Into Mischief, Gun Runner Deliver at The Saratoga Sale

The top two horses on the general sires' list accounted for the top six horses sold at The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's two-day selected yearling sale that concluded Aug. 5 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.

While every other week this column space typically follows sires moving up and down the general sires' list as their progeny win on the track, the success of reigning six-time leading sire Into Mischief  and record-breaking sire Gun Runner  at the boutique sale provided a chance to talk about the industry's confidence in these two sires. After all, that trust is tied to recent on-track success as Into Mischief currently ranks first, followed by Gun Runner second.

Into Mischief colts finished as the two highest prices—as well as sixth-highest—at the sale. Coolmore and Peter Brant's White Birch Farm went to $4.1 million for the sale topper out of Stellar Sound, by Tapit . Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent for breeder Don Alberto Corporation, the colt is the third-highest-priced yearling to ever sell at The Saratoga Sale.

A pair of Gun Runner colts ranked third and fourth at this year's sale, while a Gun Runner—Paradise Woods, by Union Rags  filly was the highest-priced filly at the sale and ranked fifth overall. 

Those half-dozen horses sold for $17.9 million at the auction that set new standards for The Saratoga Sale in gross, average, and median. A total of 25 yearlings sold for $1 million or more.

The motivation for purchasing these types of horses most assuredly is to win North America's greatest dirt races and then have a valuable stallion (or mare). Established on-track performance for Into Mischief and Gun Runner most assuredly is there—with current Kentucky Derby (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Sovereignty the leading earner this year for Into Mischief at more than $5 million. He's the third Derby winner in recent years for his sire, following Authentic  in 2020 and Mandaloun  in 2021. Consider that before Into Mischief, the most recent sire to top the general list in any year and have a Derby winner is Distorted Humor behind Funny Cide's 2003 Derby score.

Gun Runner has not broken through with a Derby win, but he does have 2023 Derby runner-up Sierra Leone, who last year went on to earn champion 3-year-old male honors behind his clear victory in the Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). This year, he added a win in the Whitney Stakes (G1)—just two days before the start of The Saratoga Sale. That win makes Sierra Leone, who topped 2022 The Saratoga Sale at $2.3 million, one of the favorites for this year's Breeders' Cup Classic.

Interestingly enough, Sierra Leone is campaigned by Brant and several Coolmore-affiliated partners. As noted previously, at The Saratoga Sale, they secured the sale-topping Into Mischief colt. Other buyers of the top six included the star-studded list of John Stewart's Resolute Bloodstock; Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing; Winchell Thoroughbreds; Love/Linton, agent for Boyd Racing; and Spendthrift Farm. 

Into Mischief is in a tie with Dubawi and Curlin  for most Breeders' Cup wins, eight, in 40 starts by his progeny in the World Championships. Sons and daughters of Gun Runner have won a pair of races at the World Championships from 19 starts.

That kind of success helped Gun Runner lead all sires at the sale by average (two or more sold) at $1,581,250 with eight of nine yearlings offered selling, while Into Mischief ranked second in average at $1,561,111 with nine of 10 yearlings offered selling.

Speaking about the confidence buyers have placed in these two sires, along with a few other top sires such as Not This Time  and Curlin, Fasig-Tipton president and CEO Boyd Browning Jr. noted that consistent success in the biggest dirt races is drawing strong interest—the way it's supposed to work.

"Those horses are proven to consistently produce the kind of colts and the kind of fillies that make the dream," Browning said. "Everyone wants to win the big races. You want to win at Saratoga next year and two years from now and three years from now, on Whitney Day and on Travers Day and so forth. 

"And you want to win in the classic-type races. You want to win in the Breeders' Cup races, and those horses have a demonstrated ability to produce the type of runners that put you in those spots."

It's the kind of ability that lands horses in this column.