Two yearlings reached the seven-figure threshold at Monday night’s opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale, both from the first crop of 2015 Triple Crown champion and Horse of the Year American Pharoah.
His daughter out of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Life at Ten (Malibu Moon) commanded the top price of $1.2 million from Larry Best’s OXO Equine, while American Pharoah’s Hall of Fame trainer, Bob Baffert, went to $1 million to take home a half-brother to Upstart (Flatter) on behalf of Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier.
The Life at Ten filly came early in the evening as Hip No. 26 from the consignment of Gainesway, as agent. A pinhook home run for the Blue Sky Stables partnership of Gainesway’s Brian Graves, she was first purchased as a $500,000 Keeneland November weanling.
Bred by Adena Springs in Ontario, the March 22 foal is a half-sister to Grade 2-placed Singing Bullet (Hard Spun) and multiple winner Daily Bulletin (Medaglia d’Oro). Her juvenile half-sister, Bohemian Queen (Animal Kingdom), furnished a late catalog update when scoring in her debut at Woodbine Monday. They’re the three runners from four foals of racing age produced by Life at Ten, heroine of the 2010 Beldame (G1), Ogden Phipps H. (G1) and Delaware H. (G2).
The New York-bred colt was offered by Summerfield (Francis & Barbara Vanlangendonck), agent for Sunnyfield Farm. A late foal born May 17, Hip 62 was produced by the unraced Touch Gold mare Party Silks, whose three runners are all winners. Upstart scored his marquee victory in the 2015 Holy Bull (G2), and the $1.7 million-earner compiled six Grade 1 placings in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile (G1), Champagne (G1), Florida Derby (G1), Haskell (G1), Met Mile (G1), and Whitney (G1). Another of the yearling’s half-siblings is current stakes-placed New York Hero (Mineshaft). Party Silks is in turn a half-sister to Grade 2 victress Josh’s Madelyn (Quiet American).
OXO Equine’s only other buy was a $950,000 Into Mischief filly, Hip 82, consigned by Craig and Holly Bandoroff’s Denali Stud, agent. The three-quarter sister to Grade 3 hero and freshman sire Can the Man (Into Mischief) is the second registered foal from his unraced half-sister Reve d’Amour (Warrior’s Reward). The Kentucky-bred’s second dam is French Group 2 winner Smolensk (Danzig), daughter of the prolific Blush with Pride (Blushing Groom), ancestress of champion fillies Rags to Riches (A.P. Indy) and Peeping Fawn (Danehill).
Fasig-Tipton reported increases of both gross and average compared to opening night 2017. On Monday, 83 yearlings realized $28,965,000, an 18.6 percent jump from the $24,425,000 that 75 grossed a year ago. The average climbed 7.2 percent, from $325,667 to $348,976. The $300,000 median was unchanged from last year’s curtain-raiser.
For complete results, as well as live video of Tuesday’s finale at 6:30 p.m. (EDT), visit fasigtipton.com.
