Empire Maker Colt Ties Sale Record During Second Session of Kentucky October Yearlings

Tuesday, October 26, 2021
fasig tipton empire maker
Fasig-Tipton

The Kentucky October Yearlings sale continued Tuesday in Lexington, KY, with a vibrant session buoyed the sale's record-breaking pace.

A colt by the late Empire Maker topped the session when sold for $750,000 to St. Elias Stables from the consignment of Machmer Hall Sales, agent (video). The colt's price tag matched that of the most expensive colt – and third most expensive yearling – in the sale's history. Offered as Hip 513, the dark bay or brown colt is out of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Stop Time (GB), a daughter of French One Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Musical Chimes. The immediate family includes five-time Grade 1 winning millionaire Music Note, dam of this year's Dubai World Cup (G1) victor Mystic Guide. Hip 513 was bred in Kentucky by the late Tom Conway and Calvin Crain.

"It was a great session, record-breaking in all regards," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "More important than that was… the continued level of activity. (It was an) energetic crowd. It's a pretty fun time to be selling horses right now."

The session's top filly came in the form of an Ontario-bred daughter of Uncle Mo which sold for $450,000 to West Bloodstock, agent for Repole and St. Elias (video). Breeder Sam-Son Farm consigned the filly as Hip 469. She is a half-sibling to five winners out of the winning Seeking the Gold mare Song of the Lark, including Canadian Horse of the Year Up and champion colt With the Birds (Stormy Atlantic), who won Belmont's Jamaica H. (G1) and earned $1,379,841. The filly's second dam is Canadian champion Wilderness song, also a millionaire and Grade 1 winner in the U.S.

Rounding out the top five prices of the session were:

  • Hip 545, a colt from the first crop of Breeders' Cup Champion Mendelssohn out of Super Girlie (Closing Argument), which sold for $400,000 to BlackRidge Stables from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. The bay colt is a half-brother to five winners from as many to race, including this year's Arkansas Derby (G1) winner Super Stock (Dialed In) and Grade 1 placed Boujie Girl (Flashback). Hip 545 was bred in Kentucky by Pedro Gonzalez and P. J. Gonzalez.
  • Hip 705, a filly from the first crop of multiple Grade 1 winning juvenile Bolt d'Oro out of Urloveisasymphony (Forest Wildcat), which sold for $375,000 to St. Elias Stables from the consignment of Wynnstay Sales, agent. The bay filly is out of a half-sister to the dam of this year's Mac Diarmida S. (G2) winner Phantom Currency, from the immediate family of champion two-year-old colt Bayford and Group 1 winner Northern Baby. Hip 705 was bred in Kentucky by Deann Baer and Greg Baer DVM.
  • Hip 554, a filly from the first crop of Triple Crown champion Justify out of Susie's Baby (Giant's Causeway), which sold for $325,000 to On the Rocks Racing from the consignment of Eaton Sales, agent. The gray or roan filly is a half-sister to stakes winner Family Way, who is also a multiple winner in France, out of a half-sister to Group 1 winner Caravaggio, who is currently leading first-crop sires in North America by winners. Hip 554 was bred in Kentucky by Diamond Creek Farm.

"I sound like a broken record after every good session or every good sale," added Browning. "It's because people give us better horses that it goes so well. We're in a market that's strong, but it's strong because men and women are trusting us, bringing better quality horses to the sale both in terms of pedigree and in terms of conformation. It's a combination of factors that's leading to these results and we're thankful and we're going to do our best to continue this momentum for the next two days."

Tuesday's sales once again set a record single-session gross, with proceeds of $13,960,200 eclipsing the previous record of $11,016,900 yesterday during the sale's vibrant opening session. During the second session, 280 horses sold for an average of $49,858 and median of $25,000. Thirty-eight yearlings sold for $100,000.

Over the course of the first two days of selling, 554 yearlings changed hands for a total of $24,977,100, up 52.4% from $16,390,500 paid for 489 yearlings during last year's first half. The two-session average was $45,085, up 34.5% over $33,518 for the same period last year. The first-half median rose 33.3% to $20,000 from $15,000 in 2020. The RNA rate through the first two sessions was 18.4%.

The Kentucky October Yearlings sale resumes Wednesday at 10 AM. Results are available online.