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.

Hip 301, a filly by Cyberknife bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski, topped the Saratoga fall mixed sale on a bid of $230,000. Fasig-Tipton Photo.

By Mary Eddy and Tom Law

A filly from the first crop of multiple Grade 1 winner Cyberknife led a group of eight New York-bred weanlings that sold for $100,000 or more at Tuesday’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale.

Diamond I landed the top-priced weanling of the day, going to $230,000 for Hip 301, a daughter of Cyberknife out of the winning D’wildcat mare D’fashion. Bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski, foaled at his Waldorf Farm in North Chatham and consigned by Gracie Bloodstock, agent for Waldorf Farm, the filly is a half-sister to stakes winner Strategic Dreams and four other winners.

“She’s a great filly and came here really professionally,” said Gracie Bloodstock’s Chris Gracie. “She’s a well-balanced, pretty filly. She stuck out in the group of horses here. We’ve watched her all summer and I’ve seen her a couple times now, and ever since she was a foal, she was a really nice horse. She’s done well since then, and everyone responded to her on the sales grounds.”

The sale-topper is the eighth foal out of D’fashion, who is also the dam of a yearling colt by Game Winner that sold for $450,000 at the recent Keeneland September sale. Bilinski, through his Waldorf Farm, purchased D’fashion carrying the Game Winner colt in utero for $75,000 at the 2022 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

“It’s a great place to sell weanlings,” Gracie said. “Everyone comes here – you get a lot of people from Kentucky, all over the country. They come here just to shop New York-breds, so when you bring them here, you get a combination of end-users and pinhookers, which you don’t always get on weanlings. It’s a good place to bring them.”

Hip 252, a filly by Good Magic bred by Mill Creek Farm and Fortune Farm, sold for $180,000 Tuesday at Fasig-Tipton Saratoga. Fasig-Tipton Photo.

Hip 252, a weanling daughter of leading third-crop sire Good Magic, landed the second highest price on a bid of $180,000 from No Money No Honey.

Bred by Mill Creek Farm and Fortune Farm, foaled at Mill Creek in Stillwater and consigned by Vinery Sales, agent for the breeders, the filly is out of the winning Arch mare Ardara. She’s the dam of six winners from six foals to race, including stakes winner Miss Marisa and stakes-placed winner The X.

“Lovely filly,” said Vinery Sales’ Josh Kerin. “Obviously, the sire is really helping her and it’s an incredible page. That also is a testament to New Yorkers really getting in there and buying pedigrees to compete with Kentucky and other states.”

Kerin further praised the Empire State’s breeders and breeding program for the successful day for Vinery Sales, which also included the $110,000 sale of Hip 213, a colt by Practical Joke; and the $100,000 sale of Hip 40, a colt by Drain the Clock.

Vinery also sold Hip 267, a colt by Mind Control that brought $50,000 and the most expensive price for a New York-sired weanling. Bred by Ivery Sisters Racing and foaled at Fort Christopher’s Thoroughbreds in Fort Edward, the colt out of the Giant Gizmo mare Butch’s Mango was purchased by Global Equus Thoroughbreds. Multiple Grade 1 winner Mind Control stands in New York under the management of Irish Hill & Dutchess Views Stallions and Rockridge Stud.

“[The consignment’s success] is a testament to what the New York breeders are doing,” he said. “They’re producing good foals, the stallions are increasing their physicality and racing ability, so New York breeders are really making a name for themselves. It was a strong turnout on sale day and that’s really where push comes to shove, so we’re happy about that.”

Fasig-Tipton reported sales on 148 of the 250 horses offered at the sale for a total of $3,939,500, an average price of $26,618 and median of $15,000. Those numbers decreased from last year’s total of $4,597,200 for 157 horses sold and an average price of $29,282 and median of $20,000.

New York-based owner and breeder Jonathan Thorne signed the ticket for the third highest-priced weanling, going to $150,000 for Hip 125, a filly by Early Voting. Bred by Sequel Thoroughbreds LLC and Tuscany Bloodstock, foaled at Sequel Stallion New York in Hudson and consigned by Sequel New York, the filly is out of the winning Ghostzapper mare Owl Moon.

“You can’t find a much better physical than she was,” Thorne said. “I’m a fan of the stallion and we’re lucky we get to take care of her and hope for the best. She’s a beautiful horse. If they all [the Early Votings] look like that, they’re going to be in good shape.

“I love that Fasig-Tipton hosts this sale. I live and hour and a half from here and I always try to support it. And, we like beautiful horses.”

Sequel’s Becky Thomas also praised the Saratoga fall sale market.

