NEWS: sales

New York-breds contribute to strong Keeneland November sale

Wednesday, November 13th, 2024

Three-time stakes winner Betsy Blue, a 6-year-old daughter of Tonalist offered in foal to Nyquist, sold for $375,000 to lead all New York-breds at the Keeneland November sale. Photo courtesy of Ballysax Bloodstock.

The Keeneland November breeding stock sale wrapped up its nine-day run Thursday with across-the-board increases, including a record median, with contributions from a large group of New York-breds.

Eleven New York-bred broodmares, broodmare prospects or racing prospects sold for $100,000, along with five weanlings that brought six-figure bids. Keeneland reported 2,050 horses sold at the sale for more than $187.5 million, an increase of 6.2 percent from last year’s total when 2,128 sold for more than $176.5 million. The sale’s average came in at $91,491, up 10.3 percent from last year, while the record median of $40,000 outpaced last year’s figure by 25 percent.

Keeneland reported sales on 39 of the 48 New York-bred broodmares, broodmare prospects or racing prospects over the course of the sale for $3,113,500, an average price of $79,833 and median of $30,000.

The top-priced New York-bred overall, three-time stakes winner Betsy Blue, sold for $375,000 to James Harron Bloodstock during the sale’s second session last Wednesday. Sold as Hip 505 by Ballysax Bloodstock, agent for Forever Spring Farm LLC, the 6-year-old Tonalist mare was sold in foal to champion and classic winner Nyquist.

Bred by Blue Devil Racing Stable LLC and foaled at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, Betsy Blue won 10 of 24 starts with eight seconds and three thirds for $702,010 in earnings.

Campaigned by Cloud Nine Stable and trainer Linda Rice, Betsy Blue won the 2021 Bouwerie Stakes at Belmont Park, 2022 Garland of Roses Stakes at Aqueduct and 2023 Interborough Stakes at Aqueduct. She also finished third in the Grade 3 Go for Wand Stakes late in her 4-year-old campaign in 2022. Betsy Blue was a finalist for champion New York-bred older dirt female honors in 2022.

Betsy Blue, who is out of the winning Yonaguska mare Honest to Betsy, previously sold for $110,000 to Foundation Bloodstock at the 2023 Keeneland November sale.

Grade 3-placed stakes winner Funny How sold for $300,000 during the opening session, the second-highest price for a New York-bred at the sale. Locust Road purchased the 5-year-old daughter of Overanalyze, sold as Hip 185 by Denali Stud, agent. Funny How, who made her final start in early April, was sold in foal to top sire Constitution.

Bred by Hibiscus Stable and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Funny How is one of nine winners from nine foals to race and one of three stakes winners out of the stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Heavenly Humor. She’s a half-sister to multiple stakes winner and $638,645-earner Funny Guy, stakes winner Super Humor, stakes-placed $342,170-earner Three Jokers and five other winners.

A $120,000 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale, Funny How raced for Adelphi Racing Club and Cutair Racing and trainer Ray Handal. She won five of 11 starts, including the 2023 Broadway Stakes at Aqueduct during a run of five straight victories, and earned $302,405. She also finished second in the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct.

Hip 16, a colt by Charlatan bred by Town & Country Farms and a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Baby Yoda, sold for $190,000 to lead all New York-bred weanlings at Keeneland November. Photo courtesy of Taylor Made Sales Agency.

Five New York-bred weanlings sold for $135,000 or more, including Hip 16, a colt by Charlatan that brought $190,000 from Brookstone Farm during the opening session.

A half-brother to Grade 2 winner Baby Yoda out of the placed More Than Ready mare More Than Speed, the colt was bred by Town & Country Farms LLC and foaled at Mahony Eden Manor in Saratoga Springs.

Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the colt is a half-brother to three winners led by Baby Yoda, winner of this year’s Grade 2 True North Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and runner-up to Flightline in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes in 2021 at Santa Anita Park.

The top-priced New York-bred weanling filly, Hip 652, a daughter of Grade 1 winner Yaupon, sold during Book 2.

Final Furlong Racing went to $150,000 for the filly out of the unraced Violence mare Lesson Learned. Bred by and foaled at H&H Farms Inc. in Fort Edward, the filly was consigned by Vinery Sales, agent.

Keeneland reported sales on 33 of the 43 New York-bred weanlings through the ring for a total of $1,892,000, an average price of $57,333 and median of $40,000.

Hip 3164, a weanling colt by Speaker’s Corner from the family of champion Pleasant Stage and Grade 1 winner Changeintheweather, brought the top price for Book 5 on a bid of $135,000 from Hyde Park Racing.

Bred by and foaled at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds in Saratoga Springs and consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent, the colt is the second foal out of the winning Tale of the Cat mare Science Fiction. A half-sister to stakes-placed Munny Grab out of the stakes-winning Another World, Science Fiction is the dam of the placed Central Banker 2-year-old New York-bred gelding One Vision.

