Fasig-Tipton Kentucky yearling sale: Empire Maker colt brings $750K during second session of four-day auctiion

LEXINGTON, Ky. - An Empire Maker colt sold for the significant price sum of $750,000 as the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale, the finale for the yearling sale season calendar, hit its midway point with continued gains.

Fasig-Tipton reported that 280 horses changed hands Tuesday during the second of four sessions for a gross of $13,960,200. That figure was up 75 percent from the corresponding second of four sessions at the 2020 sale, when 241 horses brought $7,996,700. Through two sessions, the Fasig October sale has grossed $24,977,100, putting last year's final four-session gross of $32,743,700 within reach during tomorrow’s third session, if the sale continues at its current pace.

Tuesday's average price was $49,858, jumping 50 percent from $33,181 in last year's comparable second session. The day's median was $25,000, soaring 67 percent from $15,000. The buyback rate was 17 percent, against 20 percent.

“More important than [the figures] was just the continued level of activity,” Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning Jr. said. “Great RNA rate overall, folks walked in there with reserves that were getting doubled and tripled consistently, an energetic crowd. It’s a pretty fun time to be selling horses right now.”

High-ticket horses at the top of the market - the $750,000 Empire Maker colt sold Tuesday, and the $700,000 Tapit colt who topped Monday's opening session - have helped to push the average up compared to the same point of last year's sale. Through two sessions, the cumulative average price sits at $45,085, spiking 35 percent from $33,518 at this point last year.

The sale-leading Empire Maker colt was purchased by Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stables from the consignment of Machmer Hall Sales, as agent. The colt is the most expensive horse sold at Fasig October since an $800,000 Smart Strike filly topped the 2013 sale.

From the final crop of Empire Maker, the sales topper was co-bred by the late Kentucky lawyer and horseman Tom Conway, in partnership with Calvin Crane. Conway died last month.

“He was so passionate about the game, and he was such a lovely man,” Machmer Hall principal Carrie Brogden said. “He would call me, he wanted to talk about his horse all the time. I knew this one could be really special – I didn’t know if the stars were going to align completely like they did.”

The colt is out of the Street Cry mare Stop Time, whose lone starter is a winner. Stop Time is out of French Oaks winner Musical Chimes, who went on to become a Grade 1 winner in the U.S.

Musical Chimes is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1-winning millionaire Music Note, the dam of Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide and Grade 3 winner Gershwin. This is the family of champions Balanchine and It's in the Air, as well as Grade/Group 1 winners Alverta, Art Connoisseur, Glencadam Gold, Saoirse Abu, State of Rest, Storming Home, Trust In a Gust, and West Wind.

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