Two-year-old colt Mensa sold April 29 for $740,000 during the one-horse Mensa Flash Sale, setting a record for the Fasig-Tipton Digital platform.
Offered by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for D. J. Stable, Mensa was the subject of a nine-minute protracted bidding war, with John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock eventually emerging as the winner.
An easy gate-to-wire winner of his debut April 12 at Gulfstream Park for trainer Mark Casse, Mensa is entered in the May 2 Kentucky Juvenile Stakes at Churchill Downs, where he has been installed as the second choice on the morning line.
"We are always looking to add talented runners to our stable and we're thrilled to have such an exciting 2-year-old colt in Mensa," said buyer Stewart. "We have already bought several horses on Fasig-Tipton Digital, and obviously love the platform. Fasig Digital delivers quality offerings to the market on a year-round basis, and all the information is right at your fingertips. We're looking forward to 'Thurby!' "
The Thursday card of Derby week is called Thurby, a celebration of Kentucky culture: bourbon, Bluegrass, and Thoroughbred racing.
Bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Mensa is from the first crop of Airdrie Stud's Complexity , winner of the Champagne Stakes (G1) at 2, and out of the Medaglia d'Oro winner Lady Halite. Mensa is a half brother to stakes winner Recruiter (Army Mule ) and to stakes-placed winner Miss Sayely (Maximus Mischief ). The immediate family also has produced multiple graded stakes winner Commitisize.
Complexity, by Maclean's Music , currently leads the early freshman sire ranks by total progeny earnings.
"Today's digital sale results, for our horse Mensa, is a testament to the combined efforts of Taylor Made Sales, our trainer Mark Casse, and of course Fasig-Tipton," said seller Jon Green of D. J. Stable. "Having purchased and now sold the highest-priced horses in digital sale history, it's obvious that we are true believers of that platform. We would like to thank Resolute Racing and sincerely wish them the best of luck with this worthy colt."
Mensa is the most expensive offering on Fasig-Tipton Digital to date, eclipsing the record set earlier this month when broodmare Eileen's Dream sold to D. J. Stable for $660,000 with her Curlin foal at foot and bred back to Charlatan .
"We would like to thank the Greens and Taylor Made for the opportunity to sell this record-setting colt on Fasig-Tipton Digital," said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton director of Digital Sales. "His webpage had 2,500 individual visitors, which is remarkable for just a single horse."
Fasig-Tipton's next digital sale is the May Digital Sale, scheduled for May 9-14. Nominations close May 1 and can be made at digital.fasigtipton.com.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
