Pedigree enthusiasts have lots to savor at Fasig-Tipton’s 97th Saratoga Sale. On Monday and Tuesday evenings, beginning at 6:30 pm. (EDT), a stream of blue-blooded yearlings will enter the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion and spark spirited bidding.
The 227-strong catalog features strong representation from the usual suspects – Tapit, Medaglia d’Oro, Pioneerof the Nile, and War Front – but they aren’t the only ones with notable offspring on offer. Speightstown has a half-brother to Belmont (G1) winner Tapwrit (Hip No. 124), who himself sold for $1.25 million here in 2015; Distorted Humor, Malibu Moon, More Than Ready, and Uncle Mo have several with particularly eye-catching pages; the late Scat Daddy has representatives from his last crop; such up-and comers as Union Rags, Bodemeister, and Orb have well-related youngsters; and among the first-crop sires, champion Will Take Charge has quantity and quality.
Tapit’s draft includes a filly out of 2013 Test (G1) heroine Sweet Lulu, thus a three-quarter sibling to Anchor Down and Iron Fist (Hip 75); fillies out of Grade 1 winners Lady of Fifty (Hip 48) and Last Full Measure (Hip 222); a colt out of multiple Grade 2 scorer Great Hot, therefore a full brother to a yet-unnamed colt who brought $650,000 here last summer; a colt out of Grade 2 vixen Warbling (Hip 101); a half-brother to Diamondrella (Hip 80); a filly out of a Grade 3-winning close relative of Shared Account (Hip 165); a colt out of multiple stakes victress Inspired (Hip 210); and a filly out of a full sister to Precious Kitten and a half-sibling to champion and top sire Kitten’s Joy (Hip 223).
Medaglia d’Oro, who furnished the $1.45 million sale topper in 2016, seeks to repeat. Although he has only four cataloged, all colts, his yearlings have quite a pedigree, significantly a half-brother to Battle of Midway (Hip 44); a three-quarter brother to smart turf performer Bronson (Hip 99) whose second dam is prolific producer Cambiocorsa; and another out of a half to champion Untapable and Paddy O’Prado (Hip 27).
Similarly, War Front has just three in the sale, but all eligible to set off fireworks in the ring. Chief among them may be the half-sister to European champion Peeping Fawn (dam of unbeaten Chesham winner September) and French champion Thewayyouare (Hip 135), while the first foal from multiple Grade 3-winning Galileo mare Starstruck (Hip 65) and the full brother to reigning Rodeo Drive (G1) queen Avenge (Hip 226) are sure to attract attention.
Pioneerof the Nile’s progeny include Hip 79, a filly out of a full sister to Tapit; a half-brother to last year’s Jim Dandy (G2) upsetter Laoban (Hip 157); and a half-sister to Justin Squared (Hip 197).
Among Uncle Mo’s sweet 16 are half-brothers to Connect (Hip 150) and Neck ‘n Neck (Hip 144), descendants of Unbridled Elaine (Hip 114) and Lady Joanne (Hip 115), and three-quarter siblings to Adios Charlie (Hip 81) and Wild at Heart (Hip 178).
Scat Daddy had a dozen cataloged. His posthumous yearlings are highlighted by descendants of the outstanding matron Passing Mood (via Daijin, Hip 140) and Argentine champion Batallosa (Hip 217) as well as a colt out of a multiple stakes-winning half-sister to European champion Kalanisi (Hip 216).
Recently deceased City Zip also has representation, notably a filly out of a half to Summer Colony (Hip 187) and a colt out of a half to Willa B Awesome (Hip 113).
The 20-year-old More Than Ready has no fewer than nine entered, with the full brother to 2011 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint (G2) victor Regally Ready (Hip 219), the half-brother to Lord Simba (Hip 123), the colt out of a half-sister to You (Hip 93), and the colt out of a full sister to Majestic Warrior (Hip 209) perhaps the most interesting.
Fellow veteran Malibu Moon has a half-brother to Royal Mo (Hip 49), a colt out of Grade 2 winner Carmandia (Hip 152), and a filly out of a half to Parading, thereby a descendant of Personal Ensign (Hip 193) in his list.
Distorted Humor might be 24 years old now himself, but his enduring popularity is reflected in the caliber of his yearlings – e.g., a half-brother to Overanalyze and Meadow Breeze (Hip 89) and a colt out of a half to Streaming descended from Better Than Honour (Hip 14).
Hall of Famers Curlin and Ghostzapper each have a solid group. Among Curlin’s yearlings are a colts out of Harriett Lane (Hip 202), Grade 1 vixen River’s Prayer (Hip 45), and a colt out of a half to Posse (Hip 39), while Ghostzapper’s include a filly out of a half to Revolutionary (Hip 95).
Candy Ride has sired fillies out of Princess Arabella (Hip 30) and Brownie Points (Hip 143). Quality Road (Hip 94) and Street Sense furnish interesting daughters out of half-sisters to Interactif, with Street Sense’s being a half to Cymric (Hip 184). Street Sense also has a three-quarter brother to Callback (Hip 173).
Successful young sire Into Mischief is responsible for a three-quarter brother to dual Sovereign Award winner Miss Mischief (Hip 47), a half-brother to Ami’s Holiday and Ami’s Mesa (Hip 98), and a colt out of a half to ill-fated Secret Compass (Hip 42).
