Fasig-Tipton Midlantic opening session holds up against last year's record numbers

A filly from the first crop of Girvin sold for $725,000 as young sires reigned on the opening day of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale on Monday at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium.

Fasig-Tipton reported 172 juveniles sold on Monday, the first of two sessions in this sale, for $15,755,700. In last year's opening session, 170 horses sold for $15,826,500.

Monday's average price was $91,603, a mild dip of 2 percent from $93,097 last year. The session-to-session median did improve 11 percent, to $50,000 from $45,000. The buyback rate rose to 26 percent, compared to 19 percent in the comparable session last year.

Some declines, or a plateau in the figures, is to be expected at this sale, as the Midlantic auction set records for gross, average, and median in the 2021 renewal. With that in mind, the gain in median on the first day is an encouraging sign, particularly with several strong lots drawn in tomorrow's selection of horses. Those include the Bernardini colt who worked the fastest furlong in a decade at the pre-sale under tack show, going in 9 4/5 seconds last week.

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As far as Monday's action went, however, it was the filly by Girvin who took a star turn, selling to bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, on behalf of owner Michael Lund Petersen. This is the first crop for Girvin, a Tale of Ekati horse who stands at Ocala Stud in partnership with Airdrie Stud and racetrack owners Brad and Misty Grady. Girvin won the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational in 2017, along with the Grade 2 Louisiana Derby and Grade 2 Risen Star. He sired his first winner on May 5, as Devious Dame rolled by 5 1/2 lengths on debut at Churchill Downs.

Girvin's session-topping filly, who worked a furlong in 10 1/5 seconds during last week's under-tack preview on the dirt track at Timonium, was consigned by Paul Sharp, as agent. She is out of the Smart Strike mare Sweet Pistol, whose lone starter to date is a winner.

Sweet Pistol is out of three-time graded stakes winner Pomeroys Pistol. That mare, who was also multiple Grade 1-placed, produced Grade 2 winner Thousand Words.

The second highest-priced horse of the opening session, and the highest-priced colt, was also by a freshman sire, as a Bolt d'Oro colt sold for $675,000 to Spendthrift Farm and Frank Fletcher, in partnership. Spendthrift stands Bolt d'Oro, a Grade 1-winning son of Medaglia d'Oro. The freshman is already the sire of a pair of winners.

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This New York-bred colt, who was among the large group tied for the second-fastest furlong of the breeze show at 10 seconds flat, was consigned by Pike Racing, as agent. He is out of the stakes-placed Aldebaran mare Shine Softly, dam of six winners from as many starters, including stakes winner The Grass Is Blue. Shine Softly is out of champion turf mare and multiple stakes producer Soaring Softly, and this is the extended family of champion Wavering Girl.

Overall, five of the top 10 lots on the day were by freshman sires, with Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming ($550,000 colt), Grade 1 winner Ransom the Moon ($375,000 colt), and Belmont Stakes winner Tapwrit ($340,000 colt) also making the leaderboard.

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