Almanzor Stallion Share Tops F-T March Digital Sale

The March Digital Selected Sale—the first Fasig-Tipton Digital offering—closed March 22 with 10 offerings sold for $856,000. Among those sold were a stallion share, racing prospects, broodmare prospects, and in-foal mares. Bidding opened March 17.

Riviera Equine SARL/Haras d'Etreham went to $250,000 on a share of popular young sire Almanzor , the top price paid for an offering at the sale. By Wootton Bassett , Almanzor won five group stakes in 2016 on his way to European champion 3-year-old colt and Horse of the Year honors, including: in France, the Prix du Jockey Club (G1); in Ireland, the Irish Champion Stakes (G1); and in England, the Champion Stakes (G1). He earned more than $3,000,000 on the track.

Almanzor's first crop of foals are 3-year-olds of 2022 and include juvenile stakes winner Dynastic (also grade 1-placed) and additional group stakes-placed runners Andalus, Queen Trezy, and Saving Grace.

"Overall, it was very encouraging to see that we could successfully sell offerings from across the country, and the world," said Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton's director of digital sales. "We sold racehorses, broodmare prospects, in-foal mares—some of which were on 2022 covers—and an international stallion share. We had an impressive number of registered bidders from both within the United States and internationally, and we got a good feel for what the market wants in the digital space. The sale's average price exceeded $65,000, which was great, and I think that we built positive momentum for the future.  We're already thinking about how and what we can improve for our next sale."

The top-priced racing/broodmare prospect was recent Hurricane Bertie Stakes (G3) runner-up Bramble Berry , purchased by Kiki Courtelis of Town and Country Farm for $150,000 from the consignment of J. Kent Sweezey, agent. The 5-year-old Florida-bred daughter of Brethren   ran a career-best Beyer Speed Figure in the March 12 Hurricane Bertie at Gulfstream Park. She has won nine times in her career, with four stakes placings, on her way to earnings of $286,713. Bramble Berry is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Bramble Queen . She hails from the immediate family of Preakness Stakes (G1) winner Red Bullet and grade 1 winner Silent Poet.

Matt Montgomery purchased young broodmare Suchada  for $95,000 from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, to be the top-priced broodmare. A 4-year-old daughter of Frosted  , Suchada was offered carrying her first foal, and is the first mare to be offered at public auction in foal to Horse of the Year Knicks Go  . Suchada is a half-sister to grade 1-winning millionaire Finnegans Wake  and to grade 2-placed stakes winner Puca .

Stoneriggs purchased the 4-year-old Empire Maker filly Wild Empress , the top-priced broodmare prospect, for $85,000 from the consignment of Bluewater Sales, agent.

"The platform is very interactive and I look forward to Fasig-Tipton continuing with this sales format," said Robert Slack of Stoneriggs.

Wild Empress is a half sister to champion 2-year-old filly She Be Wild . Her sire Empire Maker is responsible for the dams of grade 1 winners Separationofpowers , Arklow , Mandaloun , Silver State  , Valiance , Rock Your World  , and Outwork  , and of Kentucky Derby Presented by Woodford Reserve (G1) hopeful Newgrange .

"I'm very happy with the process and result of the Fasig Digital sale," said Meg Levy of Bluewater Sales. "It fills a need for constant trade in an easy, comfortable, and transparent way. We had a good turnout of people coming to the farm to see (our offerings), and they brought a fair value—a win/win option for sellers and for buyers. It was fun and I'm looking forward to doing it again."

Intrepid Thoroughbreds/Cary Bloodstock, agent, purchased 3-year-old racing prospect Baladi  for $50,000 from the consignment of Godolphin. A gelded son of Pioneerof the Nile, Baladi was a stakes-placed winner last year at 2, and ran a career-best Beyer Speed Figure in his last start March 12 in open company at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots. Baladi is out of the grade 2-winning Tapit   mare Dancing House , herself a daughter of multiple grade 1 winner Tout Charmant .

Also sold were:

White Pine  (Hip 6), a 3-year-old broodmare prospect by Tapit, purchased for $60,000 by Glassman Racing from the consignment of Bluewater Sales, agent. White Pine is a half sister to multiple stakes winner Itsmyluckycharm , out of a Hard Spun   half sister to grade 1-winning millionaire Albert the Great.

Rogue Too  (Hip 3), a 6-year-old broodmare prospect by First Dude  , purchased for $50,000 by Happy Horse Stables from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Rogue Too won 11 times and won or placed in more than half of her 43 career starts.

Blue Diva  (Hip 11), a 5-year-old stakes winning daughter of Bluegrass Cat  sold as a broodmare prospect to FS for $50,000 from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Blue Diva captured the Miss America Stakes at 3 and earned more than $250,000 in her career.

Risky Analysis  (Hip 2), a half sister to this year's Rebel Stakes (G2) winner Un Ojo , sold for $40,000 to Ingordo Bloodstock, agent for West Point Thoroughbreds, from the consignment of Sequel New York, agent. A broodmare prospect by Freud, Risky Analysis was a five-time winner on the track and hit the board in 24 of 26 starts.

Heston  (Hip 15), a 3-year-old ready-to-run racing prospect by Dialed In   sold for $26,000 to Daniel Preiss from the consignment of Godolphin. Heston is out of the stakes winning, grade 1-placed Unbridled's Song mare Stage Luck , a half sister to Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) and Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Drosselmeyer .

Buyers may still make offers on horses that failed to meet their reserve by visiting the sale page, and then clicking "Make Offer" next to the horse they are interested in purchasing.