Inaugural ELiTE Draft at F-T Saratoga Sale

While ELiTE may still be considered wet behind the ears, the young operation has seen much success since its inception in 2017. It has climbed to yet another milestone, offering a draft for the first time at the premier Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. For their first trip through the Henry S. Finney Pavilion Aug. 7, ELiTE will send a filly by freshman sire Tom's d'Etat through as Hip 15 on the first night. Her dam, Catherinethegreat, was a winner here at Saratoga in the 2018 Schuylerville Stakes (G3); this is the second foal from the Uncaptured mare. "Hip 15 is a homebred for WinStar Farm. The mare could really run; she won the Schuylerville (G3) out here," Bradley Wesibord, founder and managing partner of ELiTE, said. "Her 2-year-old, by Yoshida, is in training and breezing at WinStar, and her foal of this year is a colt by Constitution." Next through the ring Monday will be the Tapit colt consigned as Hip 35, out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Durable Goods for Kentucky breeder White Birch Farm. The colt boasts the family of English stakes winner Alidiva, a producer of the globetrotting multiple group 1 winner Taipan. The Italian and German high-weighted Champion is a half sibling to multiple group 1 winner Ali-Royal and One Thousand Guineas (G1) victress Sleepytime, both by Royal Academy. "Mr. Brant made a late decision to enter a few for Saratoga; these two were raised at Claiborne," Weisbord commented. "They have been in sales prep with Collier Mathes for the past 30 days and are two of the nicest horses in his group. They fit in well up here, one colt and one filly—Peter was a big seller of yearlings back in the day but hasn't sold as many yearlings since he got back into the game. His broodmare band has become extremely powerful, so he will be selling more yearlings, and this is his kick-off." The last of the trio, a Curlin filly whose More Than Ready brother Verrazano won the 2013 Haskell Invitational Stakes (G1) and Wood Memorial (G1), along with collecting three more grade 1 placed efforts for Coolmore Partners, will be on offer. Out of the Giant's Causeway mare Enchanted Rock, the White Birch Farm bred chestnut's page includes the grade 2 winning son of Pulpit, El Padrino, and stakes-placed La Madrina, by Tapit. "I think they fit in extremely well here, everybody knows you need exceptional physicals, and these three have a good pedigree to match," said Weisbord. "The Tom's d'Etat is a very nice physical out of a young mare that could run. Peter paid $2 million for Enchanted Rock in 2017, and this colt is a half to Verazano and goes into a very deep family. When you bring a Curlin filly, the way she looks with her physical and some pedigree, she will sell well. The colt out of Durable Goods, even though he's a little light up front in the first two dams, he's a very nice physical and by Tapit. All three will stack well with Saratoga's medium plus." The team of co-founder and partner Liz Crow, sales director/coordinator Katelyn Jackson, client liaison Jake Memolo, and Weisbord added to their winning roster long-time consignor Beth Bayer and recent Darley Flying Start grad Samantha Bussanich. "We didn't feel we had the right team to handle buying and selling until we had a few key additions," Weisbord said. "Both Liz and Katelyn led the buying division and were never going to be involved as the selling arm. We hired Beth at the beginning of this year; everyone knows her, and she is a true professional in everything she does with people and horses. It was key for ELiTE to have the right hires before launching the yearling selling division. Last year we also hired Sam Bussanich as our assistant sales coordinator. Between myself, Beth, and Sam, we feel we can handle selling boutique drafts for clients we manage all year long or some of our own stock." ELiTE has recorded a high striking rate, selling 94-95% of their draft at each of the racing stock sales over the years, a result backed by market insight and realistic reserves. Known for their 'passports,' which offer analysis of past performances, Thoro-Graph, Ragozin Sheets, and upcoming races to suit each horse offered, it's no surprise buyers find success with ELiTE. "I don't expect to take on a lot of horses as we have grown with the horses of racing age," said Weisbord. "It is an extension of buying yearlings for the past seven or eight years; we know what buyers are looking for. Another key is we have Liz on the inspection team, and she can give a fair assessment between May and October of where your yearling stacks up. She will be out inspecting all of the 200 yearlings at this sale and will be able to tell our selling clients realistically where they stack up in this specific sale, and I think that makes our team more dangerous."