Lane's End hits it out of the park in Fasig-Tipton Saratoga selected yearling sale

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – The Lane’s End Farm consignment had a magical 48 hours at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga selected yearling sale to begin this month, and now looks to keep the momentum going through the rest of this summer and fall’s auctions.

Led by a filly by farm resident Quality Road who sold for $1.8 million to rank as the third-highest price of the sale, all six yearlings Lane’s End brought to the ring sold, for a staggering average price of $1,116,667. That figure was superpowered by four yearlings sold for seven figures, making the farm the first consignment in the history of the elite sale to have four million-dollar yearlings from one shed row.

“So rewarding for these breeders and everyone that’s worked so hard to get the horses to this point,” Lane’s End director of sales Allaire Ryan said. “We knew we had a nice group, but this is a thrill tonight. ... It takes a lot of hard work and luck for things to go right like this to get a horse to a select sale.”

Quality Road, the sire of Eclipse Award champions Abel Tasman, Caledonia Road, and Corniche, has become a linchpin of the Lane’s End roster, and is enjoying his best season yet, narrowly leading the national general sire earnings list through Aug. 10. He is helped immeasurably, to be sure, by his son Emblem Road, winner of the Group 1, $20 million Saudi Cup. But he is far from a one-hit wonder, with Grade 1 winner Bleecker Street, graded stakes winner Friar’s Road, and stakes winners Alydiva, Blackadder, Ethereal Road, and Park Avenue to his credit already this season.

Quality Road’s breakout sale filly, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Sweet Loretta, was bred by Lane’s End owner W.S. Farish, in partnership with Mt. Brilliant Farm. She was purchased by bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, on behalf of Zedan Racing.

The other seven-figure horses from the Lane’s End consignment were a $1.5 million Uncle Mo colt, purchased by West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing, with breeder Summer Wind Farm retaining a piece; a $1.25 million Constitution colt, purchased by Mayberry Farm; and a $1 million Into Mischief colt, purchased by Spendthrift Farm, Cypress Creek, and St. Elias Stables.

“It’s just really rewarding to see everybody’s effort culminate in a moment like this,” Ryan said. “I was standing in the back ring and in the pavilion taking pictures of [the grooms] because this is something we all take pride in, and I’m just so happy for everybody involved.”

Lane’s End now shifts focus to a three-horse consignment for the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale on Aug. 14 and 15. That includes two yearlings from the first crop of Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and Eclipse Award champion Vino Rosso, including a filly out of New York Oaks winner Temper Mint Patty, and one from the second crop of Mor Spirit.

“The sale offers a really neat opportunity in the market to bring a quality physical – because you do have to be inspected and inspected for this sale – to bring a quality physical and get a top dollar,” Ryan said. “You can’t recreate the atmosphere that is Saratoga, and the prestige that comes with the whole race meet that goes on right across the street.”