“We have been forming the concept with Byron Rogers and John Fulton and there is encouraging support from sellers here and from our representatives’ contacts in their respective areas,” said

Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. “Buyers from Australia, New Zealand and South America find it easy to evaluate these offerings, even if they do not attend the sale.  We are working on a number of promotional and hospitality ideas in these regions to expand our buyer base.”

“We intend to start carefully and test the market,” Browning added.  “The focus will be to offer a limited number of mares in a continuous sequence during our one day sale.  Race-record and pedigree are what we are looking for, in mares primarily in foal to non-shuttling commercial stallions.”

“Although our home base is Texas, this sale has become the dominant market in the south-west for several regional breeding and racing programs.  This year’s catalogue includes 101 Texas-breds, 159 Louisiana-breds and 33 Oklahoma-breds,” said local director of sales Tim Boyce.  “Our sire power is impressive, too, with many high-profile proven stallions such as Candy Ride, Cuvee, Forest Wildcat, Holy Bull, Mineshaft, Stormy Atlantic, Tale of the Cat and Tiznow.” 

“There is a real sense of optimism in racing here and everybody is pulling for the new ownership at Lone Star.  I hope it will have a positive effect on the sale,” added Boyce.

Catalogues can be accessed on line and are available from all Fasig-Tipton offices.  The day before the sale, on Sunday, August 29 at 10:00 a.m., there will be a buying and selling seminar organized by the Texas Thoroughbred Association as well as a presale party.

The buy-back rate at the opening session in 2009 was a disappointing 50.5%, so this year’s rate of 29.7% was a major improvement. On the night, Fasig-Tipton reported 52 horses as sold from 74 offered for total sales of $1,822,000, a 1.6% increase from last year when 105 horses went through the ring and the same number (52) sold.

Average price also increased 1.6% to $35,038, and median improved 1.9% to $27,500.

“People wanted horses. It was a vibrant market out there tonight,” said Fasig-Tipton Chairman Walt Robertson. “We had lots of trainers on the grounds the last two days, and we had some good horses for them.

“At the end of the day, you’ve got to sell a high percentage of horses. That’s what we’re here for, and that’s what they’re here for. We did tonight, and we’re thankful for that. Last year, it was pretty tough on this night.”

Bloodstock agent Buzz Chace, representing West Point Thoroughbreds, bought the session topper when he went to $100,000 for a colt from the first crop of Half Ours.

“That’s the first Half Ours that resembled his father that I’ve seen. He actually had a little more to him than his father,” said Chace, who bought Half Ours for $625,000 at the 2004 Keeneland September yearling sale on behalf of Barry Schwartz and Aaron and Marie Jones.

Thorndale Farm, agent, consigned the Half Ours colt, whom it co-bred out of Dixie Lyrics, by Dixie Union.

“It might look expensive tonight, but I think in the long run it’s going to look like a good buy,” said Thorndale’s Jonathan Thorne, who foaled and raised the colt at his Millbrook, New York, farm.

Half Ours was leading sire by average price with two sold for an average of $74,000.

Anthony Bonomo of Brooklyn Boyz Stables bought the night’s second most expensive horse and top-priced filly when he went to $82,000 for a filly by first-crop sire Stonesider out of Katina K, by Distinctive Pro.

Blake-Albina Thoroughbreds, agent for breeder Carl Bennett, consigned the Stonesider filly.

Paul Bulmahn’s GoldMark Farm in Ocala was leading buyer with three purchases for $225,000, all fillies.

“We already have bought more colts than fillies, and if we’re buying colts, we want them to have stallion potential, and there’s not that kind of pedigree here,” said GoldMark’s Todd Quast. “Fillies can make their own pedigree as long as there’s a little something there.

“We probably paid a little more than we thought we would, but in this sale the gems are few and far between, so we stretched a little on the ones we liked.”

Lexington-based Paramount Sales was top consignor by total sales, selling 11 of 13 offerings for $417,000. The sale’s final session begins Sunday at 7 p.m. EDT.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.

