Six yearlings selling for seven-figures and a modest buy-back rate helped deliver solid results during the Aug. 5 opening session of the two-day The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's premier yearling sale in Saratoga Springs, N.Y.
The sale held at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion produced a $505,325 average from the 77 yearlings sold, which grossed $38,910,000. The average was up 23% from last year's opening session.
Despite some bad weather, the sales grounds were packed and full of energy, especially for Hip 72, a colt by Not This Time that topped the session at $3.4 million, selling Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing.
"A really, really strong start to the opening session of the 2024 Saratoga Yearling sale. We averaged over $500,000 tonight, the median was $400,000, RNA rate at an elite horse sale at 20% is pretty remarkable," said Boyd Browning Jr., president and CEO of Fasig-Tipton.
WATCH: $3.4M Not This Time Colt Tops The Saratoga Sale Day 1
In 2023, The Saratoga Sale grossed $31,195,000 on day one (including private sales), with an average of $410,461 and a median of $337,500. Seventy-six yearlings were sold from 103 offered.
Lanni prevailed in a protracted bidding battle for Hip 72, a Nardelli-consigned colt out of the Tiznow mare Kayce Ace.
"We came here to try to buy a horse that you can get to the Derby," trainer Bob Baffert said after the sale, emphasizing the last four words. "That's why we bought him."
"Mr. Zedan and Bob Baffert really wanted this horse," said Lanni. "He's a beautiful horse and the sire has done very well. He's just a very beautiful horse and they wanted him."
Neither consignor Kim Nardelli of Nardelli Sales nor the buyer thought that the dark bay brown/colt would bring the price he did.
"We didn't expect that, but we knew he was a lovely horse," said Nardelli. "He's been lovely since the day he was born. He's always had such class, and he got here and never missed a beat."
The colt was bred by Susan Casner, whose family is traveling out of the country and listened by phone as the bidding rose.
"Bill Casner was just beside himself," said Nardelli. "He never sold a horse like that on his own."
A former trainer, Casner co-founded WinStar Farm with Kenny Troutt. He sold his interest in the farm in 2010, the same year that a colt bred and owned by WinStar, Super Saver, won the Kentucky Derby (G1).
The colt's dam is a full sibling to multiple grade 1 winner Colonel John, who retired with earnings of $1.8 million, and to Mr. Hot Stuff, grade 1-placed on dirt and a grade 1-winning steeplechase horse.
Resolute Racing's John Stewart was the leading buyer of the session, securing five yearlings for a total of $5,425,000. He was second by average at $1,085,000 to Lanni for two bought averaging $1,975,000. Besides the sale-topper, Zedan Racing acquired a Gun Runner filly (Hip 39) for $550,000 from Zach Madden's Buckland Sales. The filly is out of the A.P. Indy winner E.T. Indy.
Stewart's top purchase was a $1.7 million Gun Runner colt (Hip 75), who is a half brother to Clark Handicap (G1) winner Leofric. The gray or roan colt is out of the unraced mare Lady's Godiva (Unbridled's Song). Lady Godiva is a half sister to grade 1 placed, multiple graded stakes winner Multiple Choice.
West Bloodstock was also active, signing the ticket on five purchases for a total of $3,300,000.
Hip 85, a Curlin filly out of the graded stakes-placed mare Matera, sold for $1.9 million to West Bloodstock, agent for Robert and Lawana Low. The bay filly was consigned by Gainesway.
Taylor Made Sales Agency reigned supreme, selling 11 of the 14 yearlings offered, for a total of $3,975,000. Its average was $361,364.
"A very, very encouraging start to this sale, lots of competition, lots of energy, lots of excitement," said Browning.
WATCH: Boyd Browning Reflects on Opening Day of Saratoga Sale
The sale concludes Aug. 6, starting at 6:30 p.m. ET, with hips 121-240. The first offering of the night will be a share in Airdrie's leading freshman sire Complexity .
"We're just going to keep playing the game, the only way we know how, one hundred percent effort, one hundred percent of the time," he added.
