Spendthrift Farm's multiple leading sire Into Mischief had two yearlings roar into seven-figure territory eight hips into the Aug. 11 second session of Fasig-Tipton's The Saratoga Sale. A colt and a filly sold for a combined $4.1 million.
Warrendale Sales, as agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised, hit the first home run with a bay colt (Hip 121) that sold for $2.6 million to a partnership that includes Delta Squad Racing, Whisper Hill Farm, and Spendthrift Farm. Breeder Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings also stayed in as a partner. The colt is out of grade 2 winner Vault (Jump Start), who is a half sister to grade 1 winner Mirth and two other stakes-placed winners.
"Yesterday night a year ago was the first time I bought a horse, we bought a Maclean's Music. Since then, we've ramped up pretty quick. We have about 30 horses in the stable now. We've met some great people along the way, including Ned and the Gustavsons," said Delta Squad's Josh Isner, referring to Spendthrift Farm's chief operating office and general manager Ned Toffey and owners Tamara Hughes Gustavson and Eric Gustavson. "It was very nice that Stonestreet stayed in as well. And Mrs. Pope was able to join as well, so it all worked out. Obviously, he's a very nice colt and we are excited about him."
"We thought that this was a horse that would require some (financial) help," Toffey said. "We thought he'd be expensive. He's a very nice colt, and it's mostly people that we've partnered with at some point or another. And when we compared notes, he wound up on everyone's list."
"He's a big impressive horse," Toffey continued. "He's got a lot of Into Mischief about him, and he's a beautiful mover. He's a big, powerfully made horse, but he gets over the ground and he's so light on his feet. So, just a neat horse, and he comes from a wonderful operation that has an incredible track record for raising good horses."
Spendthrift and Delta Squad also partnered on Hip 129, a Not This Time colt out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Way too Pretty. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Hip 129 brought $1.7 million and was also bred by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings. Both Isner and Toffey remarked on the strength of the sale and the eye-popping prices the yearlings were commanding.
"What we got him for is pretty close to where we had him, a little higher than we felt like we'd have to go, but that's the ball game," Toffey said.
"Last night prepared me for the price tag of the horse," said Isner, who with Cosmo Stables owns this year's Haskell Stakes (G1) winner Baby Vino. "I am not sure what has happened to the rest of the crop, but apparently we are bidding on them like these are the only 200 that exist this year. We will be attempting to get a few more. There are still some on the list that we are really excited about. After that thrill of winning the Haskell in our first year, we are searching for the next one."
Filly Sets Milestone for Madden
Buckland Sales followed only two hips later with a bay filly (Hip 124) that sold for $1.5 million to Erdenheim Farm Thoroughbreds. The filly is out of grade 1 winner Vexatious, a daughter of Giant's Causeway out of grade 1 winner Dream of Summer, who is also the dam of grade 1 winner and sire Creative Cause and 2016 Tampa Bay Derby (G2) winner Destin.
It was a very emotional night for Zach Madden of Buckland Sales who sold his first horse that brought more than $1 million. He brought the bay filly to the sale for his client Brad Kelley of Calumet Farm, who bred her. Vexatious carried the Calumet silks during her racing career.
Upon returning to Barn 4 on the sales grounds, Madden was greeted by a joyous group of friends and his staff. The consignor asked that he be given a few minutes to compose himself before granting an interview.
"We flirted with selling a million-dollar horse (before) but nothing like that. I mean, she was unbelievable," he said. "I think we came up here the first time in 2015. You just realize what it all entails, like shipping a horse up here, and we've brought horses up here since then, and you know, it's hard. It's 16 hours in a van, and then it's showing constantly. You see horses wilt away, but honestly that filly was as good on her first show Friday morning up (to going in the ring).
"Obviously, she has the pedigree, by one of, if not the best sire, in the world. She deserved (that sales price)."
It was a very lucrative sale for Madden, who brought three yearlings to Saratoga. On the first night of the sale, he sold a Cody's Wish colt for $600,000 and a Practical Joke filly for $250,000.
