Four champions to sell at Fasig-Tipton's night of the stars

The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale is set to begin at 2 p.m. on Nov. 9 at the company’s Newtown Paddocks headquarters in Lexington. The sun is projected to set at 5:30 p.m.

And then, the stars will come out.

The November sale is annually billed as “the night of the stars,” and this year is no exception. The broodmares and racing or broodmare prospects who will be showcased under the lights in the back half of this year’s catalog – which through Oct. 20 numbers 266 but is still open to supplemental entries – include four champions.

That quartet is highlighted by Eclipse Award heroine Swiss Skydiver, who last year outdueled Kentucky Derby winner Authentic to win the Preakness Stakes. In total, the 4-year-old Daredevil filly is a six-time graded stakes winner – three of those Grade 1 events – at five different tracks. Swiss Skydiver will be consigned by Runnymede Farm, as agent, for owner Peter Callahan.

In a statement, Runnymede described consigning the champion and classic winner as “a unique and awe-inspiring opportunity. . . . There will be no greater honor or joy in this business than leading Peter’s champion into the Fasig-Tipton ring as a broodmare prospect.”

In addition to Swiss Skydiver, Fasig-Tipton November’s catalog includes 2014 Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly Take Charge Brandi, last year’s Eclipse champion juvenile filly Vequist, and Brazilian Horse of the Year Jolie Olimpica.

“We’ve been fortunate that folks have entrusted some of the highest-quality fillies and mares and broodmares in the world to us to sell next month,” said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning Jr., adding that the catalog includes “some fillies that have run left in them.”

Potentially falling in the latter group are several runners expected to contest Breeders’ Cup races on Nov. 6 at Del Mar before crossing the country to be offered as racing or broodmare prospects. That group is highlighted by Breeders’ Cup Distaff candidate Shedaresthedevil, whose seven graded stakes victories are highlighted by the 2020 Kentucky Oaks.

“Very excited,” said Fergus Galvin of Hunter Valley Farm, which will consign the Daredevil filly as agent. “She’s in top form right now. And not only her race record, but she’s such a physical.”

Also in this camp are Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf entrant Going to Vegas and Turf Sprint entrant Kimari. Estilo Talentoso was entered in the Filly and Mare Sprint, but scratched the day after the post position draw.

This year’s Breeders’ Cup sale contingent face an added hurdle due to the lengthy service disruption of Tex Sutton, the dominant equine air-transport company in the United States. The Breeders’ Cup has arranged with FedEx to charter two equine flights transporting horses to California for its races. Tex Sutton professional grooms have been contracted to attend to the horses on board, since regular stable grooms are not allowed on the flights.

“We’re confident we have arrangements in place to get those horses back to Kentucky safely and in a timely basis,” Browning said of the return trip. “It’s not something that just crept up – we’ve been aware of the situation.”

The Fasig-Tipton November sale is typically held on a Monday when the Breeders’ Cup takes place in California. This year, it has been pushed to Tuesday to allow an extra day for the travel and inspection of horses, with the Keeneland November breeding stock sale across town beginning Wednesday.

“All the plans are in place,” Galvin said. “I believe they’re all set to leave Sunday morning from San Diego, arrive [at the sale grounds] Sunday night. . . . It is a bit of a disruption, obviously, but Breeders’ Cup and the others, they’ve done a good job of organizing for these.”

In addition to its quartet of champions, the Fasig-Tipton November sale’s catalog includes Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf winner Aunt Pearl and additional Grade/Group 1 winners Brave Anna, Carina Mia, Dayoutoftheoffice, Duopoly, Etoile, Guarana, Hard Not to Love, Maracuja, Moonshine Memories, Perfect Alibi, Princess Moore, Queen Supreme, Sanenus, Simply Ravishing, Sipplican Harbor, and Valiance.

Proven broodmares in the catalog include the dams of Kentucky Oaks winner Serengeti Empress and Kentucky Derby first-place finisher Medina Spirit, along with the dams of Grade 1 winners Bellafina, Going to Vegas, Guarana, Search Results, and Super Stock.

Take Charge Brandi, Guarana, Guarana’s dam, Magical World, and Carina Mia are being sold to dissolve a partnership by Three Chimneys Farm and Hill ‘n’ Dale.

“Three Chimneys is a strong believer in partnerships,” Three Chimneys owner Goncalo Torrealba said. “John [Sikura, of Hill ‘n’ Dale] and I are both buyers and sellers in the market, and we both have collectively retained significant members of the families. So in light of the extraordinary strength of the current market, we agreed to offer this group at Fasig-Tipton.”

Following its usual format, the sale begins with a group of selected weanlings before moving into the broodmare section. This year’s first-crop weanling sires represented alongside proven stallions include Breeders’ Cup winners and Eclipse Award champions Mitole and Vino Rosso; Grade 1 winners Audible, Catholic Boy, Omaha Beach, World of Trouble, and Yoshida; and graded stakes winners Catalina Cruiser, Copper Bullet, Demarchelier, and Maximus Mischief.