Racing Prospects Boost Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale

While the recent cold snap may have kept a few more horsemen browsing horses on their computer screens than on the sales grounds, the buying bench at the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale will likely not lack for competition.

The two-day auction, which begins Feb. 8, will be the last chance for many to purchase broodmare prospects, racing prospects, and weanlings before the season shifts its focus from breeding stock to juveniles.  A total of 675 horses, including supplements, were cataloged to the Winter sale. As of Feb. 7, 132 horses had been withdrawn bringing the catalog total to 543. 

With buyers hungry for proven runners that can either return to training or whose status as a winning retiree will add value to their broodmare band, the likely stars of the sale will be those horses who have shipped in fresh from the track. Among those generating buzz is Hip 675, Saguaro Row, a 6-year-old Union Rags  mare being offered without reserve by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, agent. 

"People have shown a lot of interest," said Hanzly Albina. "There was picture in the press release that brought a lot of people in. She's beautiful and you expect a beautiful filly with this kind of performance underneath her to bring them in." 

Offered as a racing or broodmare prospect, Saguaro Row was bred in Kentucky out of the Indian Charlie mare Charlie Girl. She is a half sister to juvenile stakes winner Pinnacle Peak and her dam is a half sister to My Wandy's Girl, champion imported filly at 3 in Puerto Rico in 2012 and later winner of the Barbara Fritchie Handicap (G2) at Laurel Park in 2014. 

A debut winner at 2 for breeder Mark Breen, Saguaro Row went on to campaign for Breen and Newtown Anner Stud Farm. Between 2019 and 2020, she captured the Pumpkin Pie Stakes and the Interborough Stakes for trainer Michael Stidham.

In total, the mare has six stakes wins or placings at three different racetracks, including a second to grade 1 winner Spiced Perfection in the 2019 Go For Wand Handicap (G3). She holds a 5-2-2 record from 16 starts and $342,354 in earnings. 

"The partners decided to dissolve the partnership and our next opportunity to sell would be November so now is the time," said Albina. "We made a quick decision and got her over here. I think it's a credit to her trainer—of course her performance as well—but Mike (Stidham) and (assistant trainer) Hilary (Pridham) did an incredible job. She came over here without any prep, right off the racetrack looking like a million bucks. You don't see that very often and we're proud of that. What people see today is what she looked like when she raced. Considering her race record, that's a remarkable thing." 

While the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will likely still have a cursory affect on the market, Albina said he's hopeful Saguaro Row will attract the kind of buyers. 

"Our expectations are she's a beautiful filly and those types do well," said Albina. "But, what this is I have no idea. It's very hard to appraise fillies in this category. You can find comps all over the board, but I would hope she would do well. 

"My partner, Nick Sallusto, and I have talked about it and we've had a tremendous amount of luck at this February sale. I think it's one of the most underrated sales to sell at all year round. It's the last chance to buy any type of breeding stock or weanlings and we've done really well here year after year. I realize it's a different time for us, but I think people are still excited about horse racing and optimistic about the future even with what's going on worldwide and statewide." 

Another popular racing prospect included in the supplements is Hip 672, Hello Hot Rod, a Maryland-bred 3-year-old Mosler  colt who recently won the Jimmy Winkfield Stakes Jan. 31 at Aqueduct Racetrack. Consigned by ELiTE Sales, agent, the sophomore is nominated to the 2021 Triple Crown. 

The use of online and phone bidding will continue to be a value resource for buyers unable to travel to the Lexington grounds. Supplementing the online resources, many consignors have opted to add videos of their sale horses to the Fasig-Tipton site for buyers to peruse. 

"A lot of people have been asking for information on horses remotely which is encouraging because we've learned how to communicate with people and it's becoming second nature to us now. Going forward, I think we will have an easier time," said Tony Lacy of Four Star Sales. "The learning curve is a lot less steep than it was a few months ago. The sale companies have been helpful getting PP's and getting videos uploaded onto their websites.

"You see sales companies in Europe having sales that are in a completely virtual environment because people aren't allowed to travel. At least we're in a semi-normal environment and I think it will be a decent sale. I think certainly with racing prospects you're going to attract a very distinctive group of people. The nice horses will sell well."