By Sarah Mace
Over the four sessions of the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearling Sale held at Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Kentucky from Monday through Thursday, October 23-26, the New York-bred cohort posted solid stats, including a better clearance rate than the general population of the sale. Leading the pack was a Hip 1348, a Malibu Moon filly out of graded stakes performer Stopspendingmaria who brought $225,000.
In all, 97 New York-bred yearlings changed hands (including three private sales) of 120 offered, for total sales of $3,151,000. The RNA percentage of 19.2% was several ticks below the buybacks overall, which came in at 21.5%. The New York-bred average price was $32,484 and the median came in at $17,000. Seven individuals sold for six figures.
The overall sale average was $48,045 (second in sale history to last year’s record average of $50,388) and the sale median came in at $24,000 (second to last year’s $25,000). Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning pronounced himself “very pleased overall” with the sale, saying, “The results were similar to last year and similar to 2021 (and) considering the evolution of this sale over the last five to 10 years, it’s pretty remarkable.”
The New York-bred topper, who sold in in the final session of the sale on Thursday, October 26, was Hip 1348, a chestnut filly by Malibu Moon who was purchased by Meridian Bloodstock for $225,000. Bred in partnership by Rockridge Stud, Ascendant Farms and Spendthrift Farm, she was foaled on February 1, 2022 at Rockridge Stud in Hudson. Virtual inspection.
First dam Stopspendingmaria, a graded stakes-placed Florida-bred campaigned by Repole Stable, was purchased by Rockridge Stud at the 2019 Keeneland January sale for $32,000. The dam of seven foals and four winners from five starters, her offspring include New York-bred stakes winner No Mo’ Spending, by Uncle Mo, and New York-bred stakes performers Blewitt, also by Uncle Mo, and Security Code. The filly’s second dam Cutoffs is a full sister to stakes winner Special Report, offspring of stakes-winning third dam Argos Appeal. Stopspendingmaria produced a colt by Modernist in 2023 and has been bred to Greatest Honour.
A trio of New York-breds hammered for $150,000, including the top colt of Thursday’s Session 4, Hip 1521, a chestnut colt by Maclean’s Music bred by 3C Stables and foaled on May 6, 2023 at Hidden Lake Farm in Stillwater. Equinox Inc., signed the ticket on behalf of George Sharp. The colt is a graduate of the 2023 Keeneland January sale, where he also brought $150,000.
Ultimate Shopper, the colt’s dam, sold most recently at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton New York Fall Mixed sale for $35,000 from the Hidden Lake consignment. A winning daughter of Yes It’s True, Ultimate Shopper has produced a pair of winners from four foals to start, led by stakes performer Taylors Tap. The family of the third dam Shopping is richest in familiar names and black type. A half-sister to Grade 2 winner Lay Down, she is the dam of Grade 1 winner and millionaire Miss Shop, who went on to produce graded winner Tin Type Girl. Shopping’s progeny also includes graded winner Trappe Shot and stakes winner Ship Again, the dam of Grade 1 winner Power Broker and stakes winner Fierce Boots.
Each of the first two sale sessions also featured a $150,000 New York-bred yearling. On Monday, October 23, the New York bred topper was Hip 223, a bay colt by Liam’s Map out of Celtic Honor offered by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent XXXVII and purchased by Gary Anderson. Virtual inspection.
The sale colt was bred by Frederick W. Hertrich III and foaled on February 20, 2022 at Waldorf Farm in North Chatham. He is the first surviving foal for his unraced dam Celtic Honor, by Honor Code, who is a half-sister to a pair of stakes winners: Royal Mo, winner of the Grade 3 Robert B. Lewis Stakes and Tara from the Cape. His third dam Irish Linnet, a homebred for Austin Delaney, was a multiple graded stakes winner over a racing career that spanned 1990 to 1995, and helped raise the profile of the New York program with earnings of over $1 million ($1,220,180). She went on to produce stakes winners Irish Art and Blushing Irish.
Tuesday’s second session saw Hip 638, a grey or roan New York-bred filly by Volatile, bring $150,000 from Ken McPeek, Agent. Offered by Paramount Sales, Agent XXXVI, she was bred by The New Hill Farm, where she was foaled on March 18, 2022. Unveiled as a weanling at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton New York Fall Mixed sale, she was purchased by Big Bear Bloodstock on a winning bid of $90,000. Virtual inspection.
The Volatile filly is the second foal out of Ignite, with a juvenile half-sibling who has not yet started. A PA-bred stakes performer, Ignite compiled seven wins from age two to seven, earning $426,988. Two more half-siblings garnered black type. Stakes winners abound under the third and fourth dam. Third dam Hold the Spirit produced stakes winners Red Eye and Shezsospiritual. Fourth dam, stakes winner Untamed Spirit, produced graded winner Haunting.
Three remaining New York-bred yearlings sold for six figures at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky sale to put a wrap on the 2023 yearling sales season:
- Hip 1450 is a bay colt by Omaha Beach out of Tea for Two, a stakes performer, sister to stakes winner Bridesmaid and half-sister to graded winner Postponed. Bred by Mahoney Eden Manor, Classic Bloodstock and Sandra Powers, he was foaled at Mahoney Eden Manor on March 18, 2022. Offered by Gainesway Agent IX, he was purchased for $110,000 by Jeff Mackor, Agent for William Sparks. Virtual inspection.
- Hip 1310, a bay colt by Gun Runner out of Solar Surge, offered by Sequel New York, Agent for Chester and Mary Broman, was purchased by Nova Thoroughbreds for $100,000. Bred by the Bromans and foaled at their Chestertown Farm on March 23, 2022, the colt’s dam Solar Surge, an unraced daughter of Bernardini, is a Broman homebred out of Unbridled Star, making her a half-sister to stakes winners Friend or Foe and Star Grazing, and stakes performer Stolen Star, dam of millionaire and graded stakes winner Highway Star and stakes winner Captain Bombastic. Virtual inspection.
- Hip 1353, another product of the Chester and Mary Broman breeding program offered by Sequel New York, was a chestnut filly by Instagrand foaled at Chestertown Farm on April 30, 2022. The filly was purchased by Ricehorse on behalf of Final Furlong Racing Stable for $100,000. The filly’s dam Storm Now is a placed runner bred in Ontario and purchased by the Bromans at the 2015 Keeneland January sale for $110,000. She is a sister to graded winner American Lion out of sister to stakes winner Weather Warning. She has produced three foals to race, all winners. Virtual inspection.
