Big Money Spent at Fasig-Tipton Sale

As promised, a summary of today’s Fasig-Tipton KY Selected Fall Mixed Sale, where the big breeding operations made a striking appearance.

Darley, represented by John Ferguson, laid out a whopping $5.75 million for Round Pond (Hip #72), $4 million for Octave (#112-A), and $3 million for Asi Siempre (#133). Those choices I understand, but not sure why they also bought the A.P. Indy mare Indy Five Hundred (#19), in foal to Kingmambo, for $3 million.

Roy and Gretchen Jackson’s Lael Stable spent $2.3 million for Pussycat Doll (#51) and $1.2 million on Valbenny (#117). Southern Equine Stables paid $1.25 million for recent Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint winner Maryfield (#37), while Overbrook Farm paid $1.9 million for Cotton Blossom (#149).

Reina Victoriosa (#69)—who has produced two-stakes winner in her own right (Ready Ruler and More than Regal), but is most notably a full-sister to Quendom, the dam of Invasor—was purchased by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet, for $1.4 million. They also purchased Donation (#119), the dam of Lawyer Ron, for $975,000.

While not necessarily laying out the biggest bucks, My Meadowview LLC (owned by Barnes & Noble chairman Leonard Riggio) bought a dozen broodmares, including Limoncella (#26) for $150,000; Tax Refund (#104) for $500,000 (her dam is a full-sister to Housebuster); and Appealing Zophie (#131) for $1.1 million.

Castleton Lyons paid $950,000 for Super Freaky (#97), while Zayat Stables only bought High Again (#14) for $800,000. Dream Rush (#163) sold for $3.3 million, to “D. Easter, agent for Halsey Manor”—maybe someone can shed light onto the identity of this purchaser and their possible intentions with this filly.

Among the youngsters, Glacken’s Gal (#7) was out, while Lacadena (#22)—whose second dam is the dam of both Better Than Honour, dam of Rags to Riches and Jazil, and Maryinsky, dam of Peeping Faun and Thewayyouare—failed to sell at $1.4 million, as did Lawyer Ron’s weanling half-brother (#118) at $650,000. Irish Smoke’s weanling half-sister (#125) was out, but Irish Smoke (#132) herself sold for only $750,000 to IEAH (International Equine Acquisitions Holdings Inc) Stable. Audacious Chloe’s weanling full-brother (#135) went for $100,000.

As for stallion prospects, none of the three sale prospects (Wild Desert was out) sold. There was absolutely no interest in Liquor Cabinet (#181) who could muster a bid of only $20,000—how embarrassing! Silver Wagon (#182) didn’t meet reserve at $1 million, while Tap Day (#183) had only 1 bidder at $15,000, less than a mid-level claimer!

Final sale tally: 107 sold for total of $52,036,00, down a little over $12 million from last year’s total (for 170 horses), although both the average price ($486,318) and medium price ($180,000) were up from 2006.