electrical energy, burst on the seams, exceptionaland in a livid method These are simply a few of the vivid descriptions of Fasig-Tipton’s November Sale which were printed within the pages of BloodHorse journal over time.
Many years in the past, the November sale, billed because the “Evening of the Stars” sale to take in the afterglow of the Breeders’ Cup World Championship, has morphed into rather more than only a thoroughbred stallion public sale. It is an occasion. Come and benefit from the fireworks in the hunt for the celebs.
Fasig-Tipton works arduous to recruit the perfect broodmares and racing prospects contemporary off the racetrack, together with horses shipped instantly after racing within the Breeders’ Cup. It is a relationship constructed on buyer belief.
“All of it begins with the horse,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning advised BloodHorse after the 2012 gross sales file was set. “It’s nice to see individuals are available with high quality merchandise and go away the world with large smiles on their faces.”
Along with these present racing stars, a number of established elite broodmares and high-quality weanlings, together with the chance to guage first-born foals from new sires, will make “Evening of the Stars” on the gross sales pavilion off Newtown Pike close to Lexington an evening to not be missed.
Fasig-Tipton offered 25 horses for greater than $5 million at this public sale alone, seven of them for greater than $7 million, and had many unforgettable moments alongside the way in which.
The November 2008 sale set not one, however two world information, establishing a benchmark by which all future stallion auctions shall be measured.
Higher Than Honor, a graded stakes winner by Deputy Minister, has far surpassed her monitor file because the dam of 2006 Belmont Stakes winner Jazir and 2007 Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches, making her the primary filly to win the well-known Check of the Champions since Tanya in 1905. The 2007 Broodmare of the Yr was thought-about a uncommon gem. absolutely.
Higher Than Honor was consigned at Fasig-Tipton by Hill & Dale Gross sales Company, representing the partnership of Southern Equine Secure and Hill & Dale Farms, with Mike Moreno’s Southern Equine buying the companions for a world-record $14 million worth.
“She’s a Picasso. You possibly can’t promote a mare like this,” Moreno reasoned after breaking the earlier file for a broodmare (Playful Act’s $10.5 million on the 2007 Keeneland November Sale).
Earlier that evening, one other world file was set on the Newtown Paddox. That yr’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner, Tapit’s maiden mare Stardom Sure, was offered for $5.7 million by Hill & Dale Gross sales Company.
IEAH Stables agent Nick Sallust signed Stardom Sure at Michael Iavarone Stables’ IEAH Stables public sale for a file worth for the 2-year-old filly who gained the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes earlier that yr as co-owner of Massive Brown. Stardom Sure gained two G1 races in 2009 and is presently a Japanese broodmare.
4 years later, on the November 2012 sale, a brand new file was set due to Havre de Grace. In 2011, the then 4-year-old gained 5 of seven races that yr, together with a victory over colts within the Grade 1 Woodward Stakes, making her the third consecutive filly to win Eclipse Horse of the Yr, becoming a member of Rachel Alexandra in 2009 and Zenyatta in 2010.
Herb de Grace gained the New Orleans Girls Stakes on the Fairgrounds in March 2012, however then retired as a consequence of an ankle damage. However she wasn’t completed as an actress within the highlight, and in November of the identical yr, St. Liam’s Daughter made an enormous splash when she was led into the public sale ring.
“Some are born nice, some obtain greatness and others are compelled into greatness. Havre de Grace is a filly who was born nice and achieved greatness,” Fasig-Tipton auctioneer and advertising director Terence Collier mentioned after a video highlighting Havre de Grace’s racing exploits, quoting Shakespeare.
New purchaser Mandy Pope apparently agreed with Collier’s evaluation, outselling Frank Stronach and Benjamin Leon Jr. to buy Havre de Grace for $10 million. That is the best worth ever paid for a potential broodmare, and the third highest worth ever paid for a broodmare/potential mare, behind Higher Than Honor and Playful Act.