Courtesy of Thoroughbred Times

For the second session, Fasig-Tipton reported 59 horses as sold for $17,665,000, bringing totals for the two-night sale to 117 horses reported as sold (down 26.9%), while cumulative total proceeds declined 38.3% to $32,415,000. Overall average price also dipped 15.6% to $277,051, while median stayed level at $250,000 and the buy-backs rate rose from 21.6% in 2009 to 28.7%. At the 2009 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select sale, 160 horses sold for $52,549,500 for an average price of $328,434.

Both of those figures were the second highest in sale history, and few people expected this year's sale to be able compete given the economic environment.

“For my money, tonight was a better sale than last night,” said Walt Robertson, Fasig-Tipton's chairman and chief auctioneer. “We broke the million-dollar barrier and it was a solid sale throughout. It was a lot easier up there [on the auction stand] tonight.”

“There were more horses with breakout potential today,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said, “and there were more horses over half a million.”

“And we had to know it was going to start good tonight,” Robertson chimed in.

The first horse through the ring Tuesday was the sale-topping A.P. Indy colt, who was widely touted as the probable sale-topper from the moment the horses shipped into Saratoga Springs, New York, and the second horse through the ring, a lovely Medaglia d'Oro filly named Gold Spun consigned by Lane's End, agent, sold for $450,000 to Spendthrift Farm.

Todd Pletcher, bidding on behalf of a new client, Ben Leon's Besilu Stable, purchased the sale's only seven-figure horse, a colt by A.P. Indy out of champion Maryfield, by Elusive Quality, for $1.2-million. He was consigned by Meg Levy's Bluewater Sales, agent for Mike Moreno's Southern Equine Stables. Besilu is a relatively new Ocala-based breeding and racing operation. Pletcher, who spoke with Leon on his cell phone during the bidding, said the bay colt appeared to be the complete package.

“Conformationally, he is a beautiful colt,” Pletcher said. “He handled himself well. He’s a good-sized first foal that had an excellent walk, and he’s out of a champion mare. He checked all the boxes.”

Southern Equine bought Maryfield for $1,250,000 at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale shortly after she won the inaugural Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint. Named champion female sprinter, she retired with nine wins from 28 starts and earnings of $1,334,331.

“I'm very happy,” Moreno said. “In this market, that's a fair price for him. Of course we were hoping for more, but it's a good scenario for us. I wanted to establish that in the future we're going to be bringing a lot of quality horses to the market, and if we bring a good one to the market we're here to sell … if I get the price I want. Let's face it, four or five years ago he brings $4- or $5-million.”

The highest-priced filly came through the ring toward the end of the session when agent Tom McCrocklin bid $875,000 on behalf of Robert and Lawanna Low for a Distorted Humor filly who is a half sister to 2001 Horse of the Year Point Given. Out of stakes winner Turko's Turn, by Turkoman, the filly was consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds.

“We loved her,” McCrocklin said. “She was our favorite horse in the sale. She's a beautiful filly, beautiful pedigree. The Lows have a racing stable and they breed so they want to buy high-quality breeding stock.”

John Ferguson, principal agent for leading buyer Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, was active again at the second session, though he did not bid on either of the sales toppers. Ferguson's six purchases on the second night brought his totals to 14 horses for $6,445,000. At the same sale in 2009, Ferguson signed for 12 horses for $11,850,000.

“I think we have to accept that the Thoroughbred market in America is limited by the economy,” Ferguson said. “There is inevitably going to be a readjustment. Quality horses are still selling, but there is definitely value to be had.”

“I think what we've seen so far in 2010 is that it's similar to 2009,” Browning said. “We did experience a decline in 2010, but this was the only sale with a bounce in 2009. There might be more constraint at the very top end of the market this year. The top price last year was $2.8-million and $1.2-million this year. That's a $1.6-million swing in the gross right there. Over 115 horses sold, that's a $15,000 swing in the average.

Courtesy of  Thoroughbred Times

“New York breeders have been very proactive in maintaining the quality of their Thoroughbred program in the face of the challenges posed by the economy and the political realities in New York,” said Fasig-Tipton president, Boyd Browning. “Then there is the success of New York-Breds like Grade 1 and 2 winners Franny Freud and Haynesfield, as well as dual two-year-old stakes-winner Final Mesa, who came from the 2009 New York-Bred Sale.”

