SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y.--Opening night of the Saratoga Selected Yearling Sales on Monday, Aug. 5 had six yearlings sell for over #1 Million, topped by the fifth most expensive colt offered in the history of the Sale,  and posted gains over the previous year's first session in gross, average, and median, as well as an RNA rate of just 20.6%.

3.4 Million Saratoga Selected Yearlings sales topper (Photo by Fasig-Tipton)
A colt by Not This Time (Hip 72), consigned by Nardell Sales topped the session when sold for $3,400,000 to Donato Lanni, agent for  Amr Zedan's Zedan Racing.

The colt is out of Kayce Ace, a stakes placed full sister to multiple G1 winner Colonel John and is a half-brother to multiple G1 placed graded stakes winner Comical and to the dam of stakes winner Sweetlou'sgotaces.

"It was obviously a really strong start to this year's Saratoga Sale," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. "There was lots of competition, lots of energy, lots of excitement. Just a tremendous start."

"We won the first half," he said. "AIt was a really strong start to the opening session of the sale. We averaged over $500,000 tonight and the median was $400,000. Our RNA rate at an elite sale at 20% is pretty remarkable. We always aim for zero, but that's certainly encouraging. It was a very, very encouraging start to this sale."

"Since we were over $500,000 tonight, I hope we are over $500,000 for the entire sale because it has a really good ring to it," Browning said. "$502,000 sounds a whole lot better than $498,000, but the key is to deliver as good a result as we can for the men and women who brought quality products to the sale."

 

THE DAY of the sale, the stock market was upended when the Dow dropped 1,000 points, and then just hours before the sale, Saratogs was deluged by strong thunderstorms.

Boyd Browning
But Browning didn't seem concerned by either.

"Our job is to focus on what we can control," Browning said. "We have absolutely no control over the stock market or the weather. Our world has gotten used to a little volatility, particularly in the markets. Relatively speaking, over the last 12 months, most people are in a
much better financial position. If you are invested in the market, you are probably in better shape in August of 2024 than you were in August of 2023. And a lot of people who are participating, particularly in this upper part of the market, are a little bit more immune to fluctuations. But they are also used to fluctuations."

“Yes, we had a little brief scare with the weather, but a tremendous start," said Browning. "I’ve been doing this a long time and you never declare victory yet. We’ve got another 120 horses to go through the ring tomorrow. We’ve got to make sure we do everything we possibly can from Hip 121 to Hip 240 to provide the highest level of service to all of our customers, both buyers and sellers, and get those horses sold to the absolute best of our ability and then we’ll kind of have, hopefully, a real reason for celebration. It sure started off very, very well. Very encouraging. Looking forward to tomorrow night."

The five other yearlings that sold for seven figures during the session, included:

A filly by Curlin (Hip 85), sold for $1,900,000 to West Bloodstock, agent for Robert & Lawana Low, from the consignment of Gainesway, agent for Don Alberto Corporation.

The filly is the first foal out of graded stakes placed stakes winner Matera, a half-sister to record-setting G1 Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam's Map and graded stakes winner and successful young sire Not This Time.

A colt by Gun Runner (Hip 75), sold for $1,700,000 to Resolute Bloodstock from the consignment of Bluewater Sales, agent.

Out of the Unbridled's Song mare Lady Godiva, the colt is a half-brother to a pair of winners, including the G1 Clark H. winner Leofric.

A colt by Tapit (Hip 97), sold for $1,500,000 to Flying Dutchmen from the consignment of Lane's End, agent for Don Alberto Corporation.

The bay colt is the second foal out of G2 winner and four-time G1 performer Mopotism.

A colt from the first crop of multiple G1 winner Charlatan (Hip 57), sold for $1,500,000 to Resolute Bloodstock from the consignment of Warrendale Sales, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised.

Out of the Yes It's True mare Goldfield, the colt is a half-brother to G1 winning juvenile and current leading first-crop sire Complexity and to G1 placed graded stakes winner Valadorna.

A colt by stalwart sire Into Mischief (Hip 30), sold for $1,000,000 to M.V. Magnier & White Birch Farm from the consignment of Darby Dan Farm, agent.

The colt is a half-brother to graded stakes winner and multiple stakes winner She Can't Sing by Bernardini, from the immediate family of Grade/Group 1 winners Music Note, Mystic Guide, and Musical Chimes.

Two Pa-breds were sold, a colt by Justify out of Mahkama  (Hip 81) consigned by C & S Thoroughbreds, agent, was sold for $250,000 to BBA Ireland, and a colt by Good Magic out of Moonlight Serenade (Hip 95) consigned by Taylor Made Agency, agent, was bougth for $500,000 by Live Oak Plantation.

Three Md-breds were sold, a colt by Practical Joke out of In My Time (Hip 69), consigned by C & S Thoroughbreds, sold for $185,5000 to Hideyuki Mori, a colt by Yaupon out of Make Amends (Hip 82) consigned by Blue Grass Thoroughbred for Country Life Farm & Make Amends LLC sold for $200,000 to Havertz Stables, and a colt by Gun Runner out Nasty (Hip 102) consigned by Northview Stallion Station, David Wade agent, was sold for $400,000 to Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners, Bridlewood, Robert LaPenta.

"The RNA rate at an elite horse sale was 20%, which is pretty remarkable," said Browning. "It sure started off very well. We're looking forward to tomorrow night."

During the opening session, 77 yearlings sold for $38,910,00.

The gross rose 26.4% from the comparable session in 2023, when 74 yearlings sold.

The year-over-year session average rose 21.5% to $505,325 from $416,014 in 2023.

The median rose 14.3% to $400,000 from $350,000 during the first session last year.

The RNA rate was 20.6%.