Tapit on Top at Fasig Opener

A pair of seven-figure colts by leading sire Tapit headlined a strong opening session of Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale Monday night at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion.

In all, 70 yearlings grossed $21,745,000, compared to 64 horses selling for $18,267,000 during last year’s opening session. The session average was up 8.8% to $310,643 and the median dipped 3.2% to $225,000. The buy-back rate was 17.6%.

“I was very pleased with the strong opening session of the 2015 yearling sales,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning, Jr. said. “The statistical indicators were all very positive–the average was up, the gross was up significantly, and there was a very, very acceptable RNA rate of less than 20%. The median was about flat from last year with a smaller number of horses.”

Gainesway’s Tapit dominated the leader board, with the night’s top three offerings. Leading the way was hip 70, an Irish-bred son of Dress Rehearsal (Ire) who sold for $2 million to El Capi Racing, a partnership of five South Americans based in Miami. The yearling was consigned by Four Star Sales on behalf of his breeder, Ben Sangster.

A new buyer on the scene, El Capi’s presence was just the most obvious in a diverse buying bench. The top 12 horses were bought by 10 distinct buyers.

“The diversification among the buyer group and the diversification really from Americans to pretty broad international participation this year was probably the most encouraging thing,” Browning said.

Of the sale-topping partnership, Browning added, “We had seen some indication of a high level of interest by that group this week and they established significant credit with us, but it’s certainly very encouraging to see a new name like that,” Browning said.

Browning continued, “And it was nice to see Al Shaqab participating strongly, it was nice to see China Horse Club, who was here for the first time as well. And a lot of old friends continued to be very active and participated in the sale.”

Tapit, who stood for $300,000 in 2015, had four yearlings sell Monday for a total of $4,350,000 and an average of $1,087,500. In addition to the sale-topper, the stallion was represented by hip 34, who was purchased for $1.2 million by a partnership between Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Robert LaPenta. A filly (hip 24) by the stallion failed to sell at $950,000.

Monday night’s results reflect a continuation of a fair and competitive marketplace, according to Browning.

“All in all, it was a very positive sale,” he said. “It was kind of what we all expected–to continue the positive momentum. I don’t think anyone was surprised to have a strong sale. There was lot of activity on the sales grounds this week, I think everyone generally feels pretty optimistic about the market and I think if it continues to trend the way we’ve seen, it’s a pretty fair and balanced market. Not a whole lot of ‘irrational exuberance,’ but it was a fair marketplace. You still have to jump through the hoops, still have to get through the vetting and get through the conformation inspection aspects of it, but all in all, a very solid marketplace and I’m pleased with the first night.”

The Saratoga sale’s second session begins Tuesday evening at 7 p.m.

EL CAPI RACING STEPS UP
by Jessica Martini

El Capi Racing, a group of five South American partners based in Miami, created fireworks in the Saratoga sales ring Monday night, going to $2 million to secure an Irish-bred son of sire-of-the-auction Tapit. The group, bidding out back, outlasted Justin Zayat, standing alongside trainer Bob Baffert just yards away, and let out a victorious whoop with the final bid.

After signing the ticket, the partners, who have horses in training with Venezuelan emigre Gustavo Delgado, seemed nonplussed by the colt’s sale-topping price tag.

“We were expecting that,” said Francisco Convit.

Jose Uzcategui added, “We don’t have a trainer for him yet. But we’ll talk about it and we’ll see. We bought him to race–we’re going to win the GI Kentucky Derby.”

Hip 70, consigned by Four Star Sales on behalf of his breeder Ben Sangster, is out of graded stakes winner Dress Rehearsal (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and is a full-sister to English stakes placed Christophermarlowe.

The knockout pedigree was an obvious attraction for the El Capi partners.

“He just looks like a Galileo,” said Uzcategui.

Four Star’s Kerry Cauthen was enthused by the seven-figure sale.

“This was as good a horse as I think I’ve ever brought to a sale,” Cauthen said. “He walked and he never turned a hair. You hear it all the time, but he was 150% class. He did it all. I just happened to be the lucky guy who got to sell him. It was fantastic for the owner–Ben Sangster is as good an owner and as good a guy as there is in the business. And he deserves it and I’m very thrilled for him.”

Of the colt’s new owners, Cauthen said. “He’s going to some guys–they made more noise than the rest of the crowd when they won the bidding. You love to see somebody that enthusiastic get the horse. They are not new to the business, but this looks like it is kind of a step up in their level and I think they have got a fantastic horse. I’ve never had a horse that walked out every single time and was as cool as he was. I have great hopes from him.”

While he knew his offering was special when he led him up to the sale’s ring, Cauthen admitted the yearling’s price was a surprise.

“I didn’t have a number in mind,” Cauthen said. “It seemed like an earlier Tapit had brought $1.2 million and I felt like this was a better horse, but sales vary. They change. And you can’t say what you consider to be the best horse is going to bring the most money. I thought he deserved to be a seven-figure horse and beyond that I’m blown over.”

Justin Zayat, whose family bought Triple Crown winner American Pharoah (Pioneerof the Nile) back out of this sale two years ago, admitted it was tough to lose out on the prized colt.

“He was a really nice horse–the Tapit out of a Galileo mare–you don’t see a lot of those here in America and the horse had a beautiful head and a beautiful body. They got a nice horse,” Zayat said. “Two million dollars was a lot of money for the horse, but he’s a really nice horse. It was hard to stop [bidding], but there are tons of horses in America and I’ve got 5,000 at Keeneland [September] to choose from.”

As for American Pharoah’s much-anticipated next start, Zayat said, “We’re going to find out next week. We’re going to work him Sunday and then decide.”

