'Magical' Edition of The November Sale at Fasig-Tipton

The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's marquee breeding stock sale near Lexington, concluded Nov. 6 with another evening of remarkable results. Champion female sprinter Gamine  took top honors as Coolmore's M.V. Magnier went to $7 million to take home the five-time grade 1 winner in foal to Quality Road  .

"Another remarkable November Sale just concluded here at Fasig-Tipton," said Boyd Browning Jr., president and CEO of Fasig-Tipton. "Last year we surpassed $100 million in gross for the first time. It is one of those goals you dream about, but didn't think was realistic to accomplish or achieve, and we were fortunate enough to do it last year, and we did it again this year.

"It's an absolute reflection of the quality of horses that the sellers and consigners allow us to sell. It reflects the hard work that the men and women from our organization put in on a year-round basis on recruiting horses and buyers." 

This year the aptly nicknamed "Night of the Stars" saw 169 of the 240 horses through the sales ring sell for gross receipts of $101,214,000, with an average price of $598,899 and a median of $250,000. An RNA rate of 29.6% represents the 71 horses who failed to meet their reserve. 

During the record-setting 2021 sale, 149 of the 194 horses under the hammer sold for gross receipts of $103,699,000, achieving an average price of $695,966 and a median of $300,000. Forty-five horses went unsold, representing an RNA rate of 23.1%.

"It's a magical night. The excitement and energy were palpable. It's a great environment to transact business and to sell some quality horses," Browning said. "I can't wait to see in a few years, hopefully, some outstanding horses at the Saratoga Sale, out of broodmare prospects that were purchased here, and they achieve the success that we hope our graduates achieve. It's been a great weekend for the industry to celebrate a horse like Flightline, a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga graduate."

The broad buying bench seen Sunday resulted in the top 10 horses selling to five separate buyers from the United States, Ireland, and Japan. Thirty-one horses broke the seven-figure ceiling, including one weanling, an Uncle Mo   filly consigned as Hip 128 by Eaton Sales.

Paramount Bloodstock's Gabriel "Spider" Dunigan signed the sales slip for the filly out of three-time grade 1 winner Bellafina . Eaton Sales also sold the mare as Hip 264 to Magnier for $4 million in foal to Tiz The Law  . 

Coolmore signed for four horses for total figures of $17,900,000 to be the sale's leading buyer by gross. 

"It was a fantastic horse sale tonight. We couldn't be any more appreciative of the support and trust people give us. There's a lot of emotional attachment to sell on a top horse," Browning said. "It's the nature of the type of horses we are trying to present to the marketplace in November, and we will always try to be professional. We're going to recruit professionally our buyers and sellers. We've already started 2023; it's a continuous process of developing those relationships and working with people with quality products."

Taylor Made Sales sold 33 of their 42 horses on offer for gross receipts of $21,447,000 to be the sale's leading consignor by gross. 

"I think the market is very healthy," said Mark Taylor, CEO of Taylor Made Sales. "We are always trying to get 100% sold, so I am more concerned with the ones that didn't sell, but tonight was a great night, and hopefully, it keeps going."

Taylor added: "The sale was tremendous. There were a couple of soft spots, and I think the market was adjusting. The soft spots I saw were on graded stakes-caliber mares that were either 5 or 6 years old. There seems to be a sensitivity in the market, buyers like them younger. In general, the sale was solid, and there are a couple of (RNAs) I think we will get sold in the next couple of days."

Browning said the sale sets the tone for a robust marketplace to continue down the road. The action shifts Nov. 7 to the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

"Overall, we are very pleased tonight; it sets a great tone for the November marketplace and (provides) a great sense of relief," he said.