Audible

No getting away from it, the young stallions we assess today have already completed their service to many breeders. They've processed a debut crop of yearlings, often on an industrial scale, and many have obliged with the kind of averages that vindicate the familiar, self-fulfilling commercial cycle that so favors new sires: demand generating supply, and the quality incidental to that increased supply in turn increasing demand. That leaves us with another tricky podium. You can't just congratulate those who have "won" on this system, topping out the first-crop yearling...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Fasig-Tipton October Yearlings Sale, which produced a day of brisk trade during Monday's first session, saw activity tick up another notch during a vibrant day of trade Tuesday in Lexington. "The first horse through the ring this morning brought six figures and the last horse through the ring brought six figures," said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. "There was brisk activity and great trade, literally from start to finish today. It was very similar to yesterday." Midway through the four-day auction, 524 yearlings have sold for $28,232,900....

LEXINGTON, KY - The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale, looking to build on a record-setting 2021 renewal, opened with a day of competitive bidding Monday. A pair of yearlings by Into Mischief topped the day's activity, with a filly going the way of Ben McElroy for $425,000 and a colt selling to the Green family's DJ Stable for $400,000. "It was a very good opening session to the 2022 Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale," said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. "There was very good trade. The parking lot was jammed pack, we...

What was a solid final Book 3 session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale suddenly jumped into high gear in its final 45 minutes, producing its four highest prices in the span of some 80 hips, led by a session-topping son of Audible who sold for $725,000 to Flurry Racing Stables just six lots from the end of the all-day session. Now midway through the 12-day auction, figures continue to be well ahead of 2021 levels. During the weekend's two Book 3 sessions, 586 yearlings sold for $92,258,500. The Book...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale might have taken a day off Friday, but the auction lost none of its momentum when bidding returned for the first of two Book 3 sessions Saturday in Lexington. A colt by Curlin paced another competitive session when selling for $900,000 to the BSW/Crow Colts partnership. For the session, 287 yearlings grossed $50,747,500. The session average was $176,821--up 5.69% from last year's corresponding session--and the median rose 3.7% to $140,000. Through five days, 956 head have sold for $287,737,500. The average is...

The 2022 class of first-crop yearling sires features a diverse batch of Kentucky-based young stallions including a pair of Breeders' Cup champions, two sons of reigning top sire Into Mischief, five graded stakes winners at two and five Grade I winners on turf. Throughout the course of the yearling sales season, we will feature a series of freshman sires as their first crop points toward the sales ring. Check out the first few editions of our series here. WinStar Farm's Liam O'Rourke vividly recalls the day that breeders got their...

With the 2022 breeding season underway, we continue to feature a series of breeders' mating plans. Today we have Brian Moore of Brushy Hill, LLC, breeder of recent G1 Saudi Cup winner Emblem Road (Quality Road). Before getting into Brushy Hill's mating plans this year, we asked Moore about the story behind the mating, which was put together by the late Mike Recio, that produced Emblem Road. "That was a Mike Recio special," Moore said. "All the matings up until last year and our entire portfolio is because of Mike's...

With the 2022 breeding season right around the corner, we will feature a series of breeders' mating plans over the coming weeks. Today we have Erin Fisher of Harper Ridge Thoroughbreds. "All my horses are crossed with stallions that I feel will throw appealing and sound horses that can provide second and third careers off the track and provide longevity to the breed," said Fisher. "I look for soundness and attitude with the idea that my foals can have long futures in any discipline after racing." APPEALING WAY (m, 8,...

Thoroughbred Charities of America's 32nd annual Stallion Season Auction will begin Jan. 5 and conclude Jan. 9. The fundraiser opens with an online auction of stallion seasons at 9 a.m. Jan. 5 and continues through 4:30 p.m. EST Jan. 7. Over 150 seasons will be available in the online auction, including to stallions Audible, Basin, Candy Ride, McKinzie, More Than Ready, Speightstown, and Volatile. A full list of seasons is available here. An online silent auction of non-season items, including halters worn by Life is Good, Curlin, Charlatan, Tapit, Knicks...

Three-year-old De la Soul (More Than Ready), offered in foal to fast-starting freshman sire Gun Runner, topped all returns Tuesday as Book 4 of the Keeneland November Sale concluded. A total of $9,455,400 changed hands for the session at an average of $31,623 (up 60.07% year over year compared to last year's auction conducted in the pre-vaccine era of the pandemic) and median of $23,000 (up 91.67%). The buyback rate was 11.54% compared to 13.11% 12 months ago. The cumulative gross now sits at $186,168,500--it was $140,214,700 through the same...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, which reached its halfway mark Sunday, has already surpassed the total gross of its 10-day 2020 renewal. At the conclusion of Sunday's session, 1,120 horses had sold for $166,206,000. The auction's total 2020 turnover was $151,017,300. At the halfway point in the sale, the average of $148,398 is up 13.23% from last year's $131,060, while the median of $95,000 is up 26.67% from $75,000. The buy-back rate stands at 20.90%. It was 25.66% a year ago. The auction's Book 3 section...

Speightstown will head the roster at WinStar Farm in 2022 with a fee of $90,000, stands and nurses, the same fee for which he stood in 2021. Right behind the chestnut is Constitution, North America's second-leading third-crop sire, who will stand for $85,000 S&N, also the same as 2021. Among notable changes on the 18-horse roster, More Than Ready gets a trim from $65,000 to $50,000. "Our 2022 roster is suited for breeders at every level," said Elliott Walden, WinStar's president, CEO, and racing manager. "Speightstown, Constitution, and More Than...