Days after a record-breaking edition of Fasig-Tipton’s The Saratoga Sale, New York-bred yearlings will take to the ring on East Avenue, their breeders and consignors hoping that last week’s momentum carries through to Aug. 16-17.
A total of 318 horses are cataloged for the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale, a slight increase from last year, with hips 301-400 scheduled for the first session Sunday evening. The remainder will go through the ring during Monday’s afternoon session.
In addition to the strength of the overall market for racehorses, New York-breds will be attractive because of the implementation of purse parity for horses bred in the state and the opening of Belmont Park next month, which will add a synthetic option for runners.
"I'm very optimistic for the upcoming New York-bred sale," said Boyd Browning, Fasig-Tipton's president and chief executive officer. "Some of the trends that we've seen all year long should continue here. The catalog is the strongest that we've ever had, and the New York state-bred program continues to be the best in the country. Plus, you've got the excitement of a new Belmont Park opening in a month or so right now, so all indications are very positive. There's plenty of activity on the sales grounds and plenty of nice horses."
The catalog features a significant number of yearlings by first-crop sires, including 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Mage ; multimillionaire and 2022 2-year-old champion male Forte ; and two-time Eclipse champion sprinter Elite Power . Standing at Rockridge Stud in Hudson, NY, Americanrevolution is represented by 22 progeny.
"It's been nonstop," The New Hill Farm's Lili Kobielski said of the traffic at her consignment. "The main sale was so strong and I would think that it's going to just keep on rolling. We have a really nice group overall, all first-year sires and proven sires, and I don't know how you can't be hopeful in a market like this."
Other New York stallions with yearlings in the sale are Bucchero , Central Banker , Fire At Will , Honest Mischief , Leinster , Mind Control , Mullion , and Solomini .
Co-owned by Juan Aguilar and Sarah Sutherland, Heartwood Farm brought its first consignment to this year’s Saratoga sale and ended up selling the sale topper, a $4.2 million Into Mischief colt, along with another Into Mischief colt that brought $3 million. While not expecting any of the nine yearlings in her consignment to reach that rare air, Sutherland is still bullish on the New York-breds she’s brought to the market.
"You've got to feel that this is going to be a really, really good sale," she said. "The feeling is vibrant and hopeful. You've got both end users and pinhookers, and I think that there's some new interest in New York-breds. At our farm in Kentucky, we've had more owners saying, 'Maybe we want to participate in the program and send a mare or two,' and I think that's great."
Daniel Zanatta and Brandon Rice were on the grounds as both buyers and sellers.
"We're looking for New York-bred fillies that will be stakes horses down the line," said Zanatta, one of the managing partners of Final Furlong Racing Stable, a strategy that has worked for the stable with such runners as Espresso Shot and Kay Cup, both purchased from this sale.
The duo is also pinhooking two horses that were purchased last year.
"We're looking to replace the ones we're selling and buy two or three here," Zanatta said, "and then they go down to RiceHorse to get their early lessons and get started."
"I'm glad to put them in RiceHorse Academy and graduate them out," said Rice, who owns RiceHorse Stables training facility near Ocala, Fla., with his wife, Alexandra de Meric. "Hopefully, we'll have winners each year. That's the game plan."
Bloodstock agent Jacob West was on the grounds shopping for primary client Mike Repole, as well as other buyers.
"Over the last several years," West said, "this program has really ascended to a sale that you have to shop and shop hard. This sale is dominated by Kentucky stallions, but there's also a handful of other pretty useful stallions based in New York that can get you solid racehorses.
"With the new incentives of New York-bred horses being able to run for the same money as open company horses, it seems like every top trainer has a stable that stays up here year-round. There are a lot of things to look forward to that are coming out of this program. They put the money behind it, and the people who breed and raise New York-breds are going to get rewarded."
This year's catalog cover features Iron Orchard, Rhetorical, and Usha, all New York-breds, all offered as yearlings at this sale, all grade 1 winners. Other grade 1 winners to go through the ring include Diversify, Tiz the Law , and Dayatthespa.
"This sale has consistently produced runners that have gone on to compete and succeed at the highest levels of racing, and that is a credit to New York's breeders, who continue to produce top-quality horses year after year," said Najja Thompson, executive director of New York Thoroughbred Breeders. "When you combine that quality with the incentives and opportunities that come with owning a New York-bred, including record purse money and a strong restricted stakes program, it continues to make this sale an attractive marketplace for buyers.
"Looking at this year's catalog, there is certainly no shortage of talent. It is also particularly encouraging to see an increase in the number of New York-sired yearlings in the sale, reflecting the growing strength and demand for our stallion program. Following the record-breaking results of the Saratoga Sale earlier this week, there is tremendous energy and momentum heading into the New York-bred sale, and we are excited to see that continue this weekend."