The next stop on the Kentucky fall sales calendar comes with the Keeneland horses of racing age sale at noon Thursday.


Curlin mare Deep Space, Mystic Guide colt lead Book 4 at Keeneland November

Tuesday, November 12th, 2024

Deep Space, an 8-year-old Curlin mare in foal to Maxfield, sold for $115,000 to highlight Book 4 of the Keeneland November sale. Photo courtesy of Vinery Sales.

Deep Space, a winning daughter of Curlin in foal to Maxfield, sold for $115,000 and a weanling colt by Mystic Guide brought $72,000 to lead the New York-bred offerings in Book 4 of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Sean S. Perl Bloodstock purchased Deep Space, Hip 2191, out of the Vinery Sales consignment. Bred by Newtown Anner Stud and foaled at Jack’s Farm on the Hill in Millbrook, 8-year-old Deep Space is out of the winning Bluegrass Cat mare Purple Cat.

Deep Space, who went 1-2-1 in eight starts and earned $24,130, is a half-sister to multiple New York-bred stakes winner and $423,910-earner Maker’s Candy, winning Mizzen Mast gelding Catapult Jack, 2-year-old New York-bred Speightster colt Dream Alliance and a weanling colt by War Dancer born March 17 in New York.

Keeneland reported Monday that total receipts of $181.4 million through the first seven of nine sessions of the November sale had already surpassed last year’s total of $176.5 million. New York-breds contributed to that haul, led by the sale of 15 horses sold for $100,000 or more.

Keeneland reported sales on 20 of the 29 New York-breds offered during Book 4 for a total of $702,000, an average price of $35,100 and median of $31,000. Overall, 54 of the 69 New York-breds through the ring have brought $4,613,000, an average price of $85,426 and median of $60,000.

The group of New York-breds also includes 26 weanlings that have sold for $1,666,000, an average price of $64,077 and median of $45,000. Two of those weanlings brought prices higher than the average during the Book 4 sessions – Hip 2225 and Hip 1991.

Hip 2225, a colt by Mystic Guide bred by Saratoga Glen Farm, sold for $72,000 Sunday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Vinery Sales.

Hip 2225, a colt from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Mystic Guide, brought the top price for a New York-bred weanling in Book 4. Owl Stable purchased the colt, who was bred by and foaled at Saratoga Glen Farm LLC in Schuylerville and is out of the Grade 2-placed Tiznow mare Fantasy of Flight.

Consigned by Vinery Sales, agent, the Mystic Guide colt is a half-brother to stakes-placed winner Oxford Blues, five-time winner $150,364-earner My Romeo Lima and another winner. Fantasy of Flight, purchased out of the 2023 Keeneland November sale for $9,000 by Saratoga Glen Farm, is also the dam of a yearling filly by Maxfield.

Hip 1991, a daughter of Maclean’s Music, landed the high price for a weanling filly on a bid of $70,000 from Dam The River Bloodstock.

Bred by Waterville Lake Stables LLC and consigned by Winter Quarter Farm, agent, the filly is the first foal out of the unraced Flatter mare Puffin Island. She’s out of the four-time stakes winner, Grade 2-placed and $759,200-earner Quezon, a daughter of Tiz Wonderful who sold in foal to Gun Runner for $700,000 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale.

The sale continues with the first of two concluding Book 5 sessions at 10 a.m. Tuesday.


Half-sister to Derrynane, Mo Donegal colt top Book 3 at Keeneland November sale

Sunday, November 10th, 2024

Souffle, bred by Waterville Lake Stable and a half sister to this year’s Saratoga NY-bred topper and stakes winner Derrynane, sold for $160,000 Friday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of Winter Quarter Farm.

Souffle, a 4-year-old half-sister to stakes winner Derrynane and this year’s topper at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, sold for $160,000 to lead all New York-breds that sold during the Book 3 sessions of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale in Lexington.

SF Bloodstock LLC purchased Souffle, offered as Hip 1206 by Winter Quarter Farm, agent, during Friday’s session. Bred and raced by Waterville Lake Stables and foaled at Stonewall Farm in Granite Springs, Souffle was sold in foal to Practical Joke.

Souffle is the second foal out of the Grade 3-placed stakes-winning Hard Spun mare Portmagee. She’s the dam of Derrynane, winner of the 2021 Woodbine Cares Stakes and fourth in the 2021 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint at Del Mar. Her yearling colt, by Quality Road, sold for $370,000 to Seth Klarman’s Klaravich Stable Inc. to top the Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Souffle’s other two foals – the unraced 2-year-old More Than Ready colt Rossbeigh, a $200,000 RNA at the 2023 Saratoga New York-bred sale; and a weanling filly by Medaglia d’Oro – were also bred by Waterville Lake Stable.

