Strong Catalog Assembled for Fasig-Tipton October Sale - BloodHorse

The final North American yearling auction of 2024 is set to commence as Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky October Yearlings Sale takes place Oct. 21-24 in Lexington. A total of 1,614 yearlings have been cataloged to sell during the four-day sale with sessions beginning each day at 10 a.m. ET.

"I think at this point in the year with the yearling sales season, we have a pretty good idea of what to expect," said Boyd Browning Jr., president and CEO of Fasig-Tipton. "I think that we'll have a very strong market in many, many places. The activity on the ground has been very positive. Plenty of lookers on Saturday and Sunday.

"There's some very nice horses on the grounds, we know what the market is, it can be selective at times, but there still seems to be a real demand in the industry for what seem to be the better quality horses."

The catalog features several offspring out of graded-stakes producing mares, including producers of grade 1 winners and stallions. Hip 456, consigned by Gainesway, agent, is by Gun Runner and is a half brother to Volatile , winner of the Alfred H. Vanderbilt Handicap (G1) and an exciting young stallion who stood the 2024 season at Three Chimneys Farm for an advertised fee of $15,000. Hip 1195 is a Curlin filly who is a half sister to Casa Creed , winner of back-to-back editions of the Fourstardave Handicap (G1T) in 2022 and 2023 and also a two-time winner of the Jaipur Stakes (G1T) in 2021 and 2022. Casa Creed will stand his first year at Mill Ridge Farm near Lexington for an advertised fee of $10,000 in 2025.

There is a variety of sires throughout the catalog, including yearlings by such popular stallions as Triple Crown winner Justify , five-time leading sire Into Mischief , red-hot Darley stallion Nyquist , Gainesway's promising young stallion McKinzie , and Taylor Made's stalwart Not This Time .

"It's a very strong catalog, we're very pleased with the quality of horses and the sire power that we have," said Browning. "We've got some nice pedigrees and some very nice individuals on the grounds. We've got some very positive feedback from people who have been out looking so far."

The October Sale continues to produce graded stakes-winning graduates each season, including this year's Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Thorpedo Anna . The daughter of Fast Anna was purchased by trainer Kenny McPeek for $40,000 at the 2022 sale from the Grovendale consignment. In addition to her heroics in the Oaks, Thorpedo Anna has captured three other grade 1 races in 2024, her most recent being a victory in the Cotillion Stakes (G1) at Parx Racing Sept. 21.

Another recent sales graduate is Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1T) hopeful May Day Ready , winner of the Jessamine Stakes (G2T) Oct. 4, who was purchased at last year's sale for $60,000.

Other notable alumnae include champion Goodnight Olive , who won consecutive editors of the Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Sprint (G1) in 2022-23, Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) winner Nobals , and Nakatomi , winner of this year's Vanderbilt Handicap.

"The quality of horses in this sale continues to improve every year," Browning said. "Consignor's confidence level continues to grow, and they're willing to bring quality horses here. As a result, the success of the graduates continues to improve."

Last year's sale produced total gross receipts of $51,120,000, including private sales, from 1,064 head sold. The average came in at $48,045 with a median of $24,000. Overall, 291 horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 21.5%.

The highest-priced horse sold during the 2023 sale was a colt by Justify out of Palace Princess , who went for $725,000 to Jessie Longoria, agent for Kiehne and Brunson, from the Hunter Valley Farm consignment. The highest-priced filly was a daughter of Curlin out of the stakes-placed mare Munchkin Money . Donato Lanni purchased the Denali Stud-consigned filly for $460,000 on behalf of Michael Lund Petersen.

Mike Ryan was the leading buyer with 10 purchases totaling $2,195,000. McPeek secured 14 head for $1,059,000. Taylor Made led all consignors with 80 yearlings sold for $5,414,500.

"The buyers now consider it a very legitimate sale, a sale that most of them can't afford to miss," said Browning. "When you see most of the major outfits represented with the owners themselves here, trainers and agents here; we would expect to have a catalog full of outstanding horses from 2024 sale graduates in 2026 and 2027. It's a function of people gaining more confidence in the sale, which continues to improve every year, and it certainly looks that way again this year."

Hips 1-404 will head to the ring Monday, Oct. 21 starting at 10 a.m. As of Sunday evening, Fasig-Tipton has reported 184 outs.