“I think the market is excellent for horses that are perceived as very nice,” she said. “[Hip 125] is a very nice filly, and that’s a lot of money. We were very happy, it’s a breeding partnership, and we’re always really happy when our homebreds do good. She had really good balance, good hip, a really good walk. Just a really good shape to her.”

Sequel sold the sale’s top-priced broodmare, Hip 9, the 5-year-old unraced Hard Spun mare Fast and Hard, that sold for $50,000 to $55,000 to SLB Stables BBG LLC. Offered in foal to Arabian Lion, Fast and Hard was sold by Sequel, agent for Lakland Estate Dispersal.

“That was a long-term client that we’ve been partnered with for 35 years – it was his own mare, and he passed away,” Thomas said. “I think that family is beautiful, and it’s a very fast family. It was a good buy.”

Hip 6, a son of Grade 1 winner Jack Christopher bred, sold by and foaled at The New Hill Farm in Hoosick Falls, commanded the top price for a weanling colt. Mad Dog purchased the colt out of the Cuvee mare Fairway Road for $140,000. Fairway Road is the dam of six winners from six foals to race, including Grade 3 winner and $506,332-earner Just Grazed Me.

“He was very popular; a beautiful baby,” said The New Hill Farm’s Lili Kobielski. “He’s super flashy, and is a homebred out of one of my favorite mares. We’re delighted. She’s an older mare, but she’s proven with producing a graded stakes winner. We were planning to bring him to Kentucky actually, but we’re really glad we stayed home and he was a standout here.”

What they’re saying: Consignors and breeders at the Saratoga fall sale:

Dan Barraclough of Saratoga Glen Farm, consignor of Hip 77, a $120,000 colt by Drain the Clock: “Beautiful colt. Out of a Freud mare. Freud was just pensioned and was a New York stalwart stallion, and by a nice, young Kentucky stallion in Drain the Clock that seems to be getting great foals. A bunch of the Drain the Clocks have sold well here, and this was just a special horse pretty much from the moment he was born – always very forward with great balance and great movement. Just a fast-looking horse. Great conformation and great mind. He showed very well the whole time and is a classy horse. He’s a horse that looks like he can go to a 2-year-old sale, come back here for the yearling sale, go to the races – just a cool colt that you’ve got a lot of options for his future. That’s a type of horse that can compete anywhere in the country.”

The New Hill Farm’s Lili Kobielski: “This sale is completely vital to the New York market. It’s a great sale and we try to bring a good group every year. We’re making a point to keep the good horses that are bred in New York here and not bring them to Kentucky. I think it’s proven today that you can bring a good horse here and be rewarded. I was worried with the weather, but people showed up and we were busy all the time, top to bottom in all ranges of horses. I love the New York program and I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else.”

Valencia Leach, breeder of Hip 203, a $90,000 colt by Vekoma consigned by and foaled at The New Hill Farm: “We always had pretty high expectations and I thought the mare would throw runners. He was an early baby and he was gorgeous from the get-go. We figured if Vekoma hit and if we vetted well, we’d probably do OK. We made sure he was New York-bred, too, because with all the incentives in the program, we figured we would probably be in a good spot if it all came together. Everything with him came together perfectly. We’re thrilled. This is our first New York-bred, too. We’re very excited to participate. The mare was bred back to Americanrevolution, so we’re expecting another foal in mid-January.”

Rain didn’t dampened enthusiasm Monday on the sales grounds in advance of Tuesday’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. Fasig Tipton Photo.

By Alec DiConza and Tom Law

With all the major yearling markets in the books, the North American auction scene shifts to the autumn breeding stock market and leads off Tuesday with the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale in Saratoga Springs, New York.

The sale starts at noon ET, two hours later than originally scheduled after inclement weather Monday in Saratoga Springs, New York, forced the delay.

“The weather conditions here in Saratoga have made it difficult for buyers to get their looking done in a timely manner,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning Jr. “A two-hour delay to the sale’s start will ensure that buyers and veterinarians can complete their pre-sale work properly.”

Fasig-Tipton cataloged 315 horses for the Saratoga fall mixed sale, including 240 weanlings by leading national and New York-based sires. Nearly all of the weanlings cataloged are New York-breds. Fifty of the horses cataloged were scratched through midday Monday.

“We have another full catalog for Saratoga fall this year, which is the industry’s primary source of New York breeding stock,” Browning said. “The New York-bred program is as vibrant as ever, evidenced by the strength of our recent New York-bred yearling sale this summer. With $65 million distributed annually in purse money, incentives, and awards for New York-breds, there has never been a better time to invest in the program.”

Buyers and their representatives braved the elements on the sales grounds Tuesday, inspecting potential purchases and leaving consignors with a general sense of optimism despite the obstacles.

“It makes it challenging to look, but it’s supposed to clear out in the morning,” Vinery Sale’s Derek McKenzie said. “They pushed the sale back to noon, so that should give them time. There’s not that many here to get through, so they should be able to do it.”

