The opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale in Lexington got off to a slow start, posting declines when it came to both gross and average.
In total, 131 horses sold for $3,968,400, an average of $30,293 and a median of $17,000. The RNA rate, from 33 horses not sold, was 20.1%.
Compared to last year, gross declined 11.3% and the average decreased 17.4%. The median, however, was up 6.3%. In 2014, the first day of the sale saw 122 horses sell for $4,475,100, good for an average of $36,681 and a median of $16,000. The RNA rate was 20.3%.
Multiple graded stakes winner Gamay Noir (Harlan's Holiday) topped the session on Justin Casse's bid of $375,000. This bested the opening session topper in 2014, when Devious Intent sold to Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Stable for $350,000.
Another notable seller was stakes winner Irish Presence (Midnight Lute), who realized $310,000. Forging Oaks Farm purchased the 5-year-old Midnight Lute mare, who is also graded stakes-placed, from Darby Dan Farm, agent.
Mares proved more popular than short yearlings yesterday, as only one youngster hit the six-figure mark. A bay Into Mischief filly (hip 192) born on Feb. 3 of last year went for $180,000 at the very end of the night. Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt bought the filly from Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, agent. Out of the stakes-placed Carson City mare Lanai City, she hails from the same family as Breeders' Cup winners New Year's Day (Street Cry {Ire}) and Shared Account (Pleasantly Perfect).
The second-highest yearling of the session was a Jersey Town colt (hip 74), who brought $97,000 from Machmer Hall. Consigned by Denali Stud, agent, the colt is out of the Bertrando mare Encouragement and comes from the same female family as champion Shared Belief (Candy Ride {Arg}).
Yesterday an even 200 horses were cataloged. The two-day sale concludes its run today with a much larger session, which runs from hips 201-616. For catalog, results and outs, or to watch the sale live, visit www.fasigtipton.com.
Star of the Show
Gamay Noir was the talking horse on the sale grounds yesterday, and she did not disappoint. The
5-year-old Harlan's Holiday mare topped the session when she sold to Justin Casse for $375,000.
“I thought she might bring a touch more than that because she was the star of the show here,” said Casse. “At the end of the day we are happy with the price point.”
Proving what a difference a year can make, Gamay Noir (hip 112) entered the ring as a multiple graded stakes winner with earnings of $346,866. In 2014, she won the Rampart S. and Obeah S., which are both Grade III contests, after being claimed for $100,000 by trainer Marty Wolfson.
“Myron Miller and the Farnsworth crew do an excellent job of finding mares like this and developing them,” said Casse. “This is just another example because it seems like, year in and year out, we are here trying to buy them.”
Not surprisingly, another thing going for Gamay Noir was her pedigree. The bay mare is by successful sire Harlan's Holiday, who died in 2013, and she hails from a female family that has produced Grade I winners Al Mamoon, La Gueriere and Icon Project, among others.
“What was there not to like?” asked Casse of his purchase, who was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. “Obviously there are no more Harlan's Holidays coming. She is a very typical Harlan's Holiday, a pretty version of the sire and out of an Unbridled mare. She comes from a deep family.”
Casse bought Gamay Noir on behalf of a new partnership. Although he declined to name those involved, Casse did say that the partnership was domestic. Gamay Noir was offered as a racing or broodmare prospect, but plans call for her to be retired.
“We will probably end up breeding her as soon as possible,” said Casse. “We will see [to which stallion], but I will have to discuss that with some of the partners.”
One and Done
Attorney F. Thomas Conway was a man who knew what he wanted when it came to yesterday's opening session of the February sale. His associates got the auction off to a quick start by going to $235,000 to secure graded stakes-placed Clearbrook. The Smart Strike mare was cataloged as Hip No. 24, and it would be another 100 hips before another horse brought six figures.
“Tom's on vacation, but he wanted her, so that's the one we came to get,” said Calvin Crain, who signed the ticket. “That's the only one we wanted. It was a little bit more than we wanted to pay, but we knew some people wanted her. For a good horse, you have to pay more. That is the way it is.”
On the track, Clearbrook won $171,235 and hit the board in the GIII Orchid S. in 2014. Out of the Danzig mare Coherent, she is also a half-sister to English stakes winner Doc Hay (Elusive Quality). Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned the 5-year-old mare, and while Clearbrook was offered as a racing or broodmare prospect, motherhood appears to be in her near future.
“Tom is going to breed her here locally,” said Crain. “She will stay right here. She isn't going anywhere. Smart Strike, you can never go wrong with a Smart Strike. You can breed her to what you want, and she is from a good family. She has a lot of upside.”
Conway, who has a habit of naming his racehorses after friends and family, might be best known in racing circles for campaigning Grade I winner Stately Victor in partnership with his son Jack, who is the Attorney General of Kentucky. After taking the GI Toyota Blue Grass S., Stately Victor went on to compete in the GI Kentucky Derby and retired with earnings just shy of $1 million.
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