Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale Continues Triple Crown Connection
Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Select Yearling Sale has established a remarkable pattern in recent years — producing three consecutive Preakness Stakes winners, creating a powerful selling point for this year’s auction.
When Journalism (Curlin) captured the GI Preakness Stakes last May, it marked the third straight year a Saratoga sale graduate claimed the second jewel of the Triple Crown.
The streak began in 2022 with National Treasure (Quality Road), a $500,000 Saratoga purchase who won for trainer Bob Baffert and a partnership including SF Racing, Starlight, and Madaket Stables. The colt later added two more Grade I victories — the Pegasus World Cup Invitational and Metropolitan Handicap.
In 2023, Seize the Grey (Arrogate) delivered Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas his seventh Preakness win and 15th Classic victory overall. The $300,000 Saratoga yearling, campaigned by MyRacehorse, later secured the GI Pennsylvania Derby.
Journalism, who commanded $825,000 at the 2022 Saratoga sale, completed the trifecta. After winning the GI Santa Anita Derby and finishing second in the GI Kentucky Derby, the bay colt claimed the Preakness and most recently triumphed in the GI Haskell Stakes for Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridledwood Farm, Don Alberto Stable, and partners.
“We sell hopes and dreams,” said Fasig-Tipton‘s President and Chief Executive Officer Boyd Browning Jr. “Fortunately, we’ve had consignors support us in recent years with extremely high quality horses. Those yearlings have been bought by people who have very good racing programs and those horses have been able to achieve success on the racetrack.”
The sale’s reputation received another boost when Sierra Leone (Gun Runner), a $2.3 million purchase from the 2022 auction, returned to Saratoga to win the GI Whitney Stakes last weekend. The reigning champion 3-year-old colt, owned by Peter Brant, the Coolmore partners and Brook Smith, previously captured the GI Breeders’ Cup Classic after narrowly missing in the Kentucky Derby.
This year’s catalog features several siblings to recent Classic winners that should generate significant interest. Denali Stud, as agent for breeder Don Alberto, offers Hip 165 — an Into Mischief sister to Journalism. The March 28 foal is out of GSW and MGISP Mopotism (Uncle Mo), who recently died from colic complications.
“Pedigree aside, her physical stands up as well,” said Denali’s Conrad Bandoroff. “She is a lovely filly. She carries herself with a lot of class and has a lot of presence. She knows she’s special.”
Denali previously consigned Journalism at the Saratoga Sale two years ago for Don Alberto.
“She is the female version of Journalism,” Bandoroff added. “You do see a lot of Mopotism in her, a lot of the Uncle Mo. When you look at her, what’s not to like?”
Peter Blum Thoroughbreds presents Hip 10, a full-brother to National Treasure. The January 19 foal out of Treasure (Medaglia d’Oro) is consigned by agent Bridie Harrison, who also handled National Treasure’s sale in 2021.
“We really liked National Treasure as a foal so we decided to breed the mare back to Quality Road and that turned out to be a good thing,” Harrison said. “We have the full brother in the same stall [National Treasure] was in when we brought him here.”
Harrison noted the siblings share many similarities: “They are very much alike. This colt might have a little longer neck, but they are very nice horses.”
Mill Ridge Sales contributes to the Classic theme with Hip 209, a filly by four-time Grade I winner Life is Good. The February 22 foal is out of Smart Shopping (Smart Strike), making her a half-sister to Preakness winner Seize the Grey.
For buyers seeking connections to fillies with Classic pedigrees, Gainesway offers Hip 200, a Gun Runner filly who is the first foal out of GI Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil). The three-time Grade I winner and $2.7 million earner was purchased by Mandy Pope for $5 million at Fasig-Tipton November in 2022.
Additional catalog highlights include:
- Hip 12, a Liam’s Map half-brother to GI Forego winner Mullikin (Violence), consigned by Taylor Made Sales
- Hip 29, a Justify half-brother to dual Grade I winner Caravel (Mizzen Mast), offered by agent Hunter Valley Farm
- Hip 173, a Mandaloun half-brother to juvenile champion Citizen Bull (Into Mischief), consigned by Taylor Made Sales
- Hip 102, a Flightline filly who is a half to two-time Grade I winning juvenile Cave Rock (Arrogate), consigned by Eaton Sales
- Hip 117, a Good Magic colt who is a full-brother to GI Arkansas Derby winner Muth, offered by Gainesway for breeder Don Alberto
Browning expects the strong market seen at earlier sales to continue at Saratoga.
“All of our markets are inter-related,” Browning explained. “The 2-year-old sales were solid, and strong for the quality offerings. The July Sale was also solid, strong particularly for quality offerings. People want good horses, that’s the bottom line.”
While the sale’s recent Classic success creates excitement, Browning remains pragmatic about predicting future stars.
“Anybody that tells you they know which ones are going to be Classic winners are kidding themselves,” he said. “Our reputation and everything that we do, it’s [based on] physical horses. People come to Fasig-Tipton and they are looking for athletic, strong, well-conformed and balanced type of horses.”
The sale begins Monday at 6:30 p.m. with the first 109 entries, while the remaining offerings go Tuesday, August 5.
