Records fall at Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale aided by $3.65 million Curlin colt

The Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale of 2-year-olds in training posted double-digit gains, including all-time record average and median figures, on Wednesday, led by a $3.65 million colt by prominent classic sire Curlin.

Fasig-Tipton's select Florida juvenile sale, in its fifth year since moving to Gulfstream Park, finished with 59 horses sold in the single session for revenues of $29,115,000. That was the highest since the sale moved to Gulfstream, and marked a 24 percent increase from 2018, when 61 horses garnered $23,495,000. The gain came despite an increased buyback rate, finishing at 41 percent in a highly selective market compared with 35 percent last year.

With six seven-figure juveniles leading the way, the average sale price finished at $493,475, soaring upward 28 percent from $389,746. Remarkably, the figure bested the Fasig-Tipton Florida sale’s previous high average of $403,812 set in 2006, the year The Green Monkey brought a record $16 million when the sale was held at Calder.

Wednesday's record-setting median figure was $375,000, a 27 percent year-to-year increase from $295,000. The previous high-point median of $300,000 was recorded in 2013, in an edition of the sale held at the Palm Meadows Training Center.

“[We were] very pleased with the vibrancy of the market,” Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning said. “There was a tremendous demand for a quality horse.”

The sale-topping Curlin colt was purchased by M.V. Magnier of the Coolmore group, which had an active day, both alone and in partnership, and working with several different bloodstock agents. Bloodstock agents Jamie McCalmont and Donato Lanni were listed on the ticket for the sale topper, who came from the consignment of J.J. Crupi's New Castle Farm, as agent. The colt had breezed a furlong in 10 seconds flat on Gulfstream's main track during Monday's under-tack preview show. That was tied for the third-fastest time at the distance, behind a pair of juveniles who worked in 9 4/5 seconds.

Curlin, who stands at Hill 'n' Dale Farm, has been represented by a classic winner or classic-placed runner from each of his first six crops, led by 2013 Belmont Stakes winner Palace Malice and 2016 Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator. His Fasig Gulfstream standout is out of the winning Bernardini mare Achieving, who is the dam of English stakes winner and Group 3 winner Arabian Hope and of stakes winner Counterforce. The latter is by Smart Strike, also the sire of Curlin.

Achieving is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Streaming, stakes winners Treasuring and Cascading, and stakes-placed Distracting and Gifting. Streaming and Treasuring are both by Smart Strike. Achieving's second dam is the Grade 2 winner and blue hen Better Than Honour, the dam of Belmont Stakes winners Rags to Riches and Jazil, Breeders' Cup Marathon winner Man of Iron, and Grade 2 winner Casino Drive. Rags to Riches also won the Kentucky Oaks to earn an Eclipse Award championship and is on this year's Hall of Fame ballot. Better Than Honour is a half-sister to several other stakes producers, including Maryinsky, dam of European champion Peeping Fawn and Group 1 winner Thewayyouare.

Curlin had also been represented earlier in the day by a $1.3 million filly purchased by the Coolmore group, which had an active day, in partnership with Kaleem Shah. Ben McElroy represented the partnership, as agent. The filly, consigned by Paul Sharp, as agent, had also breezed her furlong in 10 seconds flat.

The filly is out of the Luhuk mare Sarasota, a Group 2 winner in her native Argentina and the dam of six winners from as many starters. Those include Grade 1-winning millionaire Salutos Amigos, Grade 2 winner Sarah’s Secret, and Group 3-placed Sun Goddess.

A colt sold for $1.65 million to McCalmont, on behalf of Coolmore, became the ninth seven-figure horse from the blockbuster first crop of American Pharoah, who is based at Coolmore's Ashford Stud in Kentucky. American Pharoah, by the late Pioneerof the Nile, was the Eclipse Award champion juvenile male of 2014 and went on to earn Horse of the Year and divisional champion honors in 2015, when he swept the Triple Crown and three other Grade 1 events including the Breeders' Cup Classic.

The stallion's latest high-ticket colt, consigned by Eddie Woods, as agent, had worked a furlong in 10 2/5 seconds on Gulfstream's main track during Monday's under-tack preview show.

The colt is out of the Grade 2-winning Tabasco Cat mare Spice Island, the dam of 2010 Florida Derby winner and Kentucky Derby runner-up Ice Box. Spice Island's dam is a half-sister to 1985 Kentucky Derby winner and champion Spend A Buck

The auction's other top prices were a pair of 2-year-olds by Spendthrift Farm's leading juvenile sire Into Mischief sold for $1.5 million to Larry Best's OXO Equine and $1 million to Coolmore, respectively; and a $1.2 million Medaglia d'Oro colt sold to Narvick International.

Best struck again for an Into Mischief juvenile after going to a co-sale-topping $1.2 million for Grade 2 winner Instagrand at last year's Fasig Gulfstream sale. Best's latest purchase, a filly consigned by agent Tom McCrocklin, breezed a quarter mile in 20 3/5 seconds, tied for the fastest time at that distance, on Monday. The filly is out of the Empire Maker mare Specification, dam of two winners from three starters. The mare is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Skimming, and Grade/Group 1 winners Marketing Mix, Pryka, Quiff, and Wince appear on the catalog page.

Earlier in the day, Coolmore purchased the $1 million Into Mischief colt. He had breezed a furlong in 10 seconds flat, tying for the third-fastest time of the show behind a pair of juveniles who each worked in 9 4/5 seconds.

The colt, who was consigned by Steven Venosa's SGV Thoroughbreds, as agent, is the second foal out of the Smoke Glacken mare Cor Cor, a Grade 3-placed stakes winner. Cor Cor's second dam is three-time graded stakes winner Meafara, who finished second in the Breeders' Cup Sprint in both 1992 and 1993.

The Medaglia d'Oro colt, who breezed a furlong in 10 1/5 seconds, was consigned by Bobby Dodd, as agent.

The colt is out of the winning Fusaichi Pegasus mare After Thought, who is already the dam of stakes winners Annulment and Youngest Daughter. After Thought is a full sister to Grade 3 winner Ravel and a half sister to Grade 1 winner Centre Court. Champion Arazi appears on the catalog page, as well as Grade 1 winners Joyeux Danseur and Noverre.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.