 and the highest since the sale record of $62,412,000 set in 2001. Overall average rose 11.1% to $328,434, also the second highest on record.

“Fantastic sale both days,” said Walt Robertson, Fasig-Tipton Co.’s chairman and chief auctioneer. “Tonight was an awfully good night compared with last year.

“This was a big effort from everybody, and it all started in the winter with [Yearling Sales Director] Bill [Graves] and his crew looking at horses. They brought us nice, nice horses. Show [the buyers] a better horse, and they'll give you more money for it.

“There's a lot that's gone on [in the economy] in the last 12 months, and I don't think it helped us much. But it's really good to know that if you lead a good horse out there, they'll give you what it's worth.”

Sheikh Mohammed's representative, John Ferguson, landed the only seven-figure yearling of the evening, not including a bogus $1-million bid earlier in the evening, surviving a long duel with trainer D. Wayne Lukas at $2.8-million for a Storm Cat colt. Bred by Summer Wind Farm, the half brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Aragorn (Ire) was consigned by Lane's End, agent.

"That was a stretch," Ferguson said, echoing his comment when purchasing the session-topping Medaglia d'Oro filly the previous evening. "Any farm that produces an individual of that quality from a mare that is as rock-solid proven as the dam of Aragorn, they deserve to be rewarded. You breed [a mare like that] to Storm Cat and you hope for the best, but it doesn't always happen. When it does, you deserve to be rewarded. He is very, very well conformed, great balance, great mover, and he came up here and did everything right."

Jane Lyon, owner with husband, Frank, of Summer Wind, thanked Sheikh Mohammed, who kissed her on the cheek and thanked her for breeding the colt.

"We really didn't know what to expect in this market," Jane Lyon said. "We did feel this was possibly the best colt to date from our farm. We knew he was very special."

Summer Wind purchased Onaga, in foal to Storm Cat, privately after she failed to meet her reserve on a $1,475,000 bid at the 2003 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

“I have had good luck with the family and I thought I'd try again,” Lukas, who was seated with Joe Ford of Westrock Stable, said. “I was in for a pretty good chunk of it myself ... my banker doesn't want to know!”

Led by Ferguson's six purchases for $6,350,000, foreign buyers purchased at least 19 horses for $11,055,000, a figure that represents 42.9% of the total expenditure during the second session. That brought the international buyer total for the sale to at least 46 horses for $22,650,000, a figure that represents 43.1% of the total proceeds. Fasig-Tipton estimated that foreign buyers accounted for about 20% of the total last year. Ferguson led all buyers with 12 purchases for $11,850,000.

“[International buyers] were obviously a major factor,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said. “Their support and participation on a large number of offerings at various price ranges was very helpful to consignors, and very much appreciated.”

Article courtesy of Thoroughbred Times

Should no juvenile qualify for the prize in 2010, the award doubles to $200,000 for Fasig-Tipton yearlings purchased in 2010 at the Saratoga Select Sale who run at Saratoga in 2011.

"The 'Juvenile Jackpot' rewards owners with Fasig-Tipton Selected Saratoga Sales grads for success at the premier race meet in the world," said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. "The program represents another innovative collaboration between NYRA and Fasig-Tipton to showcase the quality of yearlings that pass through the Saratoga sales ring."

Earlier this year, NYRA and Fasig-Tipton announced the inaugural Fasig-Tipton Festival of Racing on August 8 and 9, which ushers in the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Sale and celebrates the rich history of Fasig-Tipton in Saratoga and the important partnership between racing and yearling sales.

The festival features a variety of special events including a celebrity race call, best-turned-out horse and human contests and an innovative, free speaker series for fans.

Prior to two evenings of sales on August 10 and 11 at the newly-remodeled sales grounds on East Avenue, the centerpiece of the Festival is two days of world-class racing, highlighted by the 82nd running of the Grade 1, $750,000 Whitney Handicap and the 84th running of the Grade 1, $300,000 Test on Saturday, August 8, and the 24th running of the Grade 2, $250,000 Alfred G. Vanderbilt Handicap and the 18th running of the Grade 2, $150,000 Honorable Miss Handicap on Sunday, August9.

Additionally, Fasig-Tipton will have two new overnight stakes; on Saturday, the John Hettinger Stakes will be run on the main track while on Sunday, the Finney Stakes will be run on the turf and called by celebrity chef and horse owner, Bobby Flay.

For more information on the Fasig-Tipton Festival of Racing, please visit www.nyra.com