“While you take a look at her, she’s the whole lot a racehorse ought to be and has an amazing angle,” an emotional Pope advised Blood Horse after finishing his eight-figure buy from a TaylorMade dealership consignment. “She’s the epitome of what we’re all attempting to develop by way of conformation and aggressive means.”
By way of monitor file, the 2017 version of the November Sale have to be thought-about actually elite, because the roster of potential broodmares was led by two-time champions Songbird and Tepin, each future Corridor of Famers. The gross sales pavilion was very busy that evening. Ron Mitchell of BloodHorse has this to say concerning the scenario: “A raucous crowd of horse racing followers, homeowners, consumers and consignors packed the Fasig-Tipton sale pavilion in an environment similar to the Fasig-Tipton August Yearling Sale at Saratoga.”
Grand prize winners Quidura, Catch a Glimps and Miss Temple Metropolis had been amongst six horses offered for greater than $2.5 million as Fasig-Tipton reported a then-record gross of $74.2 million, however Tepin and Songbird positively stole the present.
Songbird, a 4-year-old filly by Medaglia d’Oro with 9 Group 1 wins, two Eclipse Awards and practically $4.7 million in earnings, was the primary of the 2 to enter the ring sporting a purple blanket commemorating her accomplishments. Collier known as her the “gold commonplace,” and bidding began at $1 million and rapidly rose. Whisper Hill Farm’s Pope, now properly established within the Thoroughbred trade, has raised the bar from $9.2 million to $9.5 million to finish the bidding conflict for Songbird, which was consigned by TaylorMade Gross sales on behalf of Rick Porter-owned Fox Hill Farm.
Like Songbird, a video of the two-time champion’s profession highlights was launched previous to Tepin’s public sale. The then six-year-old Bernstein filly had six Grade/Group 1 wins, together with the 2015 Breeders’ Cup Mile and the 2016 Queen Anne Stakes at Royal Ascot, beating stallions in every victory. Bidding began once more in seven figures and did not cease till MV Manier acquired the turf heroine for $8 million from a consignment of Robert Masterson’s agent ELiTE Gross sales.
It was a touching and emotional evening, particularly for Browning. Mr. Browning, an in depth good friend of Porter, adopted Songbird’s profession carefully, as did his father, Boyd Browning Sr. His brother, Mr. Browning, realized of Porter’s intention to promote Songbird on the November sale, however he died on September eleventh on the age of 84.
“(Songbird’s sale) was bittersweet, however for one among my good buddies, this horse was one of many nicest horses we have ever had the privilege of promoting, and it was an amazing expertise,” Browning advised BloodHorse.
The 2018 Fasig-Tipton November Sale simply surpassed final yr’s gross sales file of $89,473,000 for 140 horses offered, led by Woman Aurelia, who introduced in additional than $7.5 million. Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, the producer of Woman Aurelia, has acquired companion Peter Rydell to safe stakes winners in the US, Nice Britain and France from the Hill & Dale Gross sales Company consignment.
The worldwide pandemic of 2020 put life as we all know it on maintain, however true star energy shone via the clouds of financial uncertainty that November. Monomoy Woman, consigned by Elite Gross sales and put up on the market the day after profitable the Breeders’ Cup Distaff at Keeneland to cap an undefeated championship season, offered to Spendthrift Farm for $9.5 million, tying Songbird for the third highest worth in public sale historical past. She continued to be skilled and made two begins in 2021, together with a Group 3 win, earlier than retiring that fall.
Fasig-Tipton’s November product sales file reached a brand new 2021 file with $103,699,000 in reported public sale receipts. Whole gross sales will attain 9 figures once more in 2022 and 2023, and final November’s sale noticed 26 seven-figure purchases.
“Evening of the Stars” shall be held in Lexington on Nov. 3, 2025, two days after the Breeders’ Cup World Championship in Del Mar. The gross sales catalog will embrace new stallions corresponding to champion Cody’s Want, Elite Energy, Forte and Arcangelo, in addition to the primary weanlings from new stallions corresponding to 2023 Kentucky Derby winner Mage. Nonetheless, do not forget that the November sale is girls’ evening. Put together to be dazzled.
