By Richard Zwirn
Fasig-Tipton hosted its annual Midlantic Fall Yearling sale in Timonium, Maryland on Tuesday, October 1. In all, 181 yearlings went through the ring, for an overall sale average of $23,799 and a median price of $15,000. There was even brighter news for NY-breds, however, as they posted an average price of $25,813 with a median of $20,000. The RNA rate for NY-breds came in at 32.4%, slightly higher than the overall sale average of 29.3%.
The results clearly demonstrate that New York-breds were highly sought-after, due largely to the New York-bred breeding and racing program and its incentives for owners and breeders.
The New York contingent was led by hip 230 – a bay filly by Central Banker. The May 1 yearling was purchased by Matthew T. Groff for $82,000. Scott Mallory, Agent was the consignor and BHMFR, LLC was the breeder. The winning dam, Calidez, has two winners to date. The Spring at Last mare’s three year old filly, For Love and Honor, captured a MSW at the recent Kentucky Downs meet. Her Caravaggio two-year-old, Mascara, raised eyebrows at Saratoga this summer when she won an open MSW race impressively for trainer Wesley Ward. She has a 2024 Central Banker filly and was bred to Honest Mischief for 2025.
Central Banker has been the leading New York-based sire for the last three years. The 14-year-old son of Speightstown stands for a stud fee $7,500. He is currently second on the New York general sire list, right behind Bucchero, another stallion residing at McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds.
The co-sales-topping colts each brought $65,000. Hip 13 was both bred and consigned by Harry L. Landry. Landry purchased the winning mare, Farce, for $16,000 at Keeneland November with the Volatile colt in utero. The May 26 foal was purchased by Sallusto & Kimmel, Agent. The dam is from a prolific Claiborne Farm family that is also responsible for graded stakes winners Cutting Humor and Zensational, along with the multiple graded-stakes-placed Irish You Well. Her lone winner is Class Riot, by Jack Milton, and her last registered foal is a two-year-old by Enticed.
Hip 117, from Beau Liam’s first crop, is out of Okbyecya, a winning full sister to stakes-placed Into Oblivion and a half-sister to stakes-winning Balmaran. Her four-year-old filly Classic Farewell, by Classic Empire, sold for $100,000 at the May 2022 Midlantic two-year-old sale. This bay colt was bred by Scott Pierce and purchased by Kieran Norris. Scott Mallory, Agent was once again the successful consignor. This is the dam’s last registered foal.
The second-highest New York-sired sale was hip 229, a bay colt by Honest Mischief. He was plucked from the ring for a final bid of $60,000 by Scanlon Training and Sales. Sold from the Marshall Silverman consignment, the May 16 colt was bred by Eaton & Thorne. His winning dam, Bustinattheseams, won her lone start after being purchased for $150,000 by Todd Plather, agent as a two-year-old. She has had seven winners from seven starters, and her two-year-old Stone Smuggler, also by Honest Mischief, recently won the $100,000 Lady Finger Stakes at Finger Lakes racetrack on September 23 as the heavy favorite. Bustinattheseams was bred to New York sire Keepmeinmind for both 2024 and 2025.
Other Empire State sires whose yearlings sold were King for a Day, Lookin at Lee, Redesdale and War Dancer.
Upcoming sales for New York-breds include OBS October Yearlings on October 8 & 9, Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Fall Mixed on October 15, and Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings on October 21 to 24.
