The second and final day of the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale finished Aug. 15 with a son of Arrogate claiming top honors after selling for $700,000 to top both selling sessions. The colt consigned as Hip 573 by Eaton Sales, agent for Longford Farm, received a timely update when his full brother Cave Rock broke his maiden Aug. 13 at Del Mar by six lengths.
Two-year-old consignor Tom McCrocklin purchased the colt out of Georgie's Angel for Champion Equine. The Bellamy Road dam is a winner in the 2011 Schuylerville Stakes (G3) and placed in the Tempted Stakes (G3) the same year. The dark bay or brown colt was bred by Kathleen Schweizer.
"We're going to take him to Ocala, break him, and haven't decided (what we'll do after that)," McCrocklin said. "He could go either way, a lot depends on the brother. Obviously, a big update with the full brother, an impressive win first time out, and ran a 101 Beyer. But we didn't buy the brother. We bought this horse, so we have to make this work."
He added: "He's going to get treated like a racehorse. His aptitude, soundness, mental disposition, and precocity—all those factors (will determine what comes next, pinhook or race). He needs to act like a nice horse. Hopefully, when we buy these kinds of horses, they are nice horses. Again, we're not buying his brother. We're buying this horse, and we hope he can fill those big shoes."
McCrocklin led Day Two as the leading buyer with two purchases for Champion Equine and a total of five purchases overall for a total of $1,235,000. The $700,000 price tag colt shattered the previous record set in 2018 of $600,000 for a colt by Pioneerof the Nile and the $775,000 price paid in 2019 for a Malibu Moon filly.
McCrocklin reflected on the market seen over the past two days.
"It's been a solid market, July, Select Sale, this sale, and his full brother will probably be the favorite for the (Runhappy) Del Mar Futurity (G1) unless something else from the Baffert barn comes along."
At the close of business Monday afternoon, 124 horses of the 149 through the sales ring sold for gross receipts of $13,275,000, suitable for an average price of $107,056 and a median of $72,500. There were 25 horses who failed to meet their reserve to represent an RNA rate of 16.7%.
"Another record-breaking sale. Established a new record for the gross, exceeded $20 million for the first time in the history of the New York-Bred Sale, and the average price was the highest ever for the sale," Fasig-Tipton president and CEO Boyd Browning Jr. said.
During the second day of selling at the 2021 sale, 141 yearlings of the 176 on offer sold for final figures of $12,069,000. An average price of $85,596 was established and a median of $60,000. There were 35 horses who failed to meet their reserve to represent an RNA rate of 19.8%.
Summerfield led the second day of selling after 14 of the 17 yearlings on offer changed hands for gross receipts of $1,538,000 at an average price of $109,857.
Over the two days of selling, 188 of the 233 yearlings on offer sold for gross receipts of $20,175,000 to show an 8.6% increase year on year. The average price grew by 17.3% to $107,314, and the median followed the trend going to $74,000 to show an increase of 5.7%.
The two-day sale in 2021 saw 203 of the 258 yearlings under the hammer sell for gross figures of $18,566,500, good for an average price of $91,461 and a median of $70,000. The 55 horses who failed to meet their reserve represent an RNA rate of 21.3%.
"The last week has been heartening, encouraging, and satisfying," Browning said. "It reflects the quality of horses people have allowed us to sell. It reflects the interest and enthusiasm in the racing product, particularly here in New York."
Over the two days of buying, agent Tom McCrocklin purchased seven yearlings (for himself, in partnership, and as agent) for a gross of $1,322,000 and an average of $188,857. He is the sale's leading buyer by gross.
Taylor Made Sales Agency sold 13 of their 13 head-on offer over the two days for gross receipts of $2,042,000 at an average price of $157,077 to be the sales leading consignor by gross.
