By Christie DeBernardis
Fasig-Tipton's July Horses of Racing Age Sale returns to Newtown Paddocks Monday for the ninth straight year. It will be preceded for the first time by the Fasig-Tipton July Breeding Stock Sale, which gets underway at 2 p.m.
The Horses of Racing Age Sale is comprised of 175 racehorses, 11 of which were supplements added late last week. Some of the standouts in this year's catalogue are recent Iowa Derby victor Stilleto Boy (Shackleford); GSW Fearless (Ghostzapper); GIII Bashford Manor S. runner-up Vodka N Water (Fed Biz); Wicked Bisou (Wicked Strong), a half-sister to champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute); and last weekend's Iowa Distaff heroine Josie (Race Day).
“I think it's a really good group,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “The composition and the mix of horses of racing age can change from year to year. I think it will offer a broad appeal. We have some older, proven horses at the highest level. We also have some young horses that look like they have a ton of potential. I think we truly have something for everyone no matter where you're competing. Whether you're at Saratoga or Del Mar or at a more local, regional venue, there is something here for you.”
He continued, “I think we've seen a very vibrant 2-year-old market so far in 2021. There has also been lots of activity in the private marketplace and the claim box. We feel fortunate that we think we have a really good group of horses of racing age. A lot of horses have come out of this sale and achieved significant success, so we're ready to roll on Monday.”
Some notable graduated of this auction include GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint winner Wavell Avenue (Harlington); GIII Westchester S. victor Nicodemus (Candy Ride {Arg}); and GSW & MGISP Ivy Bell (Archarcharch).
Last year's Horses of Racing Age Sale was held amidst the COVID-19 pandemic despite the fact the Fasig-Tipton July Yearling Sale, traditionally held the next day, was canceled. A total of 81 horses changed hands for a gross of $5.072 million last term. The average was $62,617 and the median was $30,000.
“For a while, we had to recruit heavily because it was a new concept seven or eight years ago,” Browning said. “Now, there are certainly owners that point for this sale in terms of adjusting their inventory and figuring out what makes sense. We are continuing to recruit horses that might have run well as recently as yesterday. There is certainly an opportunity for liquidity in the marketplace with a sale of this type, so there are some interesting opportunities to both buy and sell horses.”
The July Breeding Stock Sale debuts with 55 broodmares, several of which sell with 2021 foals at their sides. Seventeen of those mares belong to the Far From Over/Fountain of Youth Dispersal, which is being handled by Stuart Morris.
“We've done some things in the past similar to this with Ms. Alexander, and with the Heiligbrodt and Melnyk dispersals, so it's not the first time that we have offered some mares with foals or breeding stock in July,” Browning said. “We've had inquiries from people who would like to sell a mare. Some people really like selling the three-in-one package, the mares in foal and the foals at their sides, so we decided to give it a try and see what the market thinks. I think we've attracted some really interesting horses. Based on the overall strength of the market, we think that they will be well received here.”
If all goes well Monday, the July Breeding Stock Sale could return to Newtown Paddocks next year.
“The marketplace often answers the question whether the concept has merit or not,” Browning said. “I think these horses will bring fair market value. It's something you hope you might have something to build on in the future. But as we do with all of our sales, we will evaluate the results after the fact. Our emphasis right now is to deliver the best results for the men and women that are going to be selling with us [Monday].”
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