Book 3’s highest-priced weanling also sold Friday. The day after stakes winner Curly Girl $280,000, her half-brother to 2022 Belmont Stakes winner Mo Donegal sold for $150,000.

Hip 1398, a colt by Mo Donegal and half-brother to stakes winners Curly and Bostontonian, sold for $150,000 Friday at Keeneland. Photo courtesy of St George Sales.

Norevale Farm purchased Hip 1398, who is out of the winning Forest Wildcat mare Falconess. She’s the dam of five winners led by Curly Girl, the winner of four of 18 starts and $172,764. Curly Girl won two of four starts at 2, including the Lady Finger Stakes at Finger Lakes, and also placed in the New York Oaks at 3 and Arctic Queen Stakes at 4. Falconess is also the dam of the unbeaten 2-year-old Bernardini gelding Bostontonian, winner of the Aspirant Stakes at Finger Lakes in September.

Denlea Park LTD, which bred Curly Girl and Bostontonian, also bred the Mo Donegal colt. He was consigned by St George Sales, agent.

Friday’s session also saw the sale of the unraced 3-year-old Ghostzapper filly Mary Jane’s Veil for $140,000. Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm LLC purchased Hip 1087, a half-sister to seven winners led by 2018 New York-bred champion older dirt female, Grade 3 winner and $662,775-earner Holiday Disguise and 2018 New York-bred champion 3-year-old filly, multiple stakes winner and $449,960-earner Midnight Disguise.

Bred by Spruce Lane, Stepwise, Robbins, Copper Beach, Lynn, Manlius and Thorne and foaled at Gallagher’s Stud in Ghent, Mary Jane’s Veil was offered as a racing or broodmare prospect and consigned by Winter Quarter Farm, agent. She’s out of the winning Yes It’s True mare Thin Disguise, a half-sister to 2007 New York-bred Horse of the Year and champion 4-year-old and up male Naughty New Yorker among other leading runners produced by Dr. Bill Wilmot and Dr. Joan Taylor’s Stepwise Farm breeding program.

Keeneland reported sales on 16 of the 19 New York-breds offered during the Book 3 sessions for total receipts of $1,246,000, an average price of $77,875 and median of $86,000.

Six of the seven New York-bred weanlings through the ring in Book 3 sold for $389,000, an average price of $64,833 and median of $60,000. Overall, 15 of the 17 New York-bred weanlings offered have sold for $1,304,000, an average price of $86,933 and median of $80,000.

The sale continues with the first of two Book 4 sessions at 10 a.m. Sunday.


Betsy Blue brings $375,000 at Keeneland November

Friday, November 8th, 2024

Three-time stakes winner Betsy Blue, a 6-year-old daughter of Tonalist offered in foal to Nyquist, sold for $375,000 Wednesday at the Keeneland November sale. Photo courtesy of Ballysax Bloodstock.

Three-time stakes winner Betsy Blue sold for $375,000 to lead the New York-bred offerings during Book 2 at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale Wednesday and Thursday in Lexington.

James Harron Bloodstock purchased Betsy Blue, sold as Hip 505 by Ballysax Bloodstock, agent for Forever Spring Farm LLC. The 6-year-old Tonalist mare was sold in foal to champion and classic winner Nyquist.

Bred by Blue Devil Racing Stable LLC and foaled at Sugar Maple Farm in Poughquag, Betsy Blue won 10 of 24 starts with eight seconds and three thirds for $702,010 in earnings.

Campaigned by Cloud Nine Stable and trainer Linda Rice, Betsy Blue won the 2021 Bouwerie Stakes at Belmont Park, 2022 Garland of Roses Stakes at Aqueduct and 2023 Interborough Stakes at Aqueduct. She also finished third in the Grade 3 Go for Wand Stakes late in her 4-year-old campaign in 2022. Betsy Blue was a finalist for champion New York-bred older dirt female honors in 2022.

Betsy Blue, who is out of the winning Yonaguska mare Honest to Betsy, previously sold for $110,000 to Foundation Bloodstock at the 2023 Keeneland November sale.

Book 2 also saw the sale of stakes winner Curly Girl, a 5-year-old daughter of Nyquist who brought $280,000 from Frederick & May Construction. Sold as Hip 951 by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, Curly Girl was in foal to two-time champion sprinter Elite Power.

Bred by Denlea Park LTD, foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, Curly Girl is the fifth foal out of the winning Forest Wildcat mare Falconess. She won four of 18 starts and earned $172,764 for owner Henry Steadman and trainer Paul Barrow. Curly Girl won two of four starts at 2, including the Lady Finger Stakes at Finger Lakes, and also placed in the New York Oaks at 3 and Arctic Queen Stakes at 4.

Hip 410, a colt by Olympiad bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC, Robert Cromartie and Tuscany Bloodstock, sold for $175,000 during Book 2 at Keeneland November. Photo courtesy of Sequel New York.

