Resilient New York Bred Yearlings Sale Concludes with 'Sale Superfecta'

The New York Bred Yearlings sale resumed Monday afternoon at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs, New York, with a vibrant session which flattered the strength and resilience of the New York bred marketplace. The two-day sale concluded with across-the-board increases over the sale's most recent renewal in 2019, and top-three historical marks in number sold, gross, average, median, and RNA rate.

The session's top seller came in the form of Hip 419, a filly by Munnings, which sold for $350,000 to GMP Stables, Vekoma Racing, West Paces, Oracle Bloodstock, agent (video). The chestnut filly was consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent. Hip 419 is the second foal out of multiple New York stakes winner Freudie Anne, who made 16 of her 25 starts on the NYRA circuit and earned nearly $400,000.

The top-priced filly over the two-day sale came during the Sunday session, when Hip 341, a filly by Uncle Mo, sold for $495,000 (read more).

"We hit the sales superfecta," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "Average was up, median was up, gross was up, and RNA rate was down. "We're obviously very, very pleased."

A pair tied for the session's top-priced colt. First through the ring was Hip 528, a son of successful young sire Constitution, sold for $300,000 to DJ Stable (video). Offered by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, the dark bay or brown colt was bred in New York by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding. Hip 528 is the second foal out of the winning Medaglia d'Oro mare Rare Medal, and hails from the immediate family of two-time Sovereign Award winner Northernette and international champions Storm Bird and Green Tune.

Also sold for $300,000 was Hip 591, a colt from the first crop of Eclipse Champion Accelerate, who was purchased by David Stack (video). Paramount Sales consigned the chestnut colt, which was bred in New York by SF Bloodstock. Hip 591 is out of the stakes placed winning Marquetry mare Ten Halos, making him a half-brother to graded stakes winner and multiple stakes winner Cinco Charlie (Indian Charlie), who earned more than $600,000. In addition, Ten Halos is a half-sister to Grade 2 winners My Pal Charlie and Bwana Charlie, and graded stakes winner Bwana Bull.

Three shared the top price for a colt over the course of the two-day sale, which includes the above two colts and Hip 330, a son of leading sire Into Mischief which sold for $300,000 during Sunday's session (read more).

"We're fortunate enough that the consignors once again gave us really outstanding horses," said Browning, adding that there was also "significant bidding from a diverse buying group."

Rounding out the session's top five were:

• Hip 425, a filly from the first crop of Mendelssohn out of the Smart Strike mare Good Omen, sold for $250,000 to Bay Hill Stables from the consignment of Paramount Sales, agent. The filly hails from the immediate family of two-time Horse of the Year and successful sire Curlin.
• Hip 508, a filly from the second crop of Practical Joke out of the winning Malibu Moon mare Orient Moon, sold for $250,000 to Klaravich Stable from the consignment of Indian Creek, agent. The filly was bred in New York by John Lauriello out of a daughter of Grade 2 placed multiple stakes winner Career Oriented.

"We've always been committed to this sale and this marketplace," Browning concluded. "There was no segment of the marketplace more adversely affected by the COVID (pandemic) than the New York bred yearling marketplace… It's nice to restore the marketplace for (the breeders), so they can have confidence going forward."

Overall, 203 yearlings changed hands for a total of $18,566,500, a New York Bred Yearlings sale record, just beating the previous highwater mark set in 2018 when 172 yearlings sold for $18,492,00. The gross rose 14.6% from $16,200,000 paid for 186 yearlings in 2019. This year also marks the first time more than 200 horses sold at New York Bred Yearlings.

The sale average was $91,461, a 5.0% increase from the 2019 average of $87,097, and ranked second all-time to the $107,512 record set in 2018. The median rose 16.7% to $70,000 from $60,000 during the 2019 renewal, and also ranks second historically only to the record of $76,000 set in 2018.

The RNA rate fell to 21.3%, the lowest at this sale – which RNA rate generally reflects the strength of the New York bred program and the added value of retaining a New York Bred yearling – since 1995. The RNA rated was the third lowest in sale history.

Full results are available online.