Horses to watch at first session of Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale, at which industry participants have expressed optimism for continued momentum, is set to begin 7 p.m. Sunday, following the day’s racing at Saratoga. The Monday session, on a dark day, begins at noon and offers the bulk of the catalog.

While a top pedigree is not a guarantee of a top price, here are some of the horses to watch in Sunday’s opening session, largely based on their pages and recent developments on the racetrack. The selections reflect catalog updates and sale outs through Saturday.

Hip No. 333, filly by Central Banker – Liza Lu, by Menifee. Consigned by McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds, agent.
Central Banker, who stands at McMahon, has developed into one of the leading sires in New York and has been on a roll as of late. On Friday, the stallion sired a pair of statebred stakes winners at Saratoga in Bankit in the $125,000 Evan Shipman and Bank On Anna in the $125,000 Union Avenue. Later that night, Bankit was honored as the outstanding New York-bred dirt male of 2021, with Central Banker’s daughter Bank Sting claiming statebred dirt female and female sprinter honors. This offering for the stallion is out of the productive Liza Lu, dam of seven winners from eight starters. Those include stakes winner Jemography and stakes-placed Big Time Lady and Good Intent.

Hip No. 359, Freud's Fancy, filly by Freud – Miz Lynne Kelly, by Langfuhr. Consigned by Vinery Sales, agent for Allen C. Hallett.
Freud has been one of New York’s dominant sires, especially in the turf ranks, for more than a decade. Miz Lynne Kelly, who won seven races herself, has produced six winners from eight starters, including three-time stakes winner Super Surprise. This is the extended family of French champion Roi Lear.

Hip No. 378, colt by Hard Spun – Passe, by Dixie Union. Consigned by Perrone Sales, agent.
This is a half-brother to Grade 1-placed Wonder Gal, whose multiple stakes victories included the Ladies Handicap against open company and the Empire Distaff in a state showcase program. She is the dam of Wonder Wheel, winner of this year's Debutante at Churchill Downs. This also is the family of Grade 1 winner Force the Pass.

Hip No. 381, colt by Solomini – Plinking, by Talkin Man. Consigned by RFHF Bloodstock, agent.
This is the first crop for multiple Grade 1-placed Solomini, who is a son of the red-hot Curlin and from the female family of sires Midshipman and Frosted. His popularity in the state was evidenced by the size of his book, with nearly two dozen yearlings in this catalog prior to outs. Winning mare Plinking is the dam of seven winners from 10 starters, including graded stakes-placed Deciphering Dreams and Jung Man Scott and stakes-placed Amazing Anne. Plinking also is the second dam of Grade 1 winner Speech.

Hip No. 386, filly by Audible – Pursuing Justice, by To Honor and Serve. Consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent.
This is the first crop for Audible, a Grade 1-winning son of leading sire and emerging sire of sires Into Mischief. The young stallion had six of his seven lots sold at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga selected sale for a respectable $288,333. This filly is the second foal out of a winning mare, whose own dam is Grade 2-winning New York-bred Seeking the Ante, in turn out of Grade 1 winner Antespend. This is a foundation family for the breeding program of New York leaders Chester and Mary Broman, producing runners such as Grade 1 winner Friends Lake and stakes winner and producer Mineralogist. This also has been an active family this year, with Grade 2 winner Un Ojo and several winners at the ongoing Saratoga meet.

Hip No. 392, filly by Oscar Performance – Reachfortheheavens, by Pulpit. Consigned by Thorndale Farm, agent.
This is the second crop for Oscar Performance, a multiple Grade 1-winning Kitten's Joy horse who already has stakes-placed Andthewinneris in his first crop. This is a half-sister to Grade 1 Arlington Million winner Real Solution and to stakes winner Ava's Kitten, both by Kitten's Joy. It is the extended family of champion Slew o' Gold.

Hip No. 395, colt by Mission Impazible – Right Prevails, by Successful Appeal. Consigned by Sequel New York, agent.
By a successful New York sire, this is a half-brother to multiple stakes winner Barese, who continued to update the page with a recent victory in the New York Derby. He also is a half-brother to stakes-placed Breakfastatbonnies, who has increased earnings since the catalog. Unraced Right Prevails is a full sister to Grade 3 winner Closing Argument, who was second in the 2005 Kentucky Derby.