Corniche Filly Tops Fasig-Tipton Cal Sale at $250,000

A California-bred daughter (Hip 193) by first-crop yearling sire Corniche   topped the Fasig-Tipton California Fall Yearling Sale Sept. 23.

A total of 143 yearlings grossed $4,617,900 for a median of $15,000 and an average of $32,293, up 10% from a year ago. Eleven horses brought $100,000 or more. Last year, the sale averaged $29,334, with 163 grossing $4,781,400, with a median of $15,000.

"The average was up a little from last year, which for a regional area is a good sign," said Fasig-Tipton California representative Mike Machowsky. "We're committed to serving and establishing a solid sale out here in Southern California to support the market and all the breeders."

The buyback rate climbed to 40%, with 95 not sold, compared to 35% (87) not sold in 2024.

"The one thing about the California breeding program is that it's a such a great breeding program," Machowsky said. "These breeders are proud to take and race their homebreds because there's such an advantage for stallion awards, breeders awards, and owners awards in California."

Pete and Evelyn Parrella's Legacy Ranch purchased the sale topper from Barton Thoroughbreds, which for the past two years has been California's leading breeder. Barton bred the filly, who is out of the North Light mare Carmelita, having already bred her half brother, multiple stakes winner Carmelita's Man , in partnership with Robert Traynor.

Terry Knight, Legacy's farm manager, and trainer John Sadler helped the Parrellas select the Corniche filly.

"The Corniches were selling very well at Keeneland, and she's a very smooth, lovely filly," Sadler said. "We thought she was the best horse in the sale. Pete's had good luck buying out of this sale, and the state-bred program is solid."

Ashford Stud's Corniche was the fourth-leading first-crop yearling sire during the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, with a $203,651 average from 43 sold.

While Sadler has succeeded in recent years with all types of horses, notably 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline   and champions Accelerate  and Stellar Wind , he has trained top California-breds throughout his career. In 2025, his stakes winners include California-bred champion Kings River Knight , and there is still a stakes named for Melair, the brilliantly fast filly Sadler trained to two California-bred championships in 1986.

Barton sold four of the six-figure horses at the sale. Three of the four are by first-year stallions based in Kentucky. Those three are all California-breds, which makes them eligible for nomination to the lucrative Golden State Series for California-breds and California-sired runners.

"We're so happy for them and look forward to seeing her race next year," Barton's executive vice president Kate Barton Penner said of the sale topper. "She was our favorite and seemed like everyone's favorite of those who came and saw her. Plus, the sire, Corniche, is exciting. She checks all the boxes."

Barton's business model includes breeding mares in Kentucky, returning them to California to foal as state-breds, and breeding the mares back to stallions standing at its farm near Santa Ynez, Calif. Penner said that they liked Corniche so much after breeding to him in his first season that they have bred back to him in subsequent years.

Terry Lovingier's Lovacres Ranch sold three of the six-figure horses, including the two highest-priced colts, who each brought $225,000. John Moroney, Thomsen Racing, and trainer Steve Knapp purchased both of the colts.

The first was Hip 20, a California-bred son of Maxfield   out of the Bring the Heat mare Lost Bus, the California-bred champion older female of 2016 and a graded stakes winner. The yearling is a half brother to stakes winner Bus Buzz , a 2021 Fasig-Tipton California sale graduate. Darley America's Maxfield was the sales leading sire by average at $157,500 from two sold. The sire was also represented by a $90,000 filly (Hip 22) out of the Not For Love winner Love Abounds, a half sister to four stakes winners. Barton Thoroughbreds bred and sold Hip 22 to trainer Carla Gaines.

The second was Hip 61, a California-bred son of Good Magic   out of the stakes-winning Noble Causeway mare Noble and a Beauty, who is the granddaughter of stakes winner Tap Your Heels, the dam of Gainesway's multiple-leading North American sire Tapit  .