Fasig-Tipton Midlantic yearling sale posts gains

The increased interest in nearby state-bred programs manifested into gains at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic fall yearling sale on Tuesday, including a $450,000 Curlin colt bringing the second-highest price in the auction’s history.

The auction saw 268 yearlings sold for $6,436,600, up 23 percent from the 2015 edition, which saw 274 yearlings bring $5,228,800.

The average sale price saw an increase of 26 percent to $24,017 from $19,083, while the median went unchanged at $10,000. The buyback rate finished at 17 percent, a sharp drop from 27 percent in 2015.

At the top of the market, 11 yearlings changed hands for six figures, up from the five to do so last year. The number of horses to bring $50,000 or more rose to 33 from 24.

Charles Zacney of Cash Is King LLC went back to the proverbial well to buy the sale-topper, going to $450,000 for a Curlin colt, two years after buying Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia from the same sale.

The colt is the most expensive horse to sell at the Midlantic fall yearling sale since 2004, when Mark Reid Bloodstock Agency bought the Silver Deputy colt Their He Goes for an auction-record $500,000.

The chestnut colt is out of the winning Awesome Again mare Formalities Aside, whose seven foals to race are all winners, including Grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner Awesome Flower and stakes-placed runners If Not For Her, Aye d'Eclair, and Awesome Devine. He is the first foal out of Formalities Aside to change hands for six figures at public auction.

Second dam Well Dressed also produced Dubai World Cup winner Well Armed, Grade 3 winner Witty, Grade 1-placed Helsinki, and graded producer Life Well Lived, who is herself the dam of Grade 3 winner American Patriot. The extended family includes Japanese Horse of the Year Symboli Kris S.

The colt was bred in Maryland by the partnership of Dr. and Mrs. Thomas Bowman and Milton Higgins III, which bought Formalities Aside as a broodmare prospect for $30,000 at the 2005 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale.

Becky Davis consigned the colt, as agent.

Zacney purchased the day's two most expensive offerings, buying a $290,000 Uncle Mo filly out of the unplaced Two Punch mare Two Classy earlier in the day.

The sale’s top filly was bred in Pennsylvania by Charles McClay, and Two Klassy’s one winner from two runners is the Grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner Uptown Boy. Darby Dan Farm consigned the filly as agent.

Zacney bought Cathryn Sophia for $30,000 out of the 2014 Midlantic fall yearling sale. The Maryland-bred Street Boss filly has won six of nine starts for earnings of $1,229,720.

In addition to the Kentucky Oaks, Cathryn Sophia’s victories include the Grade 2 Forward Gal Stakes and Davona Dale Stakes, as well as the non-graded Princess of Sylmar Stakes and Gin Talking Stakes.

For complete sale results, click here.