Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale Off to Flying Start

Much to the delight of sale officials and consignors, the opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale May 17 mirrored what has transpired throughout this year's sizzling juvenile sale season. With buyers remaining eager to fill inventory with race-ready 2-year-olds, the sale got off to a flying start, posting increases across all key economic categories.

All told in the first session, 170 head changed hands for gross receipts of $15,826,500, a 25.3% increase over gross sales in the corresponding session last year that saw 152 head sell for $12,632,500. Monday's average price was $93,097, an increase of 12% over the $83,109 average price on the first day a year ago. The median price came in at $45,000, up from $40,000 last year, and a total of 40 head were not sold compared to 38 in the same session in 2020. Monday's RNA rate was 19%.

"Activity in the barn area over the weekend was strong," said Paget Bennett, Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's sales director. "All the people you want to see at a horse sale, at a 2-year-old sale, were here. We're thrilled, and luckily, the consignors were here with top horses and people recognized that and they battled for them. It made for a great day.

"From what I was hearing at OBS (Ocala Breeders' Sales), people are excited to be back at horse sales and want to buy horses," Bennett added. "I heard some people didn't get their orders filled in Ocala, and we're the next stop. We're thrilled we had a great catalog to give them, and the horses matched up. We have a lot of really nice horses tomorrow, so we'll look for the same result. If we can keep on today's pace, I think it will be another great day."

Topping Monday's action, following a spirited round of bidding was Hip 211, a colt by Quality Road   purchased by Terry Finley's West Point Thoroughbreds partnership for $1.5 million. The price equaled the highest price paid for a colt at the Midlantic sale and was just shy of the most expensive horse to sell at the sale. That honor belongs to Eclipse champion Gamine  who fetched $1.8 million in 2019. 

Jon Clay's Alpha Delta Stables bred the session-topping colt in Kentucky. Out of the unraced Storm Cat mare Stormy Welcome, a half sister to the dam of graded stakes winner Guest Suite , the colt is a half brother to stakes-placed Welcoming . His third dam is Weekend Surprise, one of the greatest blue hen mares of all time and the dam of the legendary A.P. Indy and classic winner Summer Squall, among many others.

Consigned by Eddie Woods, agent, the colt, breezed an eye-catching co-bullet eighth-mile in :10 at the under tack preview.

"We love Eddie (Woods) and his team, and we just thought he was a very, very good prospect," said Finley who indicated that an undisclosed West Point partner has taken a 50% interest in the colt. "I stay away from (saying) 'he is the best horse in the sale' because nobody ever knows. But I think he is a very good prospect."

The session-topping colt, who will be trained by Dallas Stewart, impressed both Finley and Woods following his outstanding performance in the breeze show.

"I expected him to work really, really good, like the top work," Woods said. "And it doesn't always happen, but he did, he nailed it, and he galloped out fantastic. When I came back and watched the video about half an hour later, I couldn't believe it. He's the best video I have had on a horse in the last five or six years. I mean, I couldn't stop watching it. He just nailed it. And that's why he brought what he brought."

Finley added, "He's a big, strong horse that worked in :10 flat. You take a look at him and he's not supposed to work that fast. He did it the right way."

Woods also consigned the second-highest priced horse of the session—Hip 164, a bay colt by Malibu Moon   who sold for $700,000 to Alex Elliott and Ben McElroy for an undisclosed client.

The top-selling filly on the day was Hip 72, a daughter of Classic Empire   who brought $550,000 from Jacob West, agent for Robert and Lawana Low. Named Classy Edition, the bay filly was consigned by Sequel Bloodstock, agent for Chester and Mary Broman.

"She is a fast filly that I thought had an incredible breeze over a demanding track," said Jacob West who indicated that Todd Pletcher will train the Lows' newest acquisition. "It seems like the horses that handle breezing well over here, it translates over to the racetrack. We are excited about her."

The sale concludes with the second and final session Tuesday beginning at 11 a.m. ET.