Expectations High Ahead of F-T Midlantic Sale

One day after Seize the Grey  won the 149th Preakness Stakes (G1) across town at Pimlico Race Course, the barn area at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium bristled with activity on the eve of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale May 20-21.



With three days of under tack previews in the books, prospective buyers have plenty of promising prospects to choose from. Judging by the amount of foot traffic in the barn area over the weekend, sale officials and consignors are justifiably optimistic heading into the two-day auction.



"We had a lot of buyers on the grounds on Saturday, especially for a Preakness day," shared Paget Bennett, Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic sale director. "They were out here looking at horses early. While the rain held them in the pavilion for a while, they took advantage of viewing videos, and once the rain stopped, out they came. We even had a number of consignors that showed in the rain. The weather didn't stop people from getting a look at the horses. That tells you a lot. I am absolutely encouraged by the amount of traffic in the barns. I wish we had another day, but maybe it makes everyone that much more determined to get here and get it done. I'm sure today (Sunday) will be a full day of showing, and it will pick up again first thing in the morning on Monday.



As far as the market, which has been strong for top-end horses during the OBS March and Spring Sales and not as robust in the middle and lower tiers, Bennett said, "I think we'll see more of the same. The horses that jump through all the hoops will be popular. Hopefully, we'll get the others done as well. In this area, we have a lot of different groups that buy, and so many different racing venues represented. As I always say, 'There is something for everyone here.' Hopefully, the people who have bought from us in the past and have had success, will return to find another one to get them featured on a future catalog cover. I think the success of our graduates speaks well for the sale and will keep people coming back."



Joanna and Clovis Crane's Crane Thoroughbred Services, agent, brought 13 head to the Midlantic Sale from their Pennsylvania base. Among their standouts is Hip 276, a Bernardini filly out of the unraced Medaglia d'Oro   mare Rubies Are Red , a half sister to Tapit  . Selling in the first session Monday, the dark bay or brown filly descends from a prolific female family that includes champion Rubiano, Glitterman, and stakes winner Tap Your Heels , her second dam.



Bred in Kentucky by Gary Broad's Walmac Farm, the filly was a $200,000 RNA at last year's Keeneland September Sale, where she was consigned by Four Star Sales. Walmac acquired Rubies Are Red in foal to Arrogate for $285,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for Aaron and Marie Jones, at the 2019 Keeneland November Sale.



"The clients (Robert Garrett and Rusty Roberts) sent us this filly at Christmas time. What a Christmas present she was," said Clovis Crane. "She's been a crackerjack the whole time we've had her. It's no surprise that she breezed as well as she did. She has herself in unbelievable condition. She is picture-perfect right now. All the stars appear to be aligning, and we hope that they do.



"We're fortunate that she's in our barn," Crane added. "She's been easy to train, and she has done everything on her own. She has been really well-received. I almost feel sorry for the horses that have to come out so many times, but it's just another hoop that they have to jump through."



In discussing her impressive :10 flat breeze at the under tack preview, Crane shared a story that more than illustrates the filly's calm demeanor.



"I went up to the breeze show a little early in her set," Clovis said. "I share my breeze rider with another consignor, so they have to go first because my rider is on salary for them. They came up a little early, too, as it turned out, so now we're both in there, and we had to wait. This filly stood in the paddock for 30 minutes waiting for the breeze rider to take another horse up there and then come back and get her. She stood there and fell asleep during the breeze show, and then still went out there and did what she did.



"I'm nervous as can be, but I knew my horse because I'd been around her all winter, and I knew she would handle it, and she did," Crane continued. "She just slept in the paddock and waited for her time. That's just her. She has an unbelievably good mind. Every step of the way she moved forward. You hope you don't have any setbacks (over the winter) and she didn't. She continually moved forward. As of right now, we're sitting here trying to enjoy the ride."



Among some of the other prospects receiving their share of attention from prospective buyers ahead of the auction is Hip 401, a filly by Bolt d'Oro   who sells on Tuesday for Wavertree Stables (Ciaran Dunne), agent. Produced from the winning Arch mare Werewolf , the bay filly is a half-sister to stakes winner and graded stakes-placed Howling Time  (by Not This Time  ) and stakes winner Air Recruit  (by Air Force Blue ). The filly hails from the family of graded stakes winner Desert Party  and stakes winner Elliecat .

Bred in Kentucky by Springhouse Farm, the filly was purchased by Havertz Bloodstock for $335,000 out of the Paramount Sales consignment at the 2023 Keeneland September Sale. She breezed a bullet eighth in :10 during the final under tack session May 17.



"She's been a really good filly all year and had a little bit of a setback in the spring," related Dunne. "We re-routed her here. Sometimes, things work out for the best. She has matured and she has been really well-received here. We're excited about her. That extra time is beneficial for some of them. But some of them don't show the development that she did. For as good as she was back in January and February, I think she is even better now."



As for the market he expects this week, Dunne said, "I think we're going to see more of the same. I think the polarization is here to stay. I think for the better horses, there will be plenty of money here for them. What I am really encouraged by is the number of international buyers that Fasig-Tipton has attracted. It's a little bittersweet, though, because you'd like to see some of these horses race here in this country. But I think we're going to see a lot of the better ones heading overseas."



A pair of youngsters recorded standout bullet breezes of :09 4/5 for an eighth of a mile on the second day of the under tack preview, which featured tailwinds and was postponed a day due to inclement weather. Hip 314, a gray or roan colt by Street Boss  is consigned by Jessie Longoria's Longoria Training and Sales, agent. And Hip 285 is a colt from the first crop of Vekoma   consigned by Wavertree Stables. Both horses sell in Tuesday's session.

Al and Salley Pike's Pike Racing at Highlander, agent, will lead over a bay filly (Hip 83) by Uncle Mo   out of the multiple stakes-winning City Zip mare Hot City Girl , a half-sister to champion and multiple graded stakes winner La Verdad . The New York-bred breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 at the under tack preview. The consignment is also represented by Hip 258, a Bolt d'Oro   colt who breezed a co-bullet quarter mile of :21 1/5 during his under tack show.



"We're really proud of both of them and how they are coming up to the sale," shared Al Pike. "They both worked well as we expected them to, and they have both been well-received here. You never really know about the market, but I am excited about them. I've brought a good group to this sale, so, we'll see how it goes."



Last year's Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale saw 375 head change heads for receipts of $34,795,500, good for an average price of $92,788. The median price came in at $50,000, and 62 horses were listed as not sold. A total of 391 juveniles sold in 2022 for a total of $37,297,700. The average price that year was $95,391 with a median price of $47,000, with 91 hips failing to sell.



The Midlantic Sale's list of recent stakes-winning graduates is headlined by Mage  , winner of the 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1). Featured on the cover of this year's catalog, the son of Good Magic   sold to Ogma Investments out of the Sequel Bloodstock consignment in 2022 for $290,000.



A total of 585 head have been cataloged for the two-day auction. As of late afternoon on Sunday, there are 125 outs. The sale begins at 11 a.m. on both days and can be streamed at bloodhorse.com.