Dilger: Saratoga Sale 'A Different Ballgame'

When Gerry Dilger takes his Dromoland Farm consignment to New York for the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, he emphasizes quality over quantity. If last year’s results are any indication, there is something to be said for having a boutique group of horses in a boutique sale.

In 2015, Dromoland moved along all four horses it sent through the ring for total receipts of $1,395,000 at an average of $348,750.

“At one time I would have had more, but it’s the way things are in the industry,” Dilger said of the low number of offerings in his consignment last year, and for this year’s sale Aug. 8-9.

But what the group lacks in quantity, it makes up for in quality.

“I have three very, very nice horses. I really like them. They are all well-balanced and good movers,” the consignor said.

Dromoland’s boutique consignment consists of Hip 46, a colt by last year’s leading first crop sire Uncle Mo  ; Hip 85, a colt from the first crop of Shanghai Bobby  ; and Hip 243, a colt by Bodemeister  , who is off to a fast start with his first foals racing this year.

Despite the downturns in key statistical categories at the F-T July sale, the first yearling auction of the year, Dilger believes Saratoga will be strong.

“This is a different ballgame,” said Dilger, who had one of the more successful consignments at the recent Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July yearling sale with three sold for an average of nearly $125,000. “It’s a boutique sale and everyone wants to come here. You have people from all over coming to the races and I think that is a big factor in the sale’s success.”