Fasig-Tipton Midlantic juvenile sale shows gains in opening session

A colt by young classic sire Uncle Mo sold for $1.1 million to lead the opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale, which posted gains in average and median figures Monday at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium.

Fasig-Tipton reported 152 horses sold during Monday's opening session of the two-day sale for gross receipts of $12,632,500. Last year's opening session -- with the auction held in its traditional slot in mid-May, as this year's renewal was postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic -- finished with 172 horses sold for $12,066,000.

Monday's average price finished at $83,109, a session-to-session gain of 18 percent compared to $70,151. The median was $40,000, up 11 percent from $36,000 in the comparable session. The buyback rate was also encouraging, finishing at 20 percent compared to 23 percent.

Last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale finished with record gross and average figures and its second-highest median of all time. That renewal was led by future Grade 1 winner Gamine, who sold for a sale-record $1.8 million to Michael Lund Petersen, with Donato Lanni acting as agent. Petersen and Lanni struck again for Monday's session topper by Uncle Mo, selecting him from the consignment of Pike Racing, as agent. The Virginia-bred colt worked a furlong in 10 seconds flat during last week's under-tack preview show at Timonium, making him one of a dozen juveniles tied for the fastest work at that distance.

The colt is out of the winning Mineshaft mare Miss Ocean City, dam of the Grade 2-winning juvenile Azar. Miss Ocean City is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Woodlander and to stakes winner Admiral Alex, as well as to Miner's Secret, the dam of Grade 2 winner Coal Front and stakes winner Conquest Titan. This is the extended family of Belmont Stakes winner Go and Go, as well as Grade/Group 1 winners Casual Conquest, Emerging Talent, Media Puzzle, Refuse to Bend, Summer Love, and Twilight Agenda.

Bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle signed for the day's other two juveniles to sell for $500,000 or more. A colt from the first crop of Not This Time sold for $650,000, while a filly by leading sire Into Mischief brought $500,000.

For hip-by-hip results, click here. The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale concludes with a Tuesday session.