Last Stop for Yearlings at the F-T October Sale

The final yearling sale of the year in North America takes place in Lexington at Fasig-Tipton's Newtown Paddocks, Oct. 23-26, at the Kentucky October Yearlings Sale. This year, the catalog showcases 1,605 offerings over the four days of selling, which begin at 10 a.m. ET each day.

"We are looking forward to another solid yearling sale, Fasig-Tipton president and CEO Boyd Browning said. "I think we all have a pretty good idea of where the yearling market is at this stage, which is indicative of the overall market."

This year's catalog offers 13 yearlings out of grade 1 winning mares and full and half siblings to current grade 1 winners Up to the Mark   (Hip 134)-winner of the Turf Classic Stakes (G1T), Manhattan Stakes (G1T), and Coolmore Turf Mile (G1T); Aspen Grove  (Hip 333)- victress in the Belmont Oaks Invitational Stakes (G1T); and Spendarella  (Hip 1319) winner of the 2022 Del Mar Oaks (G1T) and second in the Just a Game Stakes (G1T) this year.

"On the optimistic side, it's the last chance for people to get a yearling for the year," Adrian Regan, managing partner of Hunter Valley Farm, said. "As usual, Fasig-Tipton has some nice horses here to be bought, and hopefully, panic sets in as the week goes on."

"This is a good sale, and this year it's a great catalog," Price Bell, general manager of Mill Ridge, said. "I think this year there is more depth in the catalog; each year it keeps getting better. I think people are targeting this sale; of our 11 horses here, the majority were specifically targeted to come here. October is a good time to sell yearlings; they put on good weight through September, come into October looking good, and present themselves well."

During last year's four-day event, 1,100 yearlings changed hands of the 1,353 to head through the ring, turning a gross profit of $55,426,500. Suitable for an average price of $50,388 and a $25,000 median, an 18.6% RNA represents the 253 unsold yearlings.

Len and Jon Green of D.J. Stable made 10 purchases last year, spending $1,824,000 at an average price per head of $182,400 to be the sales leading buyer. Perennial leading consignor Taylor Made Sales Agency sold 73 of their 100 head draft for receipts of $5,063,000, at an average of $69,356, to be the sales leading consignor.

Kentucky trainer Wesley Ward ponied up $700,000 on a Gun Runner   filly out of the Speightstown   mare No More Parties to be the highest offering. Claiborne Farm consigned the filly on behalf of her breeder, Colts Neck Stables, as Hip 1364 to the final day of the 2022 sale. The now-named Bundchen  has made three starts for Ward, including a second on first asking at Keeneland in April, and then traveled across the pond to contest the Queen Mary Stakes (G2) at Royal Ascot for owner Three Chimneys Farm.

"Hopefully, we have a couple of horses in each day that can make the cut and sell well, but we will probably struggle with a few others," Peter O'Callaghan of Woods Edge Farm commented. "It's the end of the year, so we want to clean up the group and get everything sold. We are always pretty aggressive sellers; we have to sell them, and they are here to sell. Most people at this point, who are here, will take that approach."

Recent graduates with success this year on the oval include Cairo Consort  (G3SW), Can Group  (G2SW), Duke of Love  (G3SW), Fort Bragg  (G2SW), Get Smokin  (G2SW), Goodnight Olive  (G1SW), Il Miracolo  (G3SW), Mission of Joy  (G3SW), Nobals  (G2SW), Nobody Listens  (G3SW), Spooky Channel  (G2SW), and Webslinger  (G2SW).

"The quality offerings will be strong and have fierce competition, and for the horses that may not check all the boxes or meet people's approval, it will be hard for sellers," commented Browning. "We have a realistic market, and I wouldn't expect any unusual changes or trends to occur over the next few days."

O'Callaghan added: "Our expectations will be cautiously optimistic. Funny enough, even the sale in New York last week held up well, and their figures were on par with last year, which was a great sale, but there was patchy stuff in between this year. It's the nature of the market at the moment, and I think that will be the same here."

Hips 1-400 will begin heading through the ring Oct. 23 at 10 a.m., followed by Hips: 401-800 on Tuesday, Wednesday will see Hips 801-1200, and the final group on Thursday includes Hips: 1201-1605. As of Sunday evening, 180 horses had been withdrawn from the sale.