Life Is Good Colt Tops Record Renewal of NY Bred Yearlings

The second and final session of the 2026 Fasig-Tipton New York Bred Yearlings sale, conducted Monday afternoon in the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs, showed continued market strength and demand for state-breds from a program on the rise, establishing sale records for gross, average, and median and posting a buyback rate among the best in history.

The two day sale finished up a strong week for Fasig-Tipton in Saratoga, as last week, The Saratoga Sale also established records across the board.

“So 167 hours ago, we kicked off the 2026 yearling sale season in Saratoga, and it exceeded all of our expectations, literally from start to finish,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said. “First horse in the ring in the main sale, $650,000. The last horse in the ring tonight, probably was $150,000. From start to finish, very, very competitive bidding, lots of interest, lots of enthusiasm, and it's almost been a magical seven days. I mean, we're thrilled to death as a team, as an organization. Lots of hard work, doesn't happen by accident.

“Once again, it was a very, very strong New York Bred Sale,” Browning continued. “You know, at some point, you wonder, how do you continue the upward climb and to have record sale after record sale? And honestly, the answer to that's pretty simple. We don't control the market, but we're going to do everything that we can to put the best horses in front of the men and women that are buying horses. We're going to do the best job we can of servicing the people who own those horses and people who come to the sales to buy those horses. As I said, it's been a magical seven days, and we’re very blessed. We're very excited about what we've accomplished, and we literally start work tomorrow on 2027 yearling recruiting and other yearling sales we've got upcoming and a digital sale coming up. But the good news is we're action junkies.”

The demand for state-breds was apparent when a colt from the second crop of Life Is Good (hip 411) sent the bid board soaring to $550,000 as just the ninth horse in the ring. His price made him the fourth highest priced colt in the history of this sale. Trainer Miguel Clement signed the ticket, with Kimmel and Sallusto also listed in the official results. Clement said that the colt "fit a lot of our orders" from his various clients and that a partnership of those was forming to race the colt.

"We thought he was going to be out of our reach, and sometimes, collaboration gets it done," Clement said.

The bay colt was bred by Gallagher's Stud of Ghent, and was consigned as agent by Denali Stud. A May foal, he is from the second crop of the Into Mischief horse Life Is Good, a multiple Grade 1 winner who is among the top three freshman sires by both earnings and winners at this point of the season.

The colt is out of the Speightstown mare Mascotte, who is a half-sister to French Grade 2 winner Alignement, to stakes winners Dataman and Serifos, and to stakes winner Alda, who is also Grade 1 placed.

"I'm very excited about the future of New York racing, so it's time to double down," Clement said.

Tied for the second highest price of the session, and the sale overall, were a pair of $375,000 yearlings, with the mark achieved by a colt by young classic sire Good Magic (hip 537), and later, a filly by successful young sire Vekoma (hip 587).

The Good Magic colt was purchased by the partnership of CHC Inc, Maverick Racing; and First Go.

The bay colt, an April foal, was bred by Kathleen Burke Schweizer, Daniel J. Burke, and Clement Stable, and was consigned by Eaton Sales, as agent. He is the second foal out of the stakes winning Quality Road mare Too Sexy, herself a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Slipstream.

"He's by an exciting stallion in Good Magic who's really getting it done, so yeah, we're delighted to own him," WinStar executive Gerry Duffy said. "There's great incentive to own a New York bred. It's great to be selling, and it's hard to buy."

Later, Oracle Bloodstock signed for the chestnut Vekoma filly from the consignment of Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, as agent.

The filly is the second foal out of the winning Midshipman mare Bella Figura, a half-sister to stakes winner Crimson King Cat.

"She wasn't cheap, but she deserved that," Oracle's Conor Foley said. "Yeah, she's a New York bred, but I kind of think she could run beyond New York, hopefully. ... We're just tickled to death to get her. I thought the market was strong overall. Happy for all the New York breeders."

The third highest price of the sale overall came when a $360,000 Cody's Wish colt (hip 358) led Sunday night's opening session; he was followed by a colt from the first crop of Forte (hip 400), sold for $350,000. On Monday, three additional yearlings matched that $350,000 price tag to rank among the top prices of this sale. In the order they came to the ring:

--A colt from the third crop of prominent young sire Yaupon (hip 452) was purchased by Go Go Greys, with BSW/Crow, as agent. The gray colt, consigned as agent by Gainesway, was bred by Watershed Bloodstock LLC and Erin Fisher. This is the second foal out of the winning Honorable Dillon mare Pendolino. The mare's dam is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Miss Temple City, as well as to graded stakes winner Pricedtoperfection and stakes winner Miss Mosaic.

--An Omaha Beach filly (hip 502) matched the $350,000 price tag, going to Susan Naylor. She was consigned by Heartwood Farm, as agent for breeder Larry Goichman. The bay filly is out of the stakes placed Street Sense mare Shea Darby, dam of Grade 3 placed Shawdyshawdyshawdy and stakes placed No Salt and Just Step On It.

--Trainer Ken McPeek, acting as agent, stretched to the price for a filly from the second crop of 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline (hip 561). The chestnut filly was consigned by Sequel, which co-bred her with Milan Bloodstock. The filly is the first foal out of the Nyquist mare Wind Chasin, who is from the family of Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Unbridled Elaine and Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Nysos, among other top performers.

During Monday's session, 136 yearlings were sold for gross receipts of $16,567,000. The average price was $121,816 and the median was $97,500.

Over the course of both sessions, 203 yearlings sold for a gross of $24,628,000. That surpassed the prior record gross of $23,890,000 for 200 yearlings sold last year.

This week's average price was $121,320, a record by 1.6% percent from $119,450 last year. The median finished at $100,000, also a record as it eclipsed last year's $85,000 by 17.6%.

This sale's cumulative buyback rate was 17.5%, compared to 21.2% last year. It was the second-lowest buyback rate at this sale, behind only 17.2% in 1981. The yearlings sold at last year's then-record sales were the first eligible to run for purse parity on the New York Racing Association circuit, with 2-year-old maiden special weight races for state-breds worth the same as open company maidens. The market demand this week shows the optimism for additional developments, such as expanded purse parity, the new Belmont Park debuting next month, and additional state restricted stakes programs.

"Now is the perfect time to get involved in New York," New York Thoroughbred Breeders Executive Director Najja Thompson said. "We're developing opportunities for the value of breeders and owners for the purchasers of New York-breds at this sale. With the new Belmont Park opening up in September a tremendous opportunity, as well as elevated purses and incentives, and a chance for a breeder to earn breeders' awards by getting involved in our program. [the timing is good]."

Complete sale results are available online.