Star-Studded Catalog Sets Stage for F-T Saratoga Sale

The stage is set for a high-stakes showdown as the historic Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale returns Aug. 10-11 for its 105th edition, set to showcase an elite selection of top-quality yearlings. A premier catalog of 230 yearlings has been assembled for the two-day sale. Following last year's record-breaking Saratoga sale, consignors anticipate another exceptional showcase and a vibrant marketplace—an optimism fully supported by the high energy and activity on the sales grounds. "We keep data year-to-year on traffic, and we're right on par with last year at the same stage, and last year was incredible," said Taylor Made president and CEO Mark Taylor. "I think sometimes you can just feel it. To me, there's just a sense of eagerness to get back into the yearling market at the high end. The July sale went really well, but to me, I feel a lot of the owners are excited to be here." The catalog attracted the usual trademark of elite pedigrees and standout physicals. Taylor Made brings a large offering of 39 yearlings, including a half sister (Hip 81) to grade 1 winner Commandment, who was recently a game second to Renegade in the Aug. 1 Jim Dandy Stakes (G2) just a few blocks away at Saratoga Race Course. The filly, Hip 81, is by first-crop sire Elite Power and out of the grade 1-winning mare Sippican Harbor. Her half brother by Curlin sold for $600,000 to Marquee Bloodstock at Fasig-Tipton's Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale in the spring. "She's a lot like Commandment when Commandment was a yearling," Taylor said. "I would say medium-sized, very powerful and well-balanced. I've seen a few Elite Powers, and I've been very impressed with them overall. But this filly, to me, looks like a racehorse. "I think that with the update, not only Commandment, but the second dam (Blossomed) has filled in so much. You've had (multiple graded stakes winner) Royal Spa, (stakes winner) Crudo, and Awesome Result, all in the last few years. That pedigree has taken off and I think a lot of people love that about her too." A horse sure to attract a lot of attention is Hip 54, a colt from the last crop of the late Uncle Mo out of the grade 1-winning Rachel's Valentina—a daughter of Hall of Famer and 2009 Horse of the Year Rachel Alexandra. "Uncle Mo stamps his horses; he's so prepotent. This horse (Hip 54) has beautiful balance and athleticism, and he's correct," Taylor said. "He's got quality, and of course he's Stonestreet-bred and raised, which gives you an extra level of confidence." Another horse Taylor is excited about is the already named Aeon (Hip 65), a colt by Taylor Made's marquee stallion Not This Time out of the Medaglia d'Oro mare Sabbatical, who is a full sister to Browse, the dam of UAE Two Thousand Guineas (G3) winner Six Speed. Sabbatical is out of the A.P Indy mare Daydreaming, a full sister to Girolamo and Accelerator, making Sabbatical a half sister to grade 1 winner and millionaire Imagining (Giant's Causeway). "He's a beautiful, beautiful colt, great pedigree, bred by D.J. Stable," Taylor said. "He's a pretty, two-turn horse. If you're thinking about winning classic races, he's the prototype of what you're looking for." Jon and Leonard Green's D.J. Stable bred Saturday's Whitney Stakes (G1) runner-up and last year's 3-year-old champion filly Nitrogen. D.J. Stable will also offer Hip 189 with Taylor Made, a filly by Not This Time out of the mare Earth Strike, who is a half sister to multiple group 1 winner Order of St George (IRE). Siblings to Highest-Priced Colt and Filly A unique highlight of this year's sale is the inclusion of full siblings to last year's top-selling colt and filly. Hip 91 is a full brother to last year's $4.1 million sale topper, bought by Coolmore and White Birch Farm. The Into Mischief colt out of the multiple graded stakes-placed Tapit mare Stellar Sound is offered by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent for Don Alberto. "He's been very popular. We're excited about him," said Jes Sikura, director of bloodstock at Hill 'n' Dale. "I saw him a few times over the summer at Don Alberto's farm, and he's come along really well." Another highlight offering from the Hill 'n' Dale consignment is Hip 118, a filly by Good Magic out of multiple grade 1 winner and dual Eclipse Award winner Unique Bella. Last year's highest-priced filly was the first foal offered at public auction out of the grade 1-winning mare Paradise Woods. The Lane's End-consigned filly by Gun Runner was purchased for $2.6 million by Love/Linton, agent for Boyd Racing. The filly, now named Tennesseesmokeshow, is currently in training in Saratoga and has published two works, according to Equibase. Hip 43, a chestnut full brother to last year's highest-priced filly, will also be consigned by Lane's End on behalf of his breeder, Tranquility Lake Farms. Paradise Woods has two foals to race, both winners. Heartwood Farm Launches Debut Consignment Juan Aguilar and Sarah Sutherland launched Heartwood Farm in April, a Thoroughbred boarding and sales consignment operation located near Paris, Ky., previously operated as Indian Creek, where Aguilar and Sutherland worked together for many years. Debuting at North America's premier yearling sale, ranked No. 1 by percentage of grade 1 winners, marks the ultimate launchpad for Heartwood Farm's next chapter. "It feels wonderful to be coming up here under our own name," Sutherland said. "We put a lot of work in to get to this point, so it's nice to actually see it in physical form now, and we've been blown away by the support we've received over the last few days here. "I think part of it feels very familiar, and it's a place we're comfortable. It's been a great sale for us over the last couple of years, but there is a renewed sense of energy and definitely some nerves associated with it too, which is normal. But we're very excited to be here." Heartwood brings a group of five intriguing yearlings to the two-day sale, including a full brother (Hip 136) to multiple graded stakes winner Barnes, whom Indian Creek sold as a yearling at the 2023 Saratoga sale for $3.2 million to Donato Lanni, agent for Zedan Racing. Hip 136 is out of the American Pharoah mare All American Dream and was bred in Kentucky by Jeff Drown and Don Rachel. Hip 154 is also a son of Into Mischief and the first foal of the Curlin mare Beyond Perfection, who is a half sister to 2017 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Always Dreaming and grade 1 winner Hot Dixie Chick, who produced grade 1 winner Pauline's Pearl. "They're very nicely bred horses, and I think they have the physicals to match," Sutherland said. "So far they have been very well-received, which is great. Hopefully things will line up and the market will support us." Heartwood will also offer a Justify half brother (Hip 133) to multiple grade 1 winner and new sire Carl Spackler (IRE). Hip 133 was bred in Kentucky by Fifth Avenue Bloodstock out of the graded stakes-winning More Than Ready mare Zindaya. "This is a great place to bring top-caliber horses, and we tried to do that. Hopefully it works out for everybody," Sutherland said. "The energy on the grounds feels fantastic. This is such a great sale for horses to be showcased. Everybody comes in a good mindset. They're happy to be here. They take their time; they're thorough, and I think if you have the right horses, it translates really well. It feels great, similar to past years, maybe even a little bit better, I'd say." 2025 Statistics Last year's record-breaking sale saw 161 horses change hands for gross receipts of $100,845,000, including private sales. The average was a healthy $626,366 and the median was $450,000. Twenty-five horses sold for $1 million or more. Resolute Bloodstock led the buyers with five purchases totaling $5,425,000. Taylor Made reigned supreme atop the consignors, selling 27 from their draft for $16,185,000. Hips 1-114 will head to the ring Monday evening starting at 6:30 p.m. ET, with Hips 115-230 slated to head to the ring Tuesday. As of Sunday evening, Fasig-Tipton had reported 30 outs. "Fasig has done a nice job of putting together a great catalog. It's not a huge number of horses, and we've got a lot of people here, so that's usually a recipe for success for a good horse sale," Taylor said.