By Jessica Martini
The Fasig-Tipton November Sale returns Tuesday with another stellar line-up of marquee offerings, with bidding on the first of 274 catalogued offerings scheduled to begin at 2 p.m. at Newtown Paddocks. The auction begins with a selection of 135 catalogued weanlings and then proceeds into what has perennially been a blockbuster offering of fillies and mares.
“We're excited and enthusiastic–we have a fabulous catalogue for the November sale,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning.
The 2021 November sale has plenty to live up to from its eye-popping 2020 renewal, which was topped by champion Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), who sold for $9.5 million to Spendthrift Farm. The mare was one of 12 purchased by the Spendthrift team on the night for a total of $25,030,000 and one of 22 overall to top the seven-figure mark a year ago.
“There are big shoes to fill from 2020,” Browning acknowledged. “Our November sale last year was exceptional–we were playing at the top end of the market and we had unbelievable support from Spendthrift who spent $25 million at our sale in one night here last year. The international participation was very, very strong. I think it will be very strong again this year. But if you go back and review the notes [from last year], it was a really, really good sale.”
While the recently concluded yearling sales season, which ended just two weeks ago with a record-setting Fasig-Tipton October sale, produced competitive bidding from start to finish, Browning sounded a note of caution heading into the bloodstock sales.
“As we head into November, I think it's important that consignors and sellers be realistic that we haven't seen 50% increases overall across the board in the marketplace,” Browning said. “Obviously 2020 was somewhat difficult at times, but the November sales were much stronger than the yearling and 2-year-old sales were in 2020. So consignors and sellers don't need to get caught up in some unrealistic euphoria. I think it will be a strong and healthy market across the board for quality offerings in November. But let's make sure that everyone remains realistic and we keep everything in balance in terms of the scales between buyers and sellers and be very pleased with selling into a healthy marketplace.”
In all, 142 head sold at the 2020 November sale for a gross of $80,237,000 and an average of $565,049, a gain of 6.3% from 2019. The median was $200,000, down 33.3% from the prior year.
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