Fasig-Tipton Winter Market Opens as Expected

Stakes-winning broodmare prospects and in-foal mares were the most popular commodities during the first session of the Fasig-Tipton winter mixed sale Feb. 5. The session saw multiple six-figure sales for yearlings, broodmares, and racing/broodmare prospects.

During Monday's session, 181 horses sold for $4,134,200, down 12% from last year's first session when 164 horses brought $4,702,300. The average of $22,841 dropped slightly compared to the 2017 first-session average of $28,673, while the $10,000 median rose a bit compared to the first-session 2017 median of $9,750. With 65 horses not sold Monday, the RNA rate was 26.4%.

Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning said the day's trading was consistent with other sales over the last several years.

"There was significant demand for quality, with very, very competitive bidding for those horses that kind of jumped through the hoops," he said. "The horses that you turned down the pages for sold very, very well. The market is still difficult for a certain segment of the population—a mare that has a little age on her, if she's not covered by what is believed to be a marketable stallion, or a foal by a stallion the market is not very accepting of—it's tough.

"I don't think there were any significant surprises either negatively or positively today."

Browning said it appeared that the better offerings in the catalog fall on the second session that will be held Feb. 6.

"It looks like (there will be) a few better horses tomorrow, and it should start off with some sparklers early on and end fairly well," he said. "The composition of the catalog can change from year to year in February and I would say the market is status quo."

Again, polarization in the marketplace was present in the first day of trading.

"'I think we continue to see polarization," Browning said. "If you've got a good one, you're better off than you were 12 months ago, and if you have one not deemed to be a good one, you're worse off than you were 12 months ago.

"If they had the pages turned down, (buyers) generally had to give 20%, 30%, or 50% more than they wanted to give. For those without the pages turned down, as the consignor you're probably getting 25%, 40%, or 50% less than you were hoping to get.

"Quality, quality, quality sells, and if you don't have quality, it's tough."

The session topper was multiple stakes winner Bling On the Music, consigned by Baccari Bloodstock as Hip 68 and purchased for $260,000 by International Equities Holding. Winner of the Gold Rush Futurity and Texas Thoroughbred Futurity at 2, Bling On the Music was also third in the Pocahontas Stakes (G2) on the way to career earnings of $153,167. She was sold as a broodmare prospect.

Multiple stakes winner Great Soul (Hip 211), a 5-year-old daughter of Great Notion  from the family of graded stakes winner Street Magician, brought $220,000 as a racing/broodmare prospect from agent Donato Lanni, who bought her to return to the racetrack for Glen Hill Farm. Great Soul was consigned by Indian Creek, agent.

The top in-foal mare of the day was Coy Cat (Hip 119), a stakes-winning and stakes-producing daughter of Hold That Tiger who sold for $150,000 in foal to Into Mischief . The mare was purchased by SF Bloodstock from the consignment of Bill Murphy.

Hip 189, a daughter of Distorted Humor  out of multiple stakes winner Gilded Gold led the day's yearlings when she sold for $105,000 to Machmer Hall. The dark bay or brown filly is a half sister to stakes winner Thieves Gold. She was consigned by Denali Stud, agent.

Hip 110, a colt by Violence  out of multiple graded stakes winner Classic Elegance was the second-highest-priced yearling, selling for $100,000 to James R. Layden from the consignment of Buckland Sales, agent. The colt is from the family of grade 1 winner Believe You Can.