Fasig-Tipton announced July 1 that it will eliminate timed workouts and restrict crop use beginning at the under tack show for next year's Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The sales company stated the changes are an effort to emphasize the natural athleticism of the horse.
All under tack show performances will be untimed, and Fasig-Tipton will not officially clock any breezes. Riders will be able to carry a crop for safety purposes, but they may not strike the horses during workouts.
"These changes reflect our commitment to improving our 2-year-old sales process," said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning. "We believe buyer focus has skewed too heavily toward stopwatch-based evaluations. This approach is intended to restore balance—emphasizing how a horse moves and presents itself on the track."
Fasig-Tipton's decision was based in part on an unplanned but revealing trial during this year's Midlantic May sale. Severe weather prompted the company to adjust the final day of the under tack show to untimed gallops and breezes. The response was overwhelmingly positive.
Clovis Crane of Crane Thoroughbred Services showed support for Fasig-Tipton's decision Tuesday. The Midlantic May Sale is close to his home base in Lebanon, Pa.
"It's a sweeping change," Crane said. "I think, at the end of the day, it's the best thing for the horse. Is it the best thing for the pinhookers? Probably not. We buy those horses with a lesser pedigree that are just physically talented horses, and we hope to get those dream prices, because those horses are brilliant.
"It just evolves what we have to do when you're buying and selling horses. It's an evolution, and at the end of the day, it's the best thing for the horse; so we just have to adapt to the changes, that's all there is to it. We have to adapt and move forward."
Crane sold 12 juveniles at the Midlantic May Sale, for $1,015,000, topped by a Blame filly sold to Three Amigos for $350,000. The filly breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 during the under tack show. She was a $22,000 yearling purchase at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale by Rusty Roberts.
He also sold two fillies for six figures who did not record timed breezes—a filly by Union Rags who sold for $140,000 to Greg Compton, agent for Danny W. Brown, and an Omaha Beach filly who sold to Chopper Bloodstock for $125,000.
Crane said he plans to continue to support the sale.
"Pinhookers generally buy an athletic physical above all else and we look at physicals and raw talent before pedigree, and it's going to be hard to convince a whole segment of the business that they have to change.
"I think it'll just be a little different. That's about all there is to it, and you know, it's the only dirt surface to showcase your horse on. I think it worked well this year, horses sold better than many of the people thought. I think the customers that we had this year got a better product because those horses didn't go down and work speed times. I'm hearing a lot of positive feedback from the horses that we sold."
Torie Gladwell of Top Line Sales pointed out that Fasig-Tipton's new format does not rule out breezing, and said most likely agents will still be clocking the horses.
"It was brought to my attention that in Europe at the breeze-ups, they are untimed," she said. "The horses are still breezing and the largest buyers there have electronic timers set up to clock the horses themselves. Maybe it comes to that. But, the fast ones will still sell."
Gladwell and her husband Jimbo operate Top Line Sales in North Florida, one of the industry's leading consignments of 2-year-olds. Some of their top graduates include grade 1-winners Muth , Arabian Knight , Princess Noor, and Saudi Crown. They also consigned Skippylongstocking and Olivia Darling, both grade 2 winners.
"Breezing 2-year-olds helps the buyers separate the superstars from the average athlete to the lower-level performers," said Gladwell. "This normally correlates to how they perform when they enter the starting gates. Now and then, a freak will show up who didn't breeze well, but statistically, the faster 2-year-olds are the performers."
Top Line sold a Violence colt who did not record a timed breeze at this year's edition of the Midlantic May Sale for $1.05 million to Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing. Gladwell said galloping in Maryland had no impact on his price.
"The Violence colt was sold off breeze videos from our farm. The only people who bid on him had seen him breeze or videos of him breezing."
Although Gladwell is not in favor of the untimed breezes, she is very supportive of taking the whip strike away.
"I'm in favor of taking the whip strike away, and letting horses perform naturally on their own," Gladwell said. "When in Maryland, that was the comment we heard from most of the agents, how much better the horses looked performing without the use of the whip. The really good ones will stand out."
Browning echoed that statement.
"By focusing less on clock-driven evaluations and removing whip use, we believe we can create a more accessible and horse-first sales environment," Browning said. "Our aim is to better serve traditional buyers while also welcoming new owners, trainers, and end users who are interested in acquiring horses that are physically ready and mentally sound for the racetrack."
Gladwell stated she supports Fasig-Tipton and will likely bring horses next year, but it will "just have to be the right few."
One of the industry's top owners Mike Repole took to social media to share his support for Fasig-Tipton's decision, posting on X: "Let's applaud Fasig-Tipton for these very positive, safety-focused changes to the 2-year-old sales breezes. Thank you."
Browning is confident in the future of the Midlantic May Sale.
"It became an unexpected case study," said Browning. "Not only did the show present well visually, but the horses came out of their workouts in excellent condition—and the feedback from leading buyers and consignors was extremely supportive. That experience, combined with the tremendous horsemanship of our consignors, gives us the confidence to make these changes."
The 2026 Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale will take place May 18-19 in Timonium, Md., following the running of the Preakness Stakes (G1).