Hip 410, a colt from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Olympiad, brought the highest price for a New York-bred weanling in Book 2 on a $175,000 bid from Teddy Town.

Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC, Robert Cromartie and Tuscany Bloodstock, foaled at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson and consigned by Sequel New York, the colt is the fourth foal out of the Grade 3-winning New York-bred Rock Hard Ten mare Summersault. A winner of seven of 34 starts, including the Grade 3 Orchid Stakes in 2017 at Gulfstream Park, Summersault earned $503,443 for owner White Fox Farm and trainer Mark Hennig.

Summersault, carrying the Olympiad colt in utero, sold for $170,000 to Wildridge, agent, at last year’s Keeneland November sale.

Hip 652, a daughter of Grade 1 winner Yaupon, landed the top price for a New York-bred weanling filly on a bid of $150,000 from Final Furlong Racing. Bred by and foaled at H&H Farms Inc. in Fort Edward and consigned by Vinery Sales, the filly is the second foal out of the unraced Violence mare Lesson Learned.

Keeneland reported sales on 13 of the 15 New York-breds offered during Book 2 for total receipts of $1,685,000, an average price of $129,615 and median of $80,000. Overall through the first two books and three sessions, 18 of 21 New York-breds through the ring have sold for $2,665,000, an average price of $148,056 and median of $120,000.

Through the first three sessions, nine of 10 New York-bred weanlings have sold for $915,000, an average price of $101,667 and median of $80,000.

The sale continues with the first of two Book 3 sessions at 10 a.m. Friday.


Stakes winner Funny How tops Book 1 at Keeneland

Wednesday, November 6th, 2024

Stakes winner Funny How, offered in foal to Constitution, sold for $300,000 during Book 1 at the Keeneland November sale. Photo courtesy of Denali Stud.

Grade 3-placed stakes winner Funny How commanded a bid of $300,000 to lead the New York-bred offerings during Book 1 of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale Tuesday in Lexington.

Locust Road purchased the 5-year-old daughter of Overanalyze, sold as Hip 185 by Denali Stud, agent. Funny How, who made her final start in early April, was sold in foal to top sire Constitution.

Bred by Hibiscus Stable and foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham, Funny How is one of nine winners from nine foals to race and one of three stakes winners out of the stakes-winning Distorted Humor mare Heavenly Humor. She’s a half-sister to multiple stakes winner and $638,645-earner Funny Guy, stakes winner Super Humor, stakes-placed $342,170-earner Three Jokers and five other winners.

A $120,000 purchase at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale, Funny How raced for Adelphi Racing Club and Cutair Racing and trainer Ray Handal. She won five of 11 starts, including the 2023 Broadway Stakes at Aqueduct during a run of five straight victories, and earned $302,405. She also finished second in the Grade 3 Distaff Handicap at Aqueduct.

Hibiscus Stables purchased Heavenly Humor in foal to Big Brown for $25,000 at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga October mixed sale. The resulting foal was Funny Guy, a five-time stakes winner who finished second in the Grade 2 Vosburgh Stakes in 2020. Hibiscus also bred Three Jokers and a New York-bred colt by The Factor born in June 2022 from the mare.

Tuesday’s opening session also saw the sale of the lone New York-bred weanling in Book 1 – Hip 16, a colt by Charlatan and half-brother to Grade 2 winner Baby Yoda – that sold for $190,000 to Brookstone Farm.

Bred by Town & Country Farms LLC, foaled at Mahony Eden Manor in Saratoga Springs and consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the colt is out of the placed More Than Ready mare More Than Speed. She’s the dam of three winners led by Baby Yoda, winner of this year’s Grade 2 True North Stakes at Saratoga Race Course and runner-up to Flightline in the Grade 1 Malibu Stakes in 2021 at Santa Anita Park.

Keeneland reported sales on four of the four New York-bred broodmares, broodmare prospects or racing prospects for $790,000, an average price of $197,500.

The sale continues with the first of two Book 2 sessions at 10 a.m. Wednesday.


Downtown Mischief, weanling fillies highlight Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale

Tuesday, November 5th, 2024

Stakes winner Downtown Mischief, offered in foal to leading sire Gun Runner, sold for $800,000 Tuesday at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November sale. Photo courtesy of Bedouin Bloodstock.

Stakes winner Downtown Mischief sold for $800,000 and four weanling fillies brought six-figure bids apiece to highlight the New York-bred offerings at Tuesday’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky November mixed sale in Lexington.

Freyer Bloodstock purchased Downtown Mischief, a 4-year-old daughter of Into Mischief offered in foal to leading sire Gun Runner as Hip 242 out of the Bedouin Bloodstock consignment.

