What's Going On Here: A Brilliant Success

In the July 1917 issue of BloodHorse precursor, The Thoroughbred Horse Association Bulletin, Fasig-Tipton ran a full-page ad on the back page of that publication promoting its "Thoroughbreds at Auction Sales of Yearlings at Saratoga During August Meeting." 

That marked the first time the sales company, founded in 1898, had offered horses in Saratoga. How did that venture work out? Well, in this case the ads tell the story. In the July 2021 issue of BloodHorse, Fasig-Tipton promoted "The Sale of a Century" with a full-page ad on the back of the magazine, celebrating the 100th edition of The Saratoga Sale Aug. 9-10 in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. 

Those rather symmetrical ads tell a pretty good tale about Fasig-Tipton’s success in selling horses, specifically yearlings, in Saratoga; from advertising in the monthly precursor of the BloodHorse, then in its second year, to supporting BloodHorse magazine—now back to a monthly edition—in 2021. This is the 100th edition of the sale after it missed a few years because of little things such as wars and pandemics.

Both Fasig-Tipton and BloodHorse have stood the test of time. This issue celebrates Fasig-Tipton's long success in Saratoga with a photo feature and story from Teresa Genaro (see page 44 in the magazine) looking at the sales there through the years—the sale-toppers, future racing stars, sellers, and buyers.

We channeled our inner Josh Pons in researching the BloodHorse photo archives for this story. A favorite find is a photo of New Broom, a son of Whisk Broom II who became the highest-priced North American yearling ever sold at auction when he was purchased by C.V.B. Cushman for $75,000 at the 1928 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. How impressive was that figure? New Broom would retain the title of highest-priced North American yearling ever sold for 26 years, until he was surpassed by the $86,000 spent on Nalur, a son of Nasrullah, at the 1954 Keeneland July yearling sale. (The $75,000 spent on New Broom in 1928 would translate to $1,180,680 today.)

The August 1917 issue of The Thoroughbred Horse Association Bulletin noted the impressive sales plant put in place in Saratoga by Fasig-Tipton—an investment of more than $30,000: "It is as good as the best in America for the purpose for which it is intended." The article went on to praise some Kentucky breeders who supported the initial sale as well as key Fasig-Tipton executives such as E. J. Tranter, Charles F. Hill, and auctioneer George A. Bain. The story noted that all of those efforts and people came together to score "a brilliant success."

Notably, Fasig-Tipton continues to invest in its sales facilities with updates and upgrades in recent years in Lexington, Saratoga Springs, and Timonium, Md. And it continues that tradition from the initial sale of working to attract top buyers, which these days includes an international focus with representatives in Australasia, Europe, and South America.

This approach of offering top yearlings in a spectacular setting that draws top buyers would see Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sell the top North American yearling each year from 1917 through 1942. Sales there continue to thrive, with one recent highlight being a future Triple Crown winner going through the ring in American Pharoah  .

Here's to the next 100 sales.