By Sarah Mace
A weanling colt by Good Magic and a young broodmare in foal to New York-based sire Honest Mischief established new sale records at the 2023 renewal of the Saratoga Fall Mixed Sale, which was held in a single session on Tuesday, October 17 at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs, New York.
The sale topper, Hip 251, was a bay colt by leading second-crop sire Good Magic, out of Popstar. He was bred by Fortune Farm and foaled on February 11, 2023 at Mill Creek Farm in Stillwater. Purchased by C F Farm for $230,000 (video), he established a new weanling record price at the annual auction, which was inaugurated in 2012 According to Fasig-Tipton, the previous record for a weanling was $195,000. Vinery Sales, Agent IV, consigned the colt. Virtual inspection.
The Good Magic weanling’s dam is Popstar, a winner by Medaglia d’Oro who has produced five offspring and three foals to start, all of them winners, including stakes performer Lady d’Oro. Fortune Farms purchased the mare at this year’s Keeneland January sale for $29,000. She was bred in 2023 to leading New York sire Central Banker. The colt’s second dam Catstar, by Storm Cat, is a group performer in England and his third dam is Advancing Star, a multiple graded winner and producer of stakes performers.
The second-highest-priced offering at the auction was Bahama Banks (Hip 25), a young Kentucky-bred mare in foal to New York sire Honest Mischief who sold to Glen Hill Farm on a winning bid of $170,000. An unraced 4-year-old grey or roan daughter of Arrogate and half-sister to a multiple graded stakes performer, Bahama Banks produced her first foal this year, also by Honest Mischief. Bahama Banks’ second dam was Grade 1 winner Honest Lady, dam of sires First Defence and Honest Mischief, and stakes horses Phantom Rose and Honest Quality.
Bahama Banks actually led a trio of six-figure Kentucky-bred mares all in foal to Honest Mischief, who stood this breeding season at Sequel New York in Hudson for $6,500 and whose first crop are yearlings of 2023. All three were consigned by Sequel New York, Agent for Juddmonte. Following the topper was Sweet Jubilee, by Uncle Mo (Hip 300, from the family of Azeri, purchased for $140,000 by Shepherd Equine Advisors, Agent for Larry Hirsch) and Ballacolla (Hip 27, kin to French champion juvenile filly Special Duty (GB), purchased for $130,000 by McMahon and Hill Bloodstock, Agent).
The top weanling filly at this year’s Saratoga Fall Mixed sale was Hip 89, a bay individual by Yaupon who was co-bred by Saratoga Glen Farm and Beals Racing Stable. Foaled on February 26, 2023 at Saratoga Glen Farm and offered by Saratoga Glen Farm, Agent, she was purchased by MWG, LLC for $125,000.
The filly is out of proven producer Downtown Daria. Her most successful offspring is Dream Bigger, by Mission Impazible, a winner of three stakes races and a $465,599 earner. Her Noonmark filly Downtown at Noon is a stakes performer. The filly’s second dam is stakes winner Hongkong Charley, whose family includes multiple stakes winners Award Wanted and V.I.P. Ticket. A juvenile winner, Downtown Daria was a $47,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase in 2009 by Wayne R. Sanders and Larry Hirsch.
Four more weanlings, all colts, garnered six-figure purchase prices at the Fall Mixed sale:
- Hip 91, a dark bay or brown colt by Medaglia d’Oro out of Earth Shaking consigned by Vinery Sales, Agent XXVI, and purchased by Machmer Hall for $125,000. Bred by Amsterdam Two Farm, he was foaled on January 27, 2023 at Windhorse Thoroughbreds. Virtual inspection.
- Hip 115, a dark bay or brown colt by Yaupon out of Frostie Anne and consigned by Vinery Sales, Agent for Rockridge Stud and Saratoga Glen and Beals Racing, was purchased by Good Luck Farm for $120,000. Co-bred by Rockridge Stud, Saratoga Glen Farm and Beal’s Racing Stable, he was foaled at Rockridge Stud on January 13, 2023. Virtual inspection.
- Hip 269, a grey or roan colt by Liam’s Map out of Rose’ to Blame consigned by Legacy Bloodstock, Agent II and purchased by Cherry Knoll for $110,000. Co-bred by Fred W. Hertrich lll and John D. Fielding, he was foaled at Irish Hill Century Farm. Virtual inspection.
- Hip 9, a chestnut colt by Vekoma out of Alana’s Allure consigned by Vinery Sales, Agent XXX, and purchased by Good Luck Farm for $100,000. Bred by Cheryl Prudhomme & Dr. Michael Gallivan, he was foaled at the couple’s Shamrock Hill Farm.
According to Fasig-Tipton’s updated statistics as of October 18, 156 lots sold for an average price of $28,989 and median price of $19,000, for total sales of $4,522,200. In all, 243 were offered, resulting in an RNA rate of 35.8%.