Bred and campaigned by Sheila Rosenblum’s Lady Sheila Stable and foaled at Edition Farm in Hyde Park, Downtown Mischief won four of eight starts with two placings and earned $237,730. She clicked off three straight victories to start her career for trainer Linda Rice, including a win over open company in the Cicada Stakes in March 2023 at Aqueduct. Downtown Mischief also won the Bouwerie Stakes at Belmont Park as a 3-year-old in addition to a runner-up finish in the Memories Of Silver Stakes at Aqueduct.

Downtown Mischief is the first foal out of the three-time winning Speightstown mare Downtown Mama, who was purchased by Rice on behalf of Lady Sheila for $440,000 at the 2016 OBS April 2-year-olds in training sale. Downtown Mama is also the dam of the placed Miss Welch, a filly by Maclean’s Music who sold for $190,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-year-old sale.

Fasig-Tipton’s “Night of the Stars Sale,” which posted total sales of more than $93 million and an average of more than $546,000, also saw four New York-bred weanling fillies sell for $120,000 or more.

Hip 152, a daughter of Jackie’s Warrior bred by Emcee Stable and Fortune Farm, brought top price for New York-bred weanling Tuesday at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky. Photo courtesy of Legacy Bloodstock.

Hip 152, a daughter of champion sprinter Jackie’s Warrior and half-sister to stakes winner Dirty, brought the top price for a New York-bred weanling on a bid of $200,000 from Susan Naylor. Bred by Emcee Stable and Fortune Farm and foaled at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater, the filly is out of the winning Yes It’s True mare Martini.

Consigned by Legacy Bloodstock, the top filly is a half to three winners and an unnamed unraced 2-year-old colt by Volatile. Dirty won four of 20 starts with seven placings, including a victory in the 2019 King T. Leatherbury Stakes at Laurel Park, and earned $245,815. Martini is also the dam of four-time winner and $145,669-earner Vodkatini and the five-time winner and $128,336-earner Nine Martinis.

Hip 128, a daughter of Grade 1 winner and fourth-crop sire Practical Joke, sold for $155,000 to Rexy Bloodstock. Bred by Lambholm South, foaled at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater and consigned by Frankfort Park Farm, agent, the filly is the first foal out of the winning Kitten’s Joy mare Joyous Times.

Joyous Times, who posted a record of 2-4-1 in 11 starts with $86,830 in earnings, is out of the stakes-winning English Channel mare La Malaguena. She was purchased by Lambholm, agent, for $20,000 at last year’s Keeneland January horses of all ages sale.

Hip 109, a filly from the first crop of Grade 1 winner and $1,825,131-earner Golden Pal, landed a final bid of $130,000 from Wildridge Bloodstock. Bred by Final Furlong Racing Stable, foaled at River Valley Farm in Gansevoort and consigned by Ballysax Bloodstock, agent, the filly is the sixth foal out of the stakes-placed Freud mare Fenwick Hall.

Fenwick Hall, a full sister to multiple stakes winner Miss Narcissist, is the dam of winners Inspector, Freud Sense and Prince Orb, along with the 2-year-old New York-bred Outwork filly Undergrad and a New York-bred yearling colt by Street Boss. Final Furlong bred all of Fenwick Hall’s foals.

Seismic Activity, a filly from the first crop of 2022 champion 3-year-old and Travers Stakes winner Epicenter, brought $120,000 from First Finds. Bred by Flatbird Stable, foaled at Rockridge Stud in Hudson and offered as Hip 22 out of the Vinery Sales consignment, the filly is the first foal out of the Kitten’s Joy mare Soft Shoe Kitten. Flatbird Stable bought the mare in foal to Epicenter for $60,000 at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Digital February sale.

Soft Shoe Kitten is a full sister to stakes-placed Kitten’s Dancer, the dam of stakes-placed winner Beach Waltz; and a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and $1,661,635-earner Bigger Picture and stakes winner and $340,038-earner Gung Ho.

Fasig-Tipton reported sales on five of the eight New York-bred weanlings through the ring for a total of $685,000, an average price of $137,000. Overall and including broodmares and broodmare prospects, nine of 14 New York-breds sold for $2,085,000, an average price of $231,667.

The fall mixed sales slate moves across town with the start of the nine-day Keeneland November breeding stock sale at 1 p.m. Tuesday.


Yaupon colt sparks Fasig-Tipton Kentucky finale

Friday, October 25th, 2024

Hip 1430, a colt by Yaupon bred by Danzel Brendemuehl and Colleen Smith, sold for $300,000 during Thursday’s final session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale. Photo courtesy of Hunter Valley Farm.

Three New York-bred yearlings sold for six figures – led by a colt by Yaupon that brought $300,000 – during the final session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale Thursday in Lexington. That trio brought the overall haul of six-figure New York-breds sold to 10 over the four sessions.

