For Some, It's Sale Over Breeders' Cup

While many horse owners, trainers, breeders, and agents were in sunny Southern California Nov. 4 readying for the first of two Breeders' Cup days at Santa Anita Park, some 2,500 miles away another group of industry professionals shivered in the brisk morning air at the Fasig-Tipton sales grounds.

"I thought it was going to be warmer," said Taylor Made Sales Agency's Mark Taylor, shivering through a layer of outerwear, as he watched potential buyers look at the consignment's horses for the Nov. 7 auction in Lexington. "I bet they were rolling pretty good at Clocker's Corner this morning, with their T-shirts on."

Although there were only a few sellers showing horses early Friday morning and the number of lookers could be counted on two hands, activity was expected to pick up later in the day, as more horse vans were rolling through the Fasig-Tipton barn area and employees were unloading tack boxes and stall signs.

The Fasig-Tipton catalog—initially 161 in the traditional catalog that has since been expanded to at least 170 after the addition of supplemental entries, includes 57 graded stakes winners or producers—24 of which are grade I. Among the grade I winners Cathryn Sophia, Curalina, Dacita, Her Emmynency, Stopchargingmaria, Union Strike, and Wavell Avenue. The sale begins at 5 p.m. ET, with 50 selected weanlings and then transitions into horses in training, broodmares, and broodmare prospects.

"We have tried to create a high-end catalog that will appeal to all types of buyers," said Fasig-Tipton president and chief executive officer Boyd Browning Jr.

"The November sales are my favorite sales of the year," Taylor said. "On the yearling side, you're looking at potential athletes and predict which ones will be able to run. These class horses have a different air about them and it's on display here."

Sold for $3 million, grade I winner Angela Renee topped last year's sale, which saw 92 head bring $43,666,000 and an average price of $474,630, down from 2014 when 108 head averaged $589,611 on total receipts of $63,678,000. There were also six buybacks last year in excess of seven figures each, the highest of which was the RNA of champion Stephanie's Kitten on a final bid of $2.95 million.

One distinctive feature of the sale is the supplemental catalog that permits horses to be added in the days preceding the auction, allowing sellers and buyers to take advantage of opportunities that may have arisen after entries closed for the regular catalog.

"We live in a dynamic environment, particularly at this time of the year, with as much good racing as there is going on," Browning said. "There are new opportunities emerging for sellers, and obviously we are looking to have as strong a catalog as we can and as current of a catalog as we can."

Fasig-Tipton officials will be watching the Breeders' Cup races with rapt attention, since the catalog includes some of the World Championships participants or their siblings and/or dams.

Of particular interest will be the featured $6 million Classic (gr. I) since the dams of three entrants—Horse of the Year and Classic favorite California Chrome  , Travers Stakes (gr. I) winner Arrogate, and graded stakes-placed War Story—are entered in the sale. California Chrome's dam, Love the Chase, is being offered in foal to leading sire Tapit   and Arrogate's dam Bubbler is in foal to Into Mischief  . Belle Watling, War Story's dam in foal to Medaglia d'Oro  ,  is also represented in both the Breeders' Cup and Fasig-Tipton sale by Longines Distaff (gr. I) contender Land Over Sea.

Other Breeders' Cup race participants also scheduled to be sold Nov. 7 are Curalina, Distaff (gr. I); Haveyougoneaway, Gomo, Spelling Again, and Wavell Avenue, Filly & Mare Sprint (gr. I); Al's Gal, Filly & Mare Turf (gr. IT); Colorful Charades, Jamyson 'N Ginger, and Union Strike, 14 Hands Winery Juvenile Fillies (gr. I); and Noholdingback Bear, Twinspires Sprint (gr. I).

Taylor, whose agency was represented in California by other members of the family and management team, said he would have liked to have been at the Breeders' Cup, especially considering Taylor Made's interest in California Chrome, who will stand stud at the farm in Nicholasville, Ky.

But at the end of the day, his obligation is to manage the sales division.

"I would love to be in California with California Chrome. And Rick Porter is a good, long-time friend, and I would love to be there to watch Songbird (in the Distaff)," he said. "But the bottom line is, this is what people hire us to do. My obsession is our sales division. That is what I breathe, eat, (and) sleep 365 days a year. I want to be here. Showing these mares—I live for this."

Taylor said Taylor Made was ready to show horses as soon as possible as a convenience to those who wanted to get a head start on the inspection process.

"People are really busy with the Breeders' Cup, and we figure if we can get in here and get started and give them a sneak peak, it's going to help them on the back end," he said. "When you're the only one showing, they're not in a hurry, so it gives you a little more time to discuss the horse with you. It gives us chance to do a little personal selling."

Devant Latham, among those shopping the Fasig-Tipton barns Friday, agreed that the business of inspecting horses took precedence over being at the Breeders' Cup.

"I love the Breeders' Cup," Latham said. "However, the number of horses that run through the Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland (Nov. 8-20) sales makes it very difficult to look carefully through them and attend the Breeders' Cup. I do like when the Breeders' Cup is held in Kentucky or New York, because it is usually held a week earlier and we have a week before the sales begin."