Bernardini filly tops inaugural Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita 2-year-old sale

ARCADIA, Calif. – A Bernardini filly bought for $11,500 as a yearling was resold for $420,000 at Wednesday’s Fasig-Tipton Santa Anita 2-year-olds in-training sale, the most expensive hip of the new auction.

Kentucky-based Fasig-Tipton has moved into the California sales market this year, replacing Barretts Sales, which ceased operations last year. Wednesday’s sale is the only 2-year-old in-training sale in California this year.

The leading filly was purchased by Sarah Kelly, who was represented by Donato Lanni. The filly worked a furlong in 10.2 seconds in a training session on Monday, the fastest work at the distance. Bob Baffert will train the filly, Lanni said.

“I think she had an exceptional work and I wasn’t the only person to see that,” Lanni said. “She’s a real classy filly. Bob liked her. She’s pretty straightforward.”

The filly is out of Elbe, by Dansili, and was the winner of a maiden race at Doncaster, England, as a 2-year-old. Elbe is the dam of two winners, both fillies – Estrella Del Norte and Limari.

Last October, the filly was purchased by 7 Kings at the Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale in Kentucky. She was consigned to Wednesday’s sale, by Kings Equine, agent.

Overall, 69 horses sold for a gross of $3,769,500, and an average of $54,630. The median was $30,000. From a catalog of 169 prospects, there were 39 horses listed as not sold and 61 withdrawn, according to data released by Fasig-Tipton.

“I think we established a good foundation,” said Boyd Browning, Fasig-Tipton’s president and chief executive officer. “I hoped that we’d have a vibrant marketplace at various levels.”

Last year, Barretts had a catalog of 169 horses for its 2-year-old in-training sale at Del Mar in April, with 75 sold for an average of $86,413. There were 40 horses listed as not sold and 54 withdrawn from that sale.

Wednesday, 10 horses sold for $100,000 or more.

The most expensive colt, by Tapiture, was purchased for $350,000 by Phoenix Thoroughbreds early in the sale. Tom Ludt, the head of operations for Phoenix in the United States, bid on the colt while standing in the company of Baffert. Monday, the colt worked a quarter-mile in 21.20 seconds, the fastest time at the distance.

“He did it well,” Ludt said of the workout. “He stood out and I knew he would be expensive.

“Let’s hope he carries it more than a quarter-mile,” Ludt said with a smile. “It’s a small boutique sale and I thought he stood out.”

The colt was consigned by Tom McCrocklin, agent for Solana BeachSales Bloodstock, a group that includes Gary Fenton and Billy Koch of the Little Red Feather racing partnership. The colt was listed as sold to McCrocklin, agent for Solana Beach Sales Bloodstock, for $100,000 at the 2018 Keeneland September yearling sale.

This is the first crop by Tapiture, a Tapit horse who earned $1,536,820 in a career highlighted by a win in the Grade 2 West Virginia Derby in 2014. He was 15th behind California Chrome in the Kentucky Derby that year.

The colt is out of Awesomekaylee, a 10-year-old mare by Awesome Again, who was unplaced in one start. Awesomekaylee is the dam of the two-time stakes winner The Money Monster.