Winchell Thoroughbreds purchased the Yaupon colt, named Whiskey Point and offered as Hip 1430. Bred by Danzel Brendemuehl and Colleen Smith and foaled at The New Hill Farm in Hoosick Falls, Whiskey Point is the first foal out of the winning Bernardini mare Capable.

Whiskey Point, originally sold as weanling for $80,000 to Rexy Bloodstock at last year’s Keeneland November breeding stock sale, was consigned at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky by Hunter Valley Farm, agent.

Capable, the winner of three of 22 starts and $52,839, is out of the Grade 1-placed stakes-winning City Zip mare Achiever’s Legacy and is a half-sister to stakes winner Tone It Up.

Fasig-Tipton reported sales on 18 of the 21 New York-breds in the final session for $897,000, an average price of $49,833 and median of $20,000. Overall, 88 New York-breds sold for $3,818,000, an average price of $43,386 and median of $17,500.

Hip 1345, a colt by Vekoma bred by Annemarie Toomey, sold for $145,000 Thursday at Fasig-Tipton. Photo courtesy of Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds.

White Oak Stable purchased the final session’s second highest-priced New York-bred yearling, going to $145,000 for Hip 1345, a colt by Vekoma out of the winning Big Drama mare Big Thrill.

Bred by Annemarie Toomey and consigned by Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds LLC, agent, the colt is the fifth foal out of Big Thrill. She’s the dam of three New York-bred winners – Capital Gal, Thethrillofvictory and Big Prankster – and the 2-year-old Vino Rosso filly Aperitif that sold for $62,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale.

Rich Schulhoff landed the session’s final six-figure New York-bred, going to $130,000 for Hip 1451, a filly by Tiz the Law from the family of Hall of Famer Azeri.

Bred by Winter Creek Farm and consigned by Indian Creek, agent, the filly is the first foal out of the Uncle Mo mare Celestia. She’s out of the Grade 2-placed Giant’s Causeway mare Arienza, a daughter of Horse of the Year, multiple Eclipse Award winner and $4,079,820-earner Azeri.

The Tiz the Law filly was a $27,000 RNA at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale. Celestia is also the dam of a weanling filly by Charlatan born March 8 in New York.

The final session also saw the sale of the most expensive New York-bred by a New York-based sire. Pedro Cevano went to $60,000 to purchase Hip 1272, a colt by Honest Mischief out of the winning More Than Ready mare Ascent.

Bred by Cypress Creek Equine LLC and consigned by C & S Thoroughbreds, the colt is a half-brother to three winners.

Honest Mischief, an 8-year-old son of Into Mischief out of the Grade 1-winning Seattle Slew mare Honest Lady, stood the 2024 season for $6,500 at Sequel Stallions New York in Hudson. Honest Mischief leads the New York freshman sire list with four winners and progeny earnings of more than $412,000 through Thursday.


Curlin filly shines at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky sale

Thursday, October 24th, 2024

Hip 1195, a daughter of Curling and half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Casa Creed, sold for $500,000 Wednesday at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October sale. Fasig-Tipton photo.

By Tom Law

Kristen Esler, Jeff Raine and Lolly LaRue spent most of Tuesday morning driving around Central Kentucky, scouting out some stallions to breed the Thirty Year Farm mares to in 2025 before returning their attention to the remainder of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale.

“We’ve got one more to sell late tomorrow,” said Esler, who owns Thirty Year Farm in Saratoga Springs with her husband Matt. Raine serves as the farm’s advisor while LaRue serves as farm manager.

The one not only sold but sold well. So well that by the end of Wednesday’s third session, Hip 1195 staked a claim as the sale’s top-priced New York-bred and most expensive filly overall. Gary Barber purchased the Curlin filly and half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Casa Creed, going to $500,000 on the advice of Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse.

“We finished on a real high note,” Esler said Thursday morning. “It was a very satisfying sale, very satisfying. Again, I think I eluded to this when we spoke the other day about following your gut for the right timing. This filly, we knew what we had, she just needed a bit more time to grow into herself. She became what she was supposed to become and we stayed true to what we thought.”

Bred by and foaled at Thirty Year Farm in Saratoga Springs, the filly is the seventh foal out of the unraced Bellamy Road mare Achalaya.

Bred by Thirty Year Farm, Curlin filly is also a half-sister to promising New York-bred juvenile Charlotte’s Heart and graded stakes winner Chess’s Dream. Photo courtesy of Taylor Made Sales Agency.

Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the filly made her second trip through a Fasig-Tipton sales ring after she RNA’d for a reported $475,000 at the Saratoga sale of selected yearlings in August. That price would have made her the most expensive New York-bred at Saratoga, a distinction earned by her 2-year-old half-sister Charlotte’s Heart in 2023.

