Bringing a lengthy and resilient yearling auction season in Kentucky to a steady close, the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale concluded Oct. 22 with strong results, demonstrating market depth and persistent demand for high-quality horses. The overall results were anchored by the upper end of the market that produced a pair of $800,000 sale toppers during the second session of the sale.
Hip 426, a filly by Uncle Mo, went the way of Donato Lanni, agent for Lundergan Stables, and Hip 676, a colt by Into Mischief , sold to Faris Breeding.
READ: Uncle Mo Filly, Into Mischief Colt Top Day 2 at F-T
At the end of the fourth session, a total of 1,096 horses had changed hands for gross receipts of $65,920,000, including private sales. The gross was down from last year's record-setting total of $72,071,000. The average saw a decline to $60,146, but the median—a key market indicator—remained stable at $30,000. A total of 252 horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 18.7%.
Last year's sale saw records set across all metrics, which included a 22% increase in the gross, a 25% increase in the average, and a 50% increase in the median from 2024 figures.
"A very consistent sale in terms of the results from a day-by-day basis," said Boyd Browning Jr., president and CEO of Fasig-Tipton. "You always want to be on the incline and increasing but, realistically, it was basically right in line with our expectations.
"Basically the same trends we've seen throughout 2026—great competition on upper levels but, yet still, to get to the upper level, you've got to jump through the hoops; and if you don't jump through one of the hoops, there's a significant penalty involved at this stage."
Six horses sold for $500,000 or more.
Browning noted many of the people who did not sell their horses do have the opportunity to take the horse to a 2-year-old sale or keep it to race.
"It was a very fair, balanced sale. A very solid marketplace, and I think it shows generally pretty healthy."
Browning said he noticed a small decline in the middle market, something he attributed to a lack of participation by trainers, primarily from the Midwest, who traditionally come to the sale.
"I think that's a little bit of a worrisome trend," he said. "It was not due to a lack of effort. I think you're seeing some of the declining racing opportunities potentially have an impact on their participation and attendance at sales.
"We need to be cognizant in our industry that despite record-breaking sales and a lot of good things happening in our industry, we do still face some challenges, and you try to address those challenges and react in a meaningful manner."
The top buyer of the final session was Good Horse, for Morplay Racing, who purchased four head for $785,000, bringing its total for the sale to $1.24 million for six yearlings. Hip 1541 led its purchases and was the highest-priced filly of the fourth session at $485,000.
"I loved her physically. She looks very fast," Cam Dulgar of Morplay Racing said.
"We've kind of been targeting fillies with a little bit of pedigree. Obviously, the physical has to be there, but we're just looking for runners with a little bit of pedigree to protect some of that downside risk."
Dulgar said Morplay's future as a breeder remains uncertain, but it would like to try and develop a potential broodmare prospect. Morplay knows a thing or two about fast fillies and broodmare potential, as it campaigns reigning champion female sprinter and Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) winner Shisospicy.
Morplay bought out its partner Qatar Racing, securing the filly for $5.2 million at last year's Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale. Shisospicy will again enter the ring Nov. 2 at the November sale following a repeat bid in the Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint at Keeneland.
Leading all buyers by gross for the sale was R T M Racing, which purchased six yearlings for $1.5 million.
The top-priced horse of the final session was Hip 1455, a colt by Not This Time , who sold for $500,000 