TRIFECTA OF OWNERS TEAM UP FOR TAPIT FILLY
by J.M. Severni

A partnership between Bridlewood Farm, Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners and Bob LaPenta was responsible for the first million-dollar sale during the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale’s opening session Monday when hip 34, a colt by Tapit, brought a final bid of $1.2 million. Al Shaqab Racing was the underbidder. “It was a natural partnership,” George Isaacs, the General Manager of Bridlewood said after he signed the ticket.

“He looks fast. He’s by the number one stallion in North American, out of a great mare who could really run,” Isaacs continued. “He looks precocious, and has plenty of pedigree. We knew we were going to have to dig deep, so we partnered up with guys we’re doing business with. Eclipse Thoroughbreds sends horses to Bridlewood to break and train and Robert LaPenta sends horses to Bridlewood to break and train, so it seems like a nice, easy partnership. We’re excited, so let’s just hope we get lucky.”

Isaacs noted that the expected high price tag led him to team up with the partners, instead of bidding against them, and that the price tag was about just as high as they were willing to extend.

“We all liked the horse,” he said. “We thought we’d probably all bid against each other, and why do that? We were at the max of what we wanted to spend, but we got it done and now we just need to get lucky.”

John Panagot, racing manager for Robert LaPenta commented: “He was a total athlete. He has a great walk. When they pulled him out, he was very well behaved. Sometimes Tapits can be a little flighty. He seems like he is really the right kind. And for a stallion who stands for $300,000, and for an exceptional yearling you are paying more. By Tapit out of a mare like this, you know you’re going to have to pay this kind of money. I worked with Aron [Wellman of Eclipse Thoroughbreds] before. He was with Team Valor and I was with Graham Motion when Animal Kingdom won the Kentucky Derby. So we’re good friends. And Jonathon Thomas trains our horses at Bridlewood and breaks them and rehabs them and we have a few horses with Bridlewood at the farm. This is our first time having horses with Eclipse. We’re looking forward to it. They have had a lot of luck. Hopefully some of it can rub off on us.”

Dam Appealing Zophie (Successful Appeal) banked $497,898 in her 12-race career with wins in the 2006 GI Spinaway S. and 2007 GIII Silverbulletday S. She was purchased by Len Riggio’s My Meadowview Farm for $1.1 million at the 2007 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. This is her sixth foal, two of which are winners. She has a Giant’s Causeway 2-year-old colt and produced a Candy Ride (Arg) colt this year. Hip 34 was bred by My Meadowview and consigned by Denali Stud.

“He’s by the best stallion in America and these kids, when they can tick all the boxes and do what they’ve got to do, then they’re worth what a couple of guys are willing to pay for him,” Craig Bandoroff of Denali Stud explained. “You never expect that price, because it’s so hard to do. He was a lovely horse. He’s a horse I thought would fit well in here, but he did so well all spring. These horses have to keep doing the right thing and heading the right way, and that’s what he did. He came up here and he showed like a man and never lost his enthusiasm for the job. We’re thrilled for the people who bred him, and the guys at the farm did a good job with him.”

FERGUSON GETS IN ON THE TAPIT FRENZY
by Jessica Martini

Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock advisor John Ferguson secured the third-highest-priced offering during Monday’s first session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, going to $750,000 for a colt by Tapit out of Carriage Trade (Storm Cat) (hip 49).

“He’s by Tapit out of a Storm Cat mare and he’s a really athletic horse,” Ferguson said of the yearling’s appeal. “So we are delighted to have him.”

After a pair of seven-figure yearlings by Gainesway’s super sire Tapit, the youngster might have looked a bargain.

“It was about the level we expected,” Ferguson said. “At the end of the day, these horse are valuable horses and three-quarters of a million dollars is a lot of money. So we’re delighted to have him for that.”

The yearling was consigned by Hunter Valley Farm. Carriage Trade, with this foal in utero, was purchased by S F Bloodstock for $635,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November sale. The mare re-sold, in foal to More Than Ready, for $340,000 at last year’s Fasig-Tipton November sale.

For the session, Ferguson bought five yearlings, including a Street Cry (Ire) colt for $550,000 and a Bernardini for $450,000. The bloodstock agent said he was finding a fair market at Saratoga.

“We bought a couple and bid on a few,” he said. “It’s been a good sale. Horses are making good value and that’s important for everyone.”

TO HONOR AND SERVE MAKES SPLASH AT F-T
by J.M. Severni

Hip 78, a filly by freshman sire To Honor and Serve (Bernardini), went to Live Oak Plantation for $450,000 and turned out to be a nice gamble for Joe Minor’s JSM Equine and Greathouse Horse Property, who sold the gray through Four Star Sales.

Erhu (Tactical Cat), a stakes winner in her racing career, produced Dress the Part (Malibu Moon) as her first offspring in 2009. That filly would fetch $700,000 from Glen Hill Farm at the 2010 Keeneland September Sale before going on to become a stakes winner in her own right. Her Malibu Moon filly, the ill-fated Onlyforyou, who was campaigned by Glencrest Farm and Minor, annexed the 2014 GII Forward Gal S. and GII Davona Dale S. Some four months earlier, Greathouse had purchased Erhu with this foal in utero for $50,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November Sale. The mare’s current 3-year-old filly Al Khazaaliya (Blame) was purchased by Al Shaqab Racing for $275,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton Florida Sale and Erhu produced a full-sister to Onlyforyou this spring. Hip 78 was the property of Greathouse, in partnership with JSM Equine.

“Being by a freshman sire, you have to worry about something like [if buyers will take to the sire],” said Greathouse. “But she was a really nice filly and, at the end of the day, pedigree means something–her half-sister brought $700,000

“She had a real presence about her, she did,” added Minor. “She really did.”