The New York-bred Authentic filly Charlotte’s Heart, also bred by Thirty Year Farm, sold for $725,000 to Charlotte Weber’s Live Oak Plantation on the advice of Casse at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. Charlotte’s Heart won her debut August 25 at Saratoga Race Course then finished a fast-closing second in the Glorious Song Stakes October 13 at Woodbine for Casse.

“Charlotte’s Heart, she’s shown some talent right out of the gate,” Esler said. “And now this Curlin filly, we cannot wait to see what she can do. We’re happy with where she’s going. For (Casse) to have this Curlin filly, it just feels right. She’s in the right hands.”

Thirty Year Farm purchased Achalaya, in foal to Charlotte’s Heart, for $725,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. She’s the dam of three other winners, including graded stakes winner and $238,908-earner Chess’s Dream.

Casa Creed, who will stand his first season in 2025, retired this summer with a record of 9-5-6 in 36 starts and earnings of $2,691,308. He won back-to-back editions of the Grade 1 Fourstardave Handicap at Saratoga Race Course in 2022 and 2023, along with back-to-back renewals of the Grade 1 Jaipur Stakes at Belmont Park in 2021 and 2022.

“Achalaya has been so good to us,” Esler said. “We went to see Casa Creed when we were down there. He’s a hometown hero for us. To read, I don’t know exactly what it was, but something like it was seven years and Bill Mott never had to X-ray him too much. Those were the old days of horses I couldn’t wait to see in Saratoga when I was growing up. And now to own his dam is just a blessing. To see the foals she is giving us, we’re absolutely thrilled.”

Achalaya, who was given the 2024 breeding season off, is the dam of a New York-bred weanling filly by Life as Good born May 6.

Hip 1076, a daughter of Vekoma bred by Sylken Stable, sold for $120,000 Wednesday at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky. Photo courtesy of Vinery Sales.

Hip 1076, a daughter of Vekoma from the family of graded stakes winners Freefourinternet and Chimes Band, brought the session’s top price for a New York-bred filly. Grassroots Training and Sales went to $120,000 for the filly out of the winning Yes It’s True mare True Pleasure.

Bred by Sylken Stable, foaled at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater and consigned by Vinery Sales, agent, the filly is the fourth foal out of the half-sister to 15-time winner, stakes winner and $838,330-earner Bad Debt and multiple stakes winner Awesome Strong.

Fasig-Tipton reported sales on 26 of the 31 New York-breds offered Wednesday for $1,165,500, an average price of $44,827 and median of $14,500. Overall, 69 New York-breds have sold for $2,919,000, an average price of $42,304 and median of $17,000.

“Today was another excellent session of the Kentucky October yearling sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning Jr. “It’s been a really fun three days so far, seeing the level of energy, the level of activity. It’s been really encouraging. We’re looking forward to the final day (Thursday). We expect the same trends to continue. We’re three-quarters of the way through the sale and statistically, all the indicators are positive.”

The sale concludes with the final session at 10 a.m. Thursday in Lexington.


Authentic filly highlights Day 2 at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky

Wednesday, October 23rd, 2024

Hip 602, a filly from the first crop of Authentic bred by Pine Ridge Stables Ltd., sold for $78,000 Tuesday at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky. Photo courtesy of Taylor Made Sales Agency.

A filly by Horse of the Year and multiple Grade 1-winning freshman sire Authentic commanded a final bid of $78,000 to highlight the second session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale Tuesday in Lexington.

Grassroots Training & Sales purchased the day’s top-priced New York-bred, Hip 602, who is out of the stakes-placed Brethren mare Onebrethatatime. Bred by Pine Ridge Stables Ltd., foaled at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham and consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the filly is the fourth foal out of $133,283-earner Onebrethatatime.

A $97,000 RNA at this year’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga New York-bred yearling sale, the filly sold as a weanling for $140,000 to Castleton Way at last year’s Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Pine Ridge Stables, through Morris Bloodstock Services, purchased Onebrethatatime in foal to Audible for $150,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November sale.

Hip 730, a son of Flatter out of the unraced Yes It’s True mare Real Clever Trick, brought the day’s top price for a New York colt on a bid of $60,000 from English Range Farm.

Hip 730, a colt by Flatter bred by Hidden Lake Farm and 3C Stables, sold for $60,000 Tuesday. Photo courtesy of Mulholland Springs.

Bred by Hidden Lake Farm LLC and 3C Stables LLC, foaled at Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater and consigned by Mulholland Springs, agent for Hidden Lake Farm et al, the colt is the 14th foal out of Real Clever Trick. She’s the dam of eight winners, including Grade 2 winner and $195,260-earner Vexor and stakes-placed New York-bred and $66,800-earner Ball Don’t Lie.

Fasig-Tipton reported sales on 19 of the 25 New York-breds offered Tuesday for a total of $431,000, an average price of $22,684 and median of $17,000. Overall, 42 of the 50 New York-breds through the ring have sold for $1,733,500, an average price of $41,274 and median of $17,500.

