THE second session of Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Sale held on Tuesday produced a sale record aggregate, average and median, as a selection of the best yearlings in the USA found new homes.

A son of Curlin out of Horse of the Year and champion Beholder sold for $4 million to bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, acting for Zedan Racing, to top the overall sale. He was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency on behalf of Spendthrift Farm.

The colt is the first of Hall of Fame inductee Beholder’s foals to be offered at public auction. That mare’s most accomplished runner to date is this year’s Grade 3 Senorita Stakes winner Teena Ella. The blue-blooded colt hails from the immediate family of four-time leading sire Into Mischief, Broodmare of the Year Leslie’s Lady, and Grade 1 winner and sire Mendelssohn.

The price matched the third highest price ever realised at the Saratoga Sale, and the most expensive since 2000.

“We’ve experienced some magical nights in Saratoga in the past, and you’ve heard me talk about the Saratoga magic,” said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. “But we ain’t seen nothing like tonight. It’s what happens when you have the opportunity to sell exceptional physical horses that have outstanding pedigrees to an unbelievable group of buyers that love coming to Saratoga.”

Seven figures

In addition to the sale-topper, seven other yearlings sold for seven figures during Tuesday’s session. They were headed by another colt, this time by Into Mischief, and was again sold for $3.2 million to Donato Lanni for Zedan Racing. He is from the immediate family of Grade 1 winners Dream Supreme and Majestic Warrior.

Another son of Into Mischief sold for $1.5 million to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners from the draft of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised. He is out of Grade 1 winner Rachel’s Valentina, a Bernardini daughter of Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra.

Two sons of Tapit were among the best of the day. A colt sold for $1.2 million to Whisper Hill Farm, again from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales.

The chesnut is out of the winning Tiznow mare Plenty O’Toole, whose three winners include multiple graded stakes winner Mr. Money (Goldencents).

Three lots in the session realised a million dollars. They were a colt by Twirling Candy out of a Tapit half-sister to Grade 1 winner Mani Bhavan, a filly by Gun Runner who is a half-sister to six foals from as many to race out of the winning Tapit mare Temptress, including Grade 2 winning millionaire Tenfold, and an Into Mischief colt out of a Grade 2-placed half-sister to Grade 1 winner Grace Adler.

Phenomenal

“It was just phenomenal,” added Browning. “It was really rewarding to see people send their very best horses here and trust us and then have the results and the success they had tonight.” Overall, 153 yearlings sold for a sale record $74,780,000, up 12% from the previous record set last year. The average of $488,758 eclipsed by 4% the record set last year, while the median tied last year’s record of $375,000.

Amo Racing

The sale opened on Monday with a spirited session. Two lots ventured into seven-figure territory. Alex Elliott and Irishman Ben McElroy, agents for Amo Racing, went to $1.1 million to secure the session topper, a colt by Quality Road, sire of this year’s Grade 1 Preakness Stakes winner and Saratoga Sale graduate National Treasure. The colt is out of the graded stakes-winning Henny Hughes mare I’m A Looker.

The opening session’s top filly was a daughter of Curlin who sold for $1.05 million to David Lanigan, and he was buying for Cindy Heider (Heider Family Stables). The chesnut is the first foal out of the graded stake-winning Justin Phillip mare Lady T N T.

Stallion share

A share in leading young sire Not This Time was offered prior to the first yearling of the second session, selling for $2 million.