The lone Kitten’s Joy in the catalog is a colt out of Cozzy Corner, a Grade 3-winning half-sister to Riskaverse (Hip 169). Others by established sires to look for are a Broken Vow half-brother to Union Strike and Handsome Mike (Hip 162), a Flatter half-sister to Party Boat from the family of Tourist (Hip 28), a Lemon Drop Kid filly out of Grade 2 scorer Glorious View (Hip 194), and a full brother to Mor Spirit (Hip 207).
While the boutique sale tilts toward the stud establishment, the young guns have a foothold as well.
Will Take Charge fields 10 yearlings from his first crop, including a filly out of a stakes-placed Tapit mare from the immediate family of Broken Vow (Hip 119); a filly from the family of Beholder and Into Mischief (Hip 183); a filly out of a half to Sinister Minister (Hip 51); a half-brother to Notacatbutallama (Hip 55); a half-sister to three New York-bred stakes winners out of half to Fed Biz (Hip 102); and a colt out of multiple stakes scorer Mother Ruth (Hip 19).
Others to watch in this category are Can the Man, whose single offering is a half-sister to Catch a Glimpse and Old Forester (Hip 200); Strong Mandate, who sired a half-sister to Seymourdini, Cali Star, and Delightful Joy (Hip 198); Fed Biz, who has a colt descending from Storm Cat’s half-sister Chapel of Dreams (Hip 120); Verrazano, whose son hails from the all-star family of Raven’s Pass (Hip 177); and Cairo Prince, whose first yearlings were all the rage at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July.
Of those with first-crop juveniles hitting the track, Orb appears poised for a grand showing. The 2013 Derby hero can rely on a half-sister to well-regarded Diamondsandpearls (Hip 136), fourth at 7-5 in Saturday’s Sorrento (G2); a half-sister to Corfu and to unraced juvenile New York Central, a $750,000 seller here last summer (Hip 181); a filly out of a half to Creative Cause and Destin (Hip 77); the first foal (a colt) from Grade 3 winner Flashy American (Hip 186); a son descended from Halory (Hip 149); a colt out of a stakes-placed full sister to Imperialism (Hip 158); and a colt from the family of McCraken (Hip 224).
Animal Kingdom, the 2011 Derby champion; multiple highweight Declaration of War; Shanghai Bobby, the champion two-year-old colt of 2012; and Violence, who has half-sisters to J J’s Lucky Train (Hip 174) and Her Smile (Hip 204), are other freshmen off to a good start on track.
Bodemeister promises to continue his commercial appeal after getting Derby winner Always Dreaming in his first crop. His offerings include half-siblings to Maftool (Hip 110) and Blind Date (Hip 61), a colt out of a full sister to Winter Memories (Hip 40), and a filly out of a half to Lilacs and Lace (Hip 162). Lookin at Lucky actually has one out of another Lilacs and Lace half-sister in Hip 184.
The similarly situated Union Rags, himself likely to stay hot in the sales ring, has half-brothers to unbeaten Debutante winner Sunny Skies (Hip 59), Aegean (Hip 126), and to undefeated Moyglare Stud (G1) entry Quivery (Hip 26), as well as a colt out of a half to Evening Jewel (Hip 4).
Maclean’s Music, who boosted his profile by siring a first-crop Preakness (G1) victor in Cloud Computing, has one colt from the family of Soviet Problem (Hip 76). Another in this cohort, To Honor and Serve, furnishes a half-sister to Isotherm (Hip 190).
“Our consignors have supported us with outstanding quality once again this year,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said upon the release of the catalog. “Buyers will find the very best of this year’s yearling crop when they arrive at Saratoga, including several offerings from some new faces in the consignor and breeder ranks.
“Saratoga continues to produce the sport’s biggest and brightest stars. Belmont Stakes winner Tapwrit is remarkably the fourth Belmont winner in the last six years to have been offered at Saratoga, and Eclipse champions Songbird, Stellar Wind, and Tepin are some of the finest fillies and mares we have seen in some time.”
Fasig-Tipton Saratoga retains its top spot in the rankings among major North American yearling sales, according to The BloodHorse MarketWatch, regarding percentage of Grade 1 winners, graded stakes winners, and stakes winners from horses sold.
Hips 1-112 will tour the ring Monday, and 113-227 comprise the Tuesday docket.
After a three-day hiatus, Fasig-Tipton’s sales action revs up again for next Saturday and Sunday’s New York Bred Preferred Yearlings Sale. Each session likewise opens at 6:30 p.m., and 296 are cataloged.
“Buyers looking to participate in the lucrative New York Bred program will find the cream of the New York Bred crop at this sale once again this year,” Browning said.
“This year’s catalog cover features sale graduates Mind Your Biscuits and Haveyougoneaway, winners of Grade 1 races at Meydan, Saratoga and Santa Anita. Whether your goal is to compete in the New York Bred program, or to race on the world’s biggest stages, this sale is the proven place to find a horse that will take you there.”
Again according to The Blood-Horse Market Watch, the New York Bred Sale ranks in the top three by average earnings per starter, percentage of winners sold with earnings of more than $150,000, and percentage of stakes winners from yearlings sold.
For the complete catalogs, updates, and live video of the sales, visit fasigtipton.com.
