Fiya

Rob Masiello has been coming up to Saratoga since he was in the seventh grade. It all started when he went to "nerd camp" at Skidmore College one summer. He was miserable there, missing his usual summer vacation spent playing baseball with his friends. One day his parents came to visit and told him they would take him home if it was what he really wanted, but first they wanted to go to the track. "We had a great time and I ended up staying," Masiello recalled. "Then it sort...

Fiya (Friesan Fire), who fetched $400,000 during the 2020 Wanamaker's July Sale before going on to become a stakes winner, was euthanized Saturday after suffering a catastophic injury to his right hind leg. Daily Racing Form was first to report the news. Bred by Ann Merryman, Fiya raced for The Orebanks and was trained by Michael Merryman for his first four starts, winning his maiden at third asking and a Laurel allowance before being purchased by owner Robert Masiello. Fiya rattled off three more victories last season, winning the Maryland...

Wanamaker's released the catalog for its May online auction, scheduled for May 27. Since launching one year ago, Wanamaker's has conducted 10 online sales that have grossed a total of $1,127,000 and has produced Fiya (Friesan Fire) and Caravel (Mizzen Mast), both stakes winners after being offered through Wanamaker's online platform. The complete catalogue for the May Sale can be found at www.wanamakers.com. Live bidding will open at 8:00 a.m. ET May 27 and the first listing will close at 5:00 p.m. ET with subsequent listings ending in three-minute increments....

Rob Masiello's fleet-footed Fiya (Friesan Fire) looks to remain unbeaten on the grass while making his first start of the year in Churchill's GII Twin Spires Turf Sprint S. The dark bay broke his maiden third out on the Laurel lawn last June before earning a 98 Beyer Speed Figure for a sharp allowance tally in July for trainer Michael Merryman. He was subsequently offered in the Wanamaker's July Online Auction, and Masiello ponied up $400,000 to acquire him. Transferred to Tom Albertrani, Fiya picked up right where he left...

Joe Migliore never really considered a career outside of racing. With an Eclipse Award-winning jockey as a father and a mother who worked as an assistant trainer, to him, the sport was always more than just a popular topic at the dinner table. "I think it was pretty much ingrained from day one that this is the place I wanted to be," Migliore said. "It definitely started at the racetrack. I rarely had a day where I thought of anything else." Migliore first developed his passion for the sport by...

Short-money favorites getting class relief while dropping out of graded stakes company set the tone in the nine-race Claiming Crown (CC) series Saturday at Gulfstream Park. Luis Saez won six races overall (five in CC stakes), and trainer Mike Maker was one of nine separate trainers to hit the winner's circle in the CC races, posting his 18th career CC win to lead the series that began back in 1999 as a blue-collar version of the Breeders' Cup. Conducted under starter-allowance conditions pegged to previous-race claiming prices, the CC is...

Wanamaker's, the online auction house, will offer its fourth auction Thursday, Oct. 8, with the catalogue now live. The catalogue features weanlings, yearlings, racing prospects, and broodmares. In addition to being able to view pictures and videos, prospective buyers may schedule in-person inspections with sellers. Buyers must register to bid. "As we enter into our fourth-ever auction, we appreciate the continued support from sellers and buyers," said Wanamaker's co-founder Jack Carlino. "We were so excited to see Fiya's performance last weekend for new owner Rob Masiello and we are confident...

After selling Fiya (Friesan Fire) for $400,000 last month, Wanamaker's online August sale has drawn 22 entries. The catalogue is highlighted by recent second-place finisher in the Runhappy Debutante S. at Ellis Park, Mania (Run Away and Hide), and Entirely (Point of Entry), a stakes-winning mare in foal to Constitution. The catalogue, found on www.wanamakers.com, also contains weanlings, yearlings, racing prospects, and broodmares. "We've really enjoyed working with our buyers and sellers over the past several months," said Wanamaker's Co-Founder Liza Hendriks. "We built this platform with the goal of...

Fiya (Friesan Fire), a progressive 3-year-old gelding who posted a 98 Beyer and 9 Ragozin last time out, was purchased by Robert Masiello for $400,000 at the Wanamaker's July online sale. "I'm very happy to be able to sign the ticket for Fiya," said Masiello. "He's been really impressive this year and his last race certainly hinted that he might have some star quality. I was a bit nervous about participating in an online auction, but the experience was very seamless and intuitive. I'm really looking forward to getting Fiya...

After a successful first online auction, Wanamaker's has released its second catalogue, headed by the entry of Fiya (Friesan Fire), a 3-year-old gelding who is two-for-two on the year and posted a 98 Beyer Speed Figure and a 9 on the Ragozin Sheets in winning a Laurel allowance July 17. Fiya's 98 Beyer is the second fastest by a 3-year-old on the turf this year. The catalogue, found on wanamakers.com, also contains yearlings, a 2-year-old racing prospect, racing/broodmare prospects, and broodmares. Prospective buyers may browse the catalogue to view pictures...