After Preakness, Focus Shifts to Fasig-Tipton 2YO Sale

A thrilling win by Early Voting  at the 147th Preakness Stakes (G1) at Pimlico Race Course sent prospective buyers full of optimism to the Timonium Fairgrounds in Maryland. This year the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale will see 635 cataloged juveniles head through the ring over the two days of selling, May 23-24.

"We are excited about the quality of horses we have on offer here at Timonium this year," Fasig-Tipton president and CEO Boyd Browning Jr. said. "Our under tack shows went off Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday of last week without a hitch. The track was in fantastic shape, very consistent from start to finish. It was nice to see some fast works down to the last day, which we hope for—giving consignors a consistent approach and giving everyone a solid opportunity."

A Bernardini  colt consigned as Hip 385 from the Sequel Bloodstock, agent for Chester and Mary Broman, clocked the fastest eighth-mile of the under tack show in :9 4/5, followed by a group of juveniles clocked in :10 flat.

"I'm feeling great going into the sale. The track crew here did a great job, and it played fair throughout the breeze shows. We have some nice horses here; they showed up working well and vet well," said John Gleason of Woodford Thoroughbreds. "We have been busy so far."

"There seemed to be many people in attendance at the breeze show, and we have been busy getting horses out and trying to show them. We don't have enough help or runway, which is good," Jesse Hoppel of Coastal Equine said Friday afternoon.

Two fillies breezed a quarter-mile in :21 1/5, Hip 202 by Collected   from Coastal Equine's draft, and Hip 470 by Violence   from All Dreams Equine.

Hoppel continued: "We have had a great year; it's been a buoyant marketplace. Coming out of April, the record-breaking sale, we expect another great sale here. My Collected filly, Hip 202, is very nice, and I have a Malibu Moon  colt, Hip 143, that's probably on a different level than most. Those two are pretty special."

Browning said: "This year, we have the best quality of horses we have ever had here at the Maryland sale. With 635 horses cataloged, the sire power and pedigrees are certainly the best we have had. One of the more attractive, appealing things for this sale is the diversity of horses on offer. We have a strong representation of the leading sires in America and regional sires. Horses that fit the state-bred programs in this vicinity, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and plenty of New York-breds. There is something here for everybody, and that is one of the strengths of this sale and attracts a broad base of buyers, which creates a high level of energy for all offerings."

During the 2021 edition of the Midlantic Sale, 426 horses through the pavilion resulted in 357 sold for gross receipts of $33,692,000, at an average of $94,375 and a median of $50,000. There were 69 horses who failed to meet their reserve to represent an RNA rate of 16.2%.

Perennial leading consignor de Meric Sales was the 2021 leading seller, having 18 of its 20 horses on offer change hands for gross figures of $2,854,000. Lane's End Bloodstock, agent, purchased three head for final receipts of $1,855,000, to be the leading buyer after two days of purchasing.

The juvenile market has seen an upward trend in 2022, with a median price of $62,000 trending at a 55% increase over the previous year's total sales median of $40,000. While recent worldwide events have seen the U.S. stock market take a hit, not much aftereffect has been seen in the Thoroughbred market.

"I am optimistic with the results from the previous sales, but the stock market has been taking a pummeling lately, and with inflation as high as it is, you're always going to be concerned with when the bubble is going to burst," said Clovis Crane of Crane Thoroughbred Services. "Currently, all signs point to good things, so hopefully, it stays that way."

The Midlantic sale has been growing in gross and median since the bounce-back of the 2008 market decline. In 2019 the sale saw a standout year, with a gross of $29,374,000. The 2021 edition eclipsed this figure, with final receipts of $33,692,000 and a record-breaking $50,000 median.

"The market has been so good, especially up here," trainer and consignor Kevin McKathan of McKathan Brothers said. "All year, people have been wanting horses. It turns into a buying frenzy here; people are running out of opportunities. It's been that way for the past couple of years, and I don't see that changing. We are bringing better and better horses each year. This used to be more of a regional sale for your New York- or Maryland-breds, another stop in the program, but now we are buying horses for this sale. I'm always excited about this sale. Fasig-Tipton does a great job; they're the best,"

On the first selling day, Hips 1-320 will go through the ring, followed by Hips 321-635 Tuesday. Action begins on both days at 11:00 a.m. ET. Currently, there are 103 horses withdrawn from the sale.