Vinery features the largest consignment with more than 80 horses still cataloged after scratches. Vinery sold the sale’s top-priced horse last year, a weanling colt by Good Magic that commanded a final bid of $230,000.

“This is always a good sale, I think it will be again,” said Vinery’s Derek McKenzie. “The high-priced yearlings (from the summer) should help carry the weanlings.”

The 2023 Saratoga fall mixed sale saw 157 horses sell for a total of $4,597,200, an average price of $29,282 and median of $20,000. Those numbers were on par with 2022, when 142 horses sold for $4,599,700, an average price of $32,392 and median of $20,000.

“It’s turned into a very good, strong sale,” said Saratoga Glen Farm’s Dan Baraclough. “We’ve had horses in the top five the last couple years. There’s plenty of buyers here for the right kind of horse. It’s a very strong market for New York-breds that can go on to the August sale next year.”

The Saratoga fall mixed sale also offers buyers the opportunities to shop weanlings by first-crop sires.

“They seem to really gravitate to those sires because even though they’re unproven, they don’t have a lot of negatives against them, either,” Baraclough said. “You have fans of certain first-year sires and very few people will not like a first-year sire, so first-year sires are always kind of a safe haven for breeders and for buyers because there’s not a lot of positive race results, but there’s no negative race results either from their progeny. It’s just kind of a very safe spot to buy, to breed, to sell. We tend to bring a lot of first-year sired horses here to the sale and usually sell them well.”

Other New York-based consignors share Baraclough’s optimism heading into Tuesday.

“We’re very optimistic,” said Lily Kobielski of The New Hill Farm. “The yearling folks had a great year so hopefully they have a little change in their pocket to reinvest in babies. The weather has been horrible, but I’m pleasantly surprised with how many people have shown up. (Tuesday) morning will be busy and I’m glad they pushed the sale back a little bit.”

“The market has been pretty strong for the New York-breds and with the purse parity and everything that’s going to happen for us in the future,” said Chris Bernhard of Hidden Lake Farm. “I expect the sale to be strong. Obviously, the weather is not helping us right now, but they’re going to push the sale back a couple hours tomorrow to give people more opportunity to see more of the horses.”

“I think it’s very much going to be a very good, strong baby market,” said Sequel New York’s Becky Thomas. “It feels really good. There’s a lot of people here even though the weather’s been really, really crummy.”

The catalog for the Saratoga fall mixed sale may be viewed here. Online bidding and phone bidding services will be available.

Consignors are ready for action Tuesday at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. Fasig-Tipton Photo.

The Saratoga Special’s Alec DiConza hit the sales grounds Monday to talk with consignors ahead of Tuesday’s Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale. Here are some comments from consignors about what they’re looking forward to during Tuesday’s session:

Dan Baraclough, Saratoga Glen Farm: Standouts? “(Hip) 77 Drain the Clock–Making a Point. Very fast looking. I’ve seen a lot of Drain the Clocks and they’re very good, fast, sound-looking horses. I think this is probably one of our nicer horses.”

Chris Bernhard, Hidden Lake Farm: About whether rain Monday has slowed anything down: “I would say it’s been a little slow. I’ve talked to a few people that are just kind of waiting for the breaks, sitting inside, kind of running out when they have the opportunity so they don’t get soaked.”

Standouts? “We’ve got a Golden Pal colt that I really like that’s out of an Unbridled’s Song mare (Hip 234). He’s probably one of my favorite horses here. Any time I come over here with an Ashford horse, first-year sire, they (the buyers) usually are looking. I’ve got a nice Vekoma. He’s off to a good start. I’ve got a couple Mo Donegals that are pretty nice.”

Derek McKenzie, Vinery Sales: About the weather: “It makes it challenging to look, but it’s supposed to clear out in the morning. They pushed the sale back to noon, so that should give them time. There’s not that many here to get through, so they should be able to do it.”

Standouts? “We’ve got a good group here. We’ve got a Good Magic filly (Hip 252) that’s very popular, a Violence filly (Hip 150) that’s very popular, a couple of Practical Jokes – one filly (Hip 123), one colt (Hip 213) – that are both very nice, and plenty others.”

Becky Thomas, Sequel New York: Standouts? “The Early Voting, (Hip) 125, I like that baby a lot. They’re all getting out. I think there’s enough people here that they’re all getting out.”

Lily Kobielski, The New Hill Farm: Standouts? “I love this Corniche filly out of Happy as You Go (Hip 28). She’s big, strong, nice walk. First foal out of a stakes winner, so that’s my personal favorite. Overall, I think we have a really nice group and people have been complimentary, so I’m excited.”