Numbers strong at Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale

The 2017 edition of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale in Timonium, Md., drew its largest catalog in six years, and the market rose to meet the quality offerings, including a $300,000 Cairo Prince colt.

This year’s edition featured a two-day format for the first time since 2011, with the first session Monday and the second on Tuesday.

A total of 312 horses sold for revenues of $7,855,100. That marked a 22 percent increase in gross from last year’s single-session sale when 268 horses brought $6,436,600.

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The average sale price closed at $25,177, up 5 percent from last year’s figure of $24,017, while the median grew 40 percent to $14,000 from $10,000.

The buyback rate finished at 29 percent, marking a significant increase from last year’s final rate of 17 percent.

Fifteen yearlings sold for six-figure prices, bettering the 11 to do so in 2016. The number of horses sold for $75,000 or more grew to 26 from 22, while transactions at $50,000 or more rose to 44 from 33.

A standout debut season continued for first-year stallion Cairo Prince at the Midlantic sale, with a colt by the Airdrie Stud resident going to Eisaman Equine for $300,000 to top the sale.

The dark bay or brown colt, named World Affairs, is out of the placed Curlin mare Current Event, whose first foal to race is a winner. The extended family includes Grade 1 winners Stephen Got Even and Artemis Agrotera, Grade 2 winner Minneapple, and Grade 3 winner Baroness Direct.

World Affairs was bred in Kentucky by Sinatra Thoroughbred Racing and Breeding, and was consigned at the Midlantic sale by Becky Davis Inc., agent. He is the first foal to sell out of Current Event, whom owner-breeder Stephen Sinatra bought for $10,000, in foal to Noonmark at the 2013 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale.

The sale-topper was the latest hit in a showcase season for Cairo Prince, highlighted earlier in the year by a colt who changed hands for a sale-record $500,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling sale.

Tuesday’s closing session saw 231 horses sold for revenues of $5,745,900. The average sale price finished at $24,874, the median landed at $14,000 and the buyback rate was 26 percent.