“One look at the list of sires represented in the sale tells an encouraging tale.  By far the majority of the 94 colts and 81 fillies we will offer are by stallions prominent on the national scene.  And there is every reason to expect the racing picture for New York-Breds to be healthier when these yearlings reach the racetrack in a year or so from now.”

Catalogues are now available online and from all Fasig-Tipton offices.  The yearlings will be available for inspection on the Saratoga sales grounds from Friday, August 6.

Users have the choice of watching a compilation of all yearling video clips on the Fasig-Tipton TV section of the website (F-T TV), or may select individual hips to view by proceeding to the Saratoga “Interactive Catalogue” page (Saratoga Interactive Catalogue).  Virtual Inspections can also be viewed on mobile devices via Fasig-Tipton’s new mobile catalogue section (Mobile Catalogue).
 
The Virtual Yearling Inspection videos can also be shared through the video player’s “Share with Friends” icon, which offers the capability to quickly email, link, or embed a yearling video clip on various social media outlets. 
 
“These Virtual Inspections provide another tool for buyers, particularly those that cannot attend the sale in person, to get a visual feel for the yearlings they are interested in,” said Bayne Welker, Vice President of Sales.  “These videos are of the highest quality, and should prove a valuable resource for buyers and sellers alike.”
 
Fasig-Tipton will conduct its 90thannual Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale on August 2-3 at its newly renovated Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs, New York.

“This year’s catalogue is one of the finest collections of yearlings we have assembled in recent memory. Last year’s sale saw an increase in international participation that enabled us to offer more diverse pedigrees. ” said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning.

“In addition to the leading sires of North America, European sires Cape Cross, Dubawi and Oasis Dream will be represented.”

Executive vice-president Dan Pride commented on the importance of Saratoga to Fasig-Tipton.

“Our ambition for Saratoga is to maintain and improve its place as one of the most successful and enjoyable yearling auctions in the world. We have again partnered with the New York Racing Association to provide a spectacular Festival of Racing the preceding weekend.”

“This year, visitors will continue to experience extensive and exciting renovations to the sales grounds. Construction on the pavilion is nearing completion and will further enhance our overall commitment to provide for sellers and buyers the best possible sales venues for Thoroughbreds wherever we operate.”

The catalogue is currently available online at www.fasigtipton.com and will be in all Fasig-Tipton offices by Monday, June 28th.
 

“There are 28 graded stakes-winners out there so far from 2009 and 2010,” said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning, “including G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Blind Luck and our most recent G1 winner Victor’s Cry. For a yearling sale which has focused on quality rather than quantity, July has a well-deserved reputation for putting our buyers in the best winners’ circles.”

Catalogues will be available from June 7. The online catalogue, which will be available at the same time, now has significantly-improved search and sort capabilities. The Freshman Sire session, which features 144 yearlings on opening day, will see a minor format revision. In previous years this session has included stallions with first-crop yearlings and two-year-olds. The 2010 Freshman session will feature only sires with first-crop yearlings. 
 

“Byron has extensive knowledge of the Thoroughbred industry and the participants in Australia and New Zealand, as well as America. He will be a great asset in helping us develop new customers in that region, and improving our service to existing clients there. The recent additions of Byron and Richard Brown, our European representative, significantly improve our international capabilities,” said Boyd Browning, president of Fasig-Tipton.

Byron Rogers is the managing partner of Pedigree Consultants LLC, a company based in Lexington Kentucky, and has previously worked for Inglis, Australia’s leading sales company, as well as stints at Taylor Made Farm as director of their stallion division and as bloodstock manager of Arrowfield Stud. His role with Pedigree Consultants will remain unchanged.

“I am delighted to be joining the team at Fasig-Tipton to assist them in developing their presence in Australia and New Zealand, a buying bench that proved vital to the success of the breeding stock sales in North America last year.” said Rogers.