Hip 656, a daughter of Hidden Lake Farm stallion Galilean, brought the top price for a New York-bred by a New York-based sire through the midway point of the sale. JCE Racing, agent for Legion Bloodstock, went to $40,000 to purchase the filly out of the Vinery Sales consignment.

Bred by and foaled at Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater, the filly is out of the winning Talkin Man mare Plinking. She’s the dam of eight winners from 11 foals to race, including stakes-placed New York-breds Jung Man Scott, Deciphering Dreams and Amazing Anne – all by multiple leading New York sire Freud. She also the dam of another winning daughter of Freud, Scribbling Sarah, who produced Grade 1 winner and $497,090-earner Speech.

Galilean, an 8-year-old son of Uncle Mo out of the El Prado mare Fresia, stood the 2024 season for $3,500 at Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater. His first foals are yearlings.

The sale continues with the third of four sessions at 10 a.m. Wednesday.


Thirty Year Farm-bred fillies lead Fasig-Tipton opener

Tuesday, October 22nd, 2024

Hip 1, a daughter of Gun Runner bred by Thirty Year Farm, sold for $250,000 Monday at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky. Photo courtesy of Paramount Sales.

By Tom Law

A pair of New York-bred fillies bred by Matt and Kristen Esler’s Thirty Year Farm in Saratoga Springs – including one that led off the day – sold for $250,000 to highlight the opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale Monday in Lexington.

“One of the lessons we’ve learned in our last seven years is understanding which sale the horses belong in, and this year especially, in following our own gut,” Kristen Esler said Tuesday morning about targeting the Kentucky October sale for some of the farm’s yearlings. “It’s about listening to our gut to get them to the right sale at the right time. That’s what we did here and we accomplished what we set out to do.”

Hip 1, a daughter of Gun Runner out of the Mizzen Mast mare East India, led off the big day and was purchased by Thirty Year Racing and Team Penny. Foaled at Thirty Year Farm in Saratoga Springs and consigned by Paramount Sales, agent, the filly is the sixth foal out of East India, who is the dam of Grade 2 winner and $408,406-earner Ete Indien and winner Dame Joviale.

Thirty Year Farm purchased East India, carrying the Gun Runner filly in utero, for $325,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. East India is also the dam of the unraced 2-year-old War of Will filly Baby Lala.

Hip 148, a daughter of Medaglia d’Oro bred by Thirty Year Farm, also sold for $250,000 Monday at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky. Photo courtesy of Taylor Made Sales Agency.

Marquee Bloodstock, agent, purchased Hip 148, a filly by Medaglia d’Oro out of the stakes-placed Uncle Mo mare Gotta Go Mo. Also foaled at Thirty Year Farm, she was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.

“We were very happy with both sales,” said Thirty Year Farm manager Lolly LaRue. “The Medaglia d’Oro filly, who is the first foal out of Gotta Go Mo, she’s grown really well lately … and in six months she really changed into a racy filly. She got a lot of attention and sold well.”

A New York-bred out of the stakes-winning More Than Ready mare Hard to Stay Notgo bred by Chester and the late Mary Broman, Gotta Go Mo went 3-4-2 in 13 starts and earned $176,760. Purchased by the Eslers for $425,000 at the 2019 OBS March 2-year-olds in training sale, Gotta Go Mo finished second behind Caravel in the 2021 The Very One Stakes at Pimlico Race Course. Gotta Go Mo is a half-sister to stakes winner Makin My Move.

Thirty Year Farm also bred Hip 34, a filly by Twirling Candy out of the winning Galileo mare Evening Primrose, that sold to Joseph DiRico for $130,000. She was foaled at Thirty Year Farm and consigned by Paramount Sales, agent.

“It was a good day,” LaRue said. “It was not the target originally. We would love to be at the August sales (in Saratoga) but we had some young babies, those were April and May fillies (the Medaglia d’Oro and Gun Runner, respectively) and just needed a little more time to grow. We’re happy with how they wound up in October. It’s amazing what two months will do.”

Mike Ryan, agent, purchased the opening session’s top-priced New York-bred colt, going to $160,000 for Hip 338, a son of Practical Joke out of the winning Medaglia d’Oro mare La Kara Mia.

Bred by Lady Sheila Stable, foaled at Edition Farm in Hyde Park and consigned by Zach Madden’s Buckland Sales, agent, the colt is the first foal out of La Kara Mia, who is out of Eclipse Award winner, New York-bred Horse of the Year, multiple graded stakes winner and $1,563,200-earner La Verdad.

Fasig-Tipton reported sales on 21 of the 25 New York-breds offered in the opening session for a total of $1,281,500, an average price of $61,024 and median of $33,000.

The sale continues with the second of four sessions at 10 a.m. Tuesday.