Violence colt, Gun Runner filly highlight Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred sale opener

By Tom Law

Nine horses sold for $200,000 or more Sunday, including a colt by Violence that brought $380,000 and a Gun Runner filly that landed a bid of $290,000, to highlight the opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

The session’s top horse, Hip 306[2], went through the ring in the first few minutes of bidding and went to Chris Baccari’s Baccari Bloodstock on a bid of $380,000. Bred by Fred Hertrich III and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, the colt is the first foal out of the winning Liam’s Map mare Liam’s Lookout.

The colt, who was consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa, agent, sold as a short yearling to SKPJ Stables for $175,000 at this year’s Keeneland January horses of all ages sale. Liam’s Lookout, a $100,000 yearling at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July sale, won two of 10 starts with four seconds and earned $49,222. She’s a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Itsaknockout, stakes winner Storm Power and stakes-placed winner Hot Sean.

The session-topping colt helped spark an increase in average price. Fasig-Tipton reported an average price of $113,189 for the session, up 5 percent from last year’s opening average of $107,812.

Overall, 53 of the 81 through the ring Sunday sold for $5,999,000, down 13.1 percent from last year’s total of $6,900,000 for 64 yearlings sold. The opening night median rose 29.9 percent from $77,000 to $100,000, while RNA rate increased sharply from 23.8 percent in 2022 to 34.5 percent.

Trade Winds Farm purchased the top-priced filly of the opening session, going to $290,000 for Hip 369[3], a daughter of Gun Runner out of the Grade 3-winning Sir Percy mare Pantsonfire.

Tom D’Ambra, owner of Trade Winds Farm in Rexford, signed the ticket alongside his daughter and son-in-law Agatha and John Reid, who are involved in the operation of the farm located just about 20 miles from the Fasig-Tipton sales grounds.

“They really wanted her,” D’Ambra said. “She’s a filly with a lot of residual value, from a great family and by Gun Runner.”

D’Ambra expected to pay more for the second foal out of the 9-year-old Pantsonfire, who is out of the Galileo mare Rubileo and won the Grade 3 Astra Stakes in 2019 at Santa Anita Park. Richard Nicolai bred the session-topping filly, along with the unraced 2-year-old New York-bred Hard Spun filly Lucky Spin that sold for $115,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale. She was foaled at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater.

Nicolai purchased Pantsonfire for $70,000 in the name of his Fortune Farm at the 2019 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, consigned the filly.

“I mean, Gun Runner, you can’t beat it,” say Taylor Made’s Frank Taylor. “She’s a very athletic filly, she’s got a good walk to her. Had a great night and showed well. She got vetted seven or eight times, we thought it was a fair price for her.”

Taylor Made sold one of the high-priced yearlings on the night, Hip 397[5], a filly by Omaha Beach out of the winning Harlan’s Holiday mare Ruby Dusk purchased by Oracle, agent, for $220,000. Taylor hopes for more success during Monday’s session.

“We had some horses early on that the market just doesn’t really want, so we bought those back,” he said. “Our better stuff is coming now. Our better stuff is tomorrow. It’s like the first sale, we had kind of a rough night, and then the second night the roof blew off. I think it’s going to be good.”

Phil Hager found a few yearlings he felt were good and purchased three on the night, including the second most expensive filly.

Bidding for Carem Stables, Hager signed a $250,000 for Hip 396[6], a daughter of Frosted. Bred by Keats Grove Breeders, foaled at Stone Bridge Farm in Gansevoort and consigned by Indian Creek, agent, the filly is out of the Strong Mandate mare Royal Mandate, who is a half-sister to Grade 3 winners Cali Star and Delightful Joy and stakes winner Seymourdini.

“Really, everything,” Hager said about what he liked in the filly. “She’s gorgeous physically. Had some pedigree underneath her and everything. Physically is why we liked her so much for sure.”

Hager, who said the filly would go to Hall of Fame trainer Bill Mott, also purchased Hip 395[7], a colt by Street Boss for $200,000 for Carem Stables. He also signed a $100,000 ticket for Hip 325[8], a filly by Instagrand.

The opening session also saw two yearlings from the first crop of Honest Mischief sell for six figures.

Shepherd Equine Advisors, agent for International Equine, purchased the first, going to $100,000 for Hip 314[9], a filly out of the Posse mare Lode Lady. Bred by Sequel Stallions NY LLC and Scott Miller, foaled at Waldorf Farm and consigned by Ballysax Bloodstock, agent, the filly is the fifth foal out of the winning half-sister to Kentucky Derby winner Rich Strike and Grade 2 winner Llanarmon.

Tom McCrocklin, agent, purchased the second, going to $120,000 for Hip 340[10], a colt out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Miss Malibu Style. Bred by Mark Toothaker and Allen Poindexter, foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson and consigned by Sequel New York, agent, the colt is the third foal out of the daughter of multiple graded stakes winner and $588,227-earner Stylish, by Thunder Gulch.

Honest Mischief, a 7-year-old stakes-winning son of Into Mischief, stands for $6,500 at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson.

The sale continues with the second session at noon Monday, with a large draft of 264 yearlings cataloged.

– Additional reporting to Nolan Clancy and Mary Rufo

Source URL: https://www.nytbreeders.org/news/2023/08/13/violence-colt-gun-runner-filly-highlight-fasig-tipton-saratoga-new-york-bred-sale-opener/

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