Malibu Moon filly sets price record at Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling sale

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. – Larry Best walked onto the Fasig-Tipton sale grounds on Monday afternoon after attending to some other business in town, and fell in love at first sight with a daughter of prominent filly sire Malibu Moon as final preparations for the youngster's trip through the auction ring at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling sale were underway.

"I didn't intend to shop, but I had nothing to do this afternoon," said Best, who was making his first purchase at the New York-bred sale. "I started looking at horses, and here we are. My gut speaks to me, for better or worse."

Best went to $775,000, a record for the New York-bred yearling sale, to land the filly he was so taken with. Despite that filly's star turn at the top of the market, and a strong performance for young sires, the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred sale did finish with not-unexpected declines from last year's record returns.

Fasig-Tipton reported 186 horses sold during the two-session sale Sunday and Monday in Saratoga Springs, for gross receipts of $16,200,000. The average price finished at $87,097, and the median was $60,000. Those three figures represented declines of 12 percent, 19 percent, and 21 percent, respectively, from the 2018 sale, when the New York-bred auction established records for its gross, average, and median. Last year's sale finished with 172 horses sold for $18,492,000, an average of $107,512, and a median of $76,000. The buyback rate finished at 30 percent, compared to 35 percent last year.

"The RNA rate showed a pretty significant improvement this year compared to last year, which probably led to a decrease in the average price and the median," Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning said. "And we were coming off an unbelievable jump last year compared to 2017 . . . I think the New York program has matured, and is certainly, in my mind, the finest statebred program in the country."

The popularity of the New York-bred program has soared in recent years, thanks to national and international success, with Grade/Group 1 winners Audible, Bar of Gold, Diversify, Fourstar Crook, Haveyougoneaway, Mind Your Biscuits, Moanin, and Voodoo Song representing the program since 2016 alone. While the 2019 sale did finish with year-to-year declines from 2018's record returns, it did compare favorably with other recent editions of the sale. The 2016 renewal of the auction finished with a cumulative average of $77,246 and median of $60,000. In 2017, those figures were $89,000 and $69,500, respectively.

"People have confidence to buy a New York-bred," said Browning, whose auction house last week sold a pair of New York-breds for prices in excess of half a million in 'open company' at its Saratoga selected yearling sale. "I think that's a tribute to the program and the strides that it's made. When we first started, and probably as recently as 10 years ago, I think the term 'New York-bred' had a negative connotation. And I think today, it has a positive connotation, which is a tribute to the growth and success of the program, and the efforts of people who have been instrumental in the program. And hopefully, we get a smidge of credit for helping develop a sales outlet that is unique in a statebred environment, and it really is working. The sales work because the program is so good."

This year's renewal of the New York-bred sale was structured differently from previous editions, owning to the fact that Monday and Tuesday are currently dark days at Saratoga Race Course. The 2018 edition of the sale had 326 hips in the catalog, split roughly equally between the two evening sessions of the sale following Saturday and Sunday cards at Saratoga. This year's sale, with 331 hips total, staged a slightly smaller evening opening session, with 119 hips, on Sunday night after the races, with the majority of the catalog, 211 hips, offered during a Monday afternoon session.

"I think people had more time to get their looks in, and I feel like all of the horses are getting their best opportunity," bloodstock agent Nick Sallusto said of the changes. "I think it's probably an improvement."

The sale-leading Malibu Moon filly eclipsed the previous record of $600,000 paid for a Pioneerof the Nile colt at last year's New York-bred sale atop the charts, and made it four consecutive years that this sale has broken its record top price. That colt was the only horse to top the $500,000 price point at last year's sale; this year, two horses reached that threshold. However, the total number of horses sold for $250,000 or more did decline slightly, to 10 from 12, and 59 horses sold for six figures, compared to 74 to do so last year.

The Malibu Moon filly was consigned by Winter Quarter Farm, as agent for Oak Bluff Farm, which co-bred her with trainer Christophe Clement. Although his purchase was impulsive, Best, who has become a major player at yearling and 2-year-old sales in recent years, says he is playing the long game, hoping this filly will develop into a broodmare prospect for him.

"I love Malibu Moon as a broodmare sire, so I'm looking at this from a breeding standpoint, long-term," Best said. "If she wins some races, that would be really special. This is one that's very athletic, has got a shot at the track, but after racing, I'll use her as a broodmare . . . I mean, you get even further down the road [in her pedigree], there's a consistency of quality.

"That said, it's all a crapshoot," Best laughed.

The Malibu Moon filly is the second foal out of the winning Street Sense mare Savvy Sassy. The young broodmare is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Southdale, and to S S Pinafore, the dam of Grade 3 winner Plainsman. The Malibu Moon filly's third dam is Canadian classic winner Pinafore Park, a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Iron Courage and stakes winner Dance For Lucy. Farther back, it is the extended family of 1955 Kentucky Derby winner and champion Swaps and 1957 Kentucky Derby winner Iron Liege.

Following the Malibu Moon filly, the horses rounding out the top three prices were from the first or second crops of their respective sires. A filly from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Outwork, one of the first sons at stud for young classic sire Uncle Mo, sold for $500,000 to lead that quartet. Trainer Jeremiah Englehart signed the ticket on behalf of his JCE Racing, All About the Girls, and Travis Durr. The filly was consigned by Denali Stud, as agent for breeder WinStar Farm, which stands Outwork.

"We've had a few," Denali's Conrad Bandoroff said of the young sire. "They all have very nice profiles, very smooth, athletic horses. They look a lot like Uncle Mo and a lot like that sireline. They put a beautiful neck and shoulder on them. Good movers, athletic horses."

Out of the unraced Tiznow mare Light and Variable, the filly is a half-sister to English Group 3-placed stakes winner Bye Bye Hong Kong. She is also a half-sister to Our Country, who won a maiden special weight on Aug. 3 at Saratoga and is bound for stakes company in her next start. Light and Variable is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Nonna Mela and Grade 3-placed Nonna Madeline. This is the family of champion Rhythm and Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, with Grade 1 winners Bluegrass Cat, Girolamo, Got Lucky, and Imagining also appearing on the catalog page.

"First and foremost, she was a beautiful physical, and showed she had a lot of class," Bandoroff said. "Everyone was on her, and obviously she had a big update, and that goes a long way. The mare now looks like she's going to be 2 for 2 with [stakes horses]. When you bring something over here that is a physical standout with a live pedigree, it makes our job a lot easier."

Multiple Grade 1 winner Constitution, who also stands at WinStar Farm, is already the sire of graded stakes winners Amalfi Sunrise and By Your Side, and currently leads this freshman sire class by earnings. Trainer John Terranova, acting as agent for an undisclosed client, went to $340,000 to acquire a Constitution colt who led Monday's opening session.

"We were really happy we got him – we thought he was the best horse in the sale," Terranova said. "Obviously, Constitution, you see him getting off to a hot start with the 2-year-olds. He's had some versatile runners he's had on the track already."

The bottom side of the pedigree was also a selling point for Terranova. The colt, who was consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, as agent for breeder Newtown Anner Stud, is out of the winning Arch mare Akris Queen, whom Terranova trained.

"She's got a big pedigree and everything," Terranova said. "A nice, sound filly. It's nice to see her throwing a good-looking colt like that."

Akris Queen, the dam of one winner from two starters to date, is out of the stakes-winning Flying Paster mare Catnip, a half-sister to several stakes horses, including European champion Hold That Tiger and Belmont Stakes winner Editor's Note. Catnip is the dam of multiple graded stakes winner Indescribable, Grade 3 winner Micromanage, stakes winner Elaflaak, and multiple stakes producer Catchofthecentury.

Rounding out the top five prices were a $320,000 filly by Twirling Candy, sold to Tracy Farmer; and a $300,000 filly from the first crop of Eclipse Award champion sprinter Runhappy purchased by Oracle Bloodstock as agent for Reeves Racing, R. A. Hills, and Corms.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.