Fasig-Tipton California sale features only yearlings in 2024

The Fasig-Tipton California fall yearling sale, the state’s premier annual auction, arrives Tuesday at Fairplex in Pomona with a slightly different format this year and after mixed results in 2023.

This year’s catalog consists entirely of yearlings, a change from last year when the sale included a group of horses of racing age.

In 2023, the sale had an average of $31,089, an increase of 1.8 percent from 2022, and a median of $15,000, a decline of 11 percent from $17,000 in 2022.

Overall last year, 185 horses sold for $5,751,500, a decline from 2022 when 205 horses sold for $6,257,100, according to sale company statistics.

As of Friday morning, there were 260 prospects remaining from a catalog of 277, with further withdrawals likely before the sale begins at 11 a.m. Pacific. In 2023, 281 horses went through the ring.

Tuesday’s sale comes at a time of turmoil in the state. Purses have been reduced at Del Mar, Los Alamitos, and Santa Anita in the last year because of a decline in handle. The Northern California circuit is in a state of uncertainty following the closure of Golden Gate Fields in June. A nine-week meeting will be run at Pleasanton beginning Oct. 19 to replace dates previously conducted at Golden Gate Fields.

Tuesday’s auction consists almost entirely of California-breds and includes yearlings by nine of the 10 leading stallions in progeny earnings this year – Stay Thirsty, Grazen, Smiling Tiger, Clubhouse Ride, I’ll Have Another, Sir Prancealot, Mr. Big, Stanford, and Danzing Candy.

There are first-crop yearlings by Halladay, Lexitonian, Maxfield, Mo Forza, Raging Bull, Silver State, Tap Back, and Yaupon.

There are 19 yearlings by Mo Forza, Sir Prancealot, and Stay Thirsty, the most of any stallions.

The yearlings include Hip No. 80, a filly by City of Light who is a half-sister to the sprint stakes winner Air Force Red; Hip No. 96, a Stay Thirsty colt who is a full brother to the stakes winner Finneus and a half-brother to the stakes winner Fi Fi Pharoah; and Hip No. 101, a Kentucky-bred colt by Mendelssohn who is a half-brother to Ag Bullet, winner of the Grade 2 Ladies Turf Sprint Stakes on Aug. 31 at Kentucky Downs.

Last year, 12 horses were listed as sold for $100,000 or more, a group led by a Vronsky colt purchased for $250,000 by West Point Thoroughbreds. Now named Miles Finch, the colt has yet to start. He worked at Santa Anita last Monday.

A half-sister to last year's sale topper by Acclamation (Hip No. 278) is cataloged to sell this year as part of the Harris Farms consignment. The filly is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Kings River Knight.

In 2022, 14 yearlings were bought for $100,000 or more, compared to 17 in 2021.

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