Two Justify colts top first session of Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A $500,000 Justify colt led the opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale, which began its four-day run on Monday.

Fasig-Tipton reported 257 yearlings sold Monday at its Newtown Paddocks headquarters in Lexington for gross receipts of $11,224,800.

In last year's first of four sessions, 253 yearlings brought $12,342,100.

The session's average price was $43,676, a drop of 10 percent compared to $48,783 in last year's first session.

The median dropped 26 percent, to $20,000 from $27,000. The buyback rate was unchanged at 26 percent.

Session to session comparisons for this sale, which wraps up the North American yearling sale season, will be less meaningful than the final figures at the end of the sale. Although this is a large sale, with 1,605 yearlings cataloged - second only to the bellwether Keeneland September auction in terms of size - this event is an open sale, and is not divided into books or sessions based on the perceived quality of the horses.

Yearlings are instead slotted alphabetically based on their dam's name. Because of that, horses targeted by different segments of the marketplace could come in any session, thus affecting that day's comparable figures.

The session-topping Justify colt was purchased by Gavin O'Connor, as agent for John Stewart. The owner went on a buying spree at the Keeneland September sale, purchasing 13 yearlings, including two seven-figure lots, for a total of $8,425,000 to rank among the sale's leading buyers by gross.

The top two highest-priced yearlings of Monday's session were by Triple Crown winner Justify, who, in the midst of a successful international season, has had his fee raised to $200,000 for 2024 at Coolmore's Ashford Stud, ranking him among the highest-priced stallions in Kentucky.

Justify's current yearlings, including this session-topper and a $300,000 colt, were conceived on a $125,000 fee in his third season at stud.

The session topper, a May foal who was consigned by Woods Edge Farm, as agent, is out of the stakes-placed French Deputy mare Champagne Royale. She is the dam of seven winners from eight starters, including Grade 1-winning millionaire Majestic Harbor, and fellow Grade 1 winner Danza, third in the 2014 Kentucky Derby.

Champagne Royale is also the dam of stakes-placed Tickled Pink, and of Totally Tucker, dam of graded stakes winners Super Steed and Totally Boss.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.

:: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.