Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga sale of New York-bred yearlings ended August 12 with increases in both the average and median price over 2023, with a record-setting median price of $86,500. The average of $104,920 is a 10% increase over the previous year.

“The sale reflects the overall quality of the New York breeding program for breeders and racers,” said Boyd Browning Jr., president and CEO of the sales company. “Our gross sales were down because we sold too many horses last year; we had more horses than stables. We cataloged 66 fewer horses this year, which is appropriate.”

Over the course of the two sessions, 182 yearlings were sold for a total of $19,095,500. 69 horses were unsold at an RNA of 28%.

Trainer Chad Brown and owner Seth Klarman had to wait until almost every horse had gone through the ring, but when the hammer fell on Hip 595, the son of Quality Road belonged to them, for the proud price of 370,000 US dollars.

The bay colt was consigned by Winter Quarter Farm, an agent, and bred by Waterville Lake Stable. Hard spun Stakes winner Portmagee and the only colt among the three yearlings that Klarman’s Klaravich Stables bought at the sale. Klaravich also bought Hips 503 and 583, both mares by yearling sire from the first crop Yaupon .

“(Breeding agents) Mike and Mary (Ryan) did all the work for us here,” Brown said. “Without them, we couldn’t have gotten these horses. Mike thought the (Quality Road) colt was the best in the sale, and we waited all day for him.”

“Seth is a great supporter of the New York breeding program and the horses we purchased were from proven stallions or exciting first-time stallions that could take us to open races but still had options for New York-bred horses.”

After winning the first session of the Fasig-Tipton Sale for New York-bred yearlings with a purse of $300,000 on August 11, Constitution West Bloodstock was back in action on Tuesday and again offered $300,000 for Hip 486, a Connect Mare consigned by Eaton Sales for Longford Farm. Like the two horses West purchased on Sunday night, the mare will be owned by Repole Stable.

The dark brown filly is out of the 2011 Schuylerville Stakes (G3) winner Georgie’s Angel and is a half-brother to the late Cave Rock (Arrogate), a multiple Grade 1 winner who earned $748,000 in his four-race career. Hip 486 was bred by Kathleen Burke Schweizer and Daniel J. Burke.

“This mare was a no-brainer for us,” said Ed Rosen, part of Mike Repole’s breeding team. “She has strong pedigree and a high residual value as a broodmare, and she’s a nice individual. The whole team loved her.”

Owner Peter Proscia, his partners and trainer Mike Maker have together won several victories at Saratoga Racetrack this summer, and they beat the sale of a Yaupon colt (Hip 485) out of the multiple stakes-winning mare Frosty Anne (Frost Giant), who retired with earnings of over half a million dollars. Maker admitted that the $275,000 the colt brought from the Taylor Made Sales Agency agent was higher than expected.

“But I guess everyone says that, right?” he said.

The highest price was achieved for a yearling at the Yaupon auction, whose 10 offspring sold brought an average of $169,000.

“He looks like he has left his mark on his foals,” Maker said, “and we are happy to take one home.”

Hip 485 was bred by Rockridge Stud, Saratoga Glen Farm and Beal’s Racing Stable and sold as a weanling to Good Luck Farm for $120,000 from the Vinery Sales consignment at the Fasig-Tipton New York Fall Mixed Sale.

Other first-year-old sires Tacitus And Maxfield made an impression on the market: three from Maxfield sold for an average of $193,333 and eight from Tacitus sold for an average of $97,375.

Hip 420, a mare out of Maxfield, brought in $260,000 in the Filly Special; the ticket was signed by Marette Farrell.

“She is absolutely phenomenal physically and very light on her feet,” said Farrell. “She has had the same energy every time I have seen her, which I always like. Her lineage is something that everyone wants to have and we believe Maxfield will be a very good stallion.”

The filly was consigned by Thorndale Farm, Agent, and bred by Eaton and Thorne. She is by Cabales (Pulpit) and a half-sister to the Graded Stakes winner Run away ($373,333).

Joe Migliore signed two tickets on behalf of the partnerships, one for a proven stallion and one from the first crop of Tacitus.

Adelphi Racing Club, Steven Rocco and RT Racing paid $230,000 for Hip 459, a Tacitus colt out of stakes-placed Dreamed to Dream (Deputy Wild Cat) who is half-brother to four six-figure horses, including multiple stakes winner Dream headquarters (Central Banker ) and multiple winner of Graded Placed Stakes Dreamlike Dreamlike (Commissioner).

Adelphi Racing Club partnered with Chief Horse Futures for Hip 570 and paid $270,000 for the son of Not this time (Giant’s Causeway) from the Medal d’Oro the stakes-placed winner My Galino, whose second dam is the multiple Grade 1 winner and millionaire Stellar Jayne.

“We were overtaken by some other stallions,” said Migliore, “and we are all delighted that we were able to get such a beautiful horse at the end of the sale. There is a lot of competition for the right horses; even with the ones we thought we could get at a good price, we had difficulties. You have to work a little harder to get the horse you want.”