Session 3 Topped by $725K Justify Colt at F-T October

The third session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale didn't waste time heating up, seeing three yearlings bring over $380,000 early, followed by the session topping Justify   colt at $725,000, selling to Jessie Longoria for Kiehne and Brunson. Hunter Valley Farm consigned the Oct. 25 top offering for his Kentucky breeders Andre Lynch and Pat Durtschi.

The chestnut colt, consigned as Hip 1023, was foaled on the farm just around the corner from the Newtown Paddocks, out of the winning Hard Spun   mare Palace Princess, who hails from the family of three-time Champion and Horse of the Year Azeri.

"The top end today was very strong; it reflected the perceived demand for the top end offerings," Fasig-Tipton's president and CEO Boyd Browning said. "We had some nice physicals that matched up with the pedigrees. Today, the numbers were up, similar to last year's session, and we are trending closely to last year's overall numbers, which is remarkable. It's encouraging to be in the same neighborhood, and we will see how tomorrow goes."

Six hips from the end of the day, Mayberry Farm signed for a second purchase, a $500,000 Practical Joke   colt consigned by Hunter Valley Farm as Hip 1194. The second-highest-priced offering of the third session was bred in Kentucky by Robert Hibbert out of the winning Medaglia d'Oro   filly Runninwiththewind. 

"There was lots of competition until the very end," Browning commented. "We saw one of the top prices at the night's end, and the sale started with much activity."

The first purchase for the Central Florida farm came as a $380,000 Medaglia d'Oro filly, Hip 822, for West Coast owners CRK Stables. Denali Stud consigned the filly out of the stakes-winning Tapit   mare Magical . The dam is a full sibling to dual stakes winner Exulting  and Acorn Stakes (G1) third Occult , by Into Mischief  .

Earlier in the day, agent Donato Lanni scored a pair of Curlin   yearlings, each for $460,000, the first from Hunter Valley Farm, Hip 809. The chestnut colt is a half sibling to three-time Horse of the Year California Chrome   and will become a member of the Frank Fletcher Racing Operations stable.

The second, Hip 943, came from Denali Stud, a filly out of the grade 3 placed mare Munchkin Money  for Lanni's longtime client Michel Lund Petersen.

"It's a typical October market; some horses have been recycled, and some are here because they missed a sale," Lanni commented. "Giving the horses the extra time throughout the summer, they change so much. I like October, and it's a good time to buy yearlings, the last stop. Sellers are motivated to sell, and it's the last stop to buy before the Breeders' Cup. Every year, good horses come out of this sale."

Wednesday's session saw 262 of the 336 yearlings on offer sell for gross figures of $14,226,700, posting an 8.3% increase over the previous year. The average price climbed 14.1% to $54,300, and the median remained the same at $25,000. An RNA rate of 22% represents the 74 yearlings who failed to attain their reserve.

The third day last year saw 276 yearlings sold of the 336 through the ring for a $13,139,100 gross, suitable for a $47,605 average and a median of $25,000. An RNA rate of 17.9% represents the 60 yearlings who failed to sell.

Over the past three days, 790 yearlings have been traded of the 1,028 to go under the hammer for gross receipts of $38,981,000. Suitable for an average of $49,343 and a $23,500 median. An RNA rate of 23.2% represents the 238 yearlings who have failed to attain their reserve.

At this point last year, Fasig-Tipton reported 808 yearlings had sold of the 1,017 on offer for gross figures of $41,675,000, setting a $51,577 average and a median of $25,000. There were 253 yearlings who had not sold to represent an RNA rate of 24.9%.

"We all want the same horses; they (racing buyers) just want the higher-end horses," buyer/pinhooker Jessie Longoria said. "I'm trying to give my buyers the best odds. For pinhooking, $725,000 is way out of my league; it's awfully risky to try to flip. Anything can happen. The pinhooking market is tough, but it's like every sale—the good ones rise to the top, we fight over them, and try to make do with what we got."

Day 3 saw 16 yearlings sell for $200,000 or more, with the top 10 prices selling to nine distinct buyers. Top offerings were by Justify (Hip 1023—$725,000 and Hip 1057—$240,000), Practical Joke (Hip 1194-$500,000), Curlin (Hip 943—$460,000 and Hip 809—$460,000), Medaglia d'Oro   (Hip 822—$380,000), Authentic   (Hip 1123—$300,000 and Hip 907—$235,000), McKinzie   (Hip 916—$265,000), and Street Sense   (Hip 1024—$240,000).

Hunter Valley Farm had a banner day selling eight yearlings for a total of $1,942,000 to be the leading consignor of the third session, while the Taylor Made Sales Agency continues to lead the past three days of selling with gross receipts of $4,550,000 for the 63 yearlings sold.

Agent Mike Ryan made five purchases for a gross of $1,025,000 to be the third session's leading buyer and he remains the sale's leading buyer with his eight purchases for a gross of $1,635,000 thus far.

Browning added: "It's a healthy marketplace for people wanting to own horses, but they demand quality. We're encouraged through the first three-quarters of the sale and look forward to a solid marketplace tomorrow."

The sale concludes Thursday with Hips 1201-1605 going under the hammer starting at 10 a.m. ET. There are 65 yearlings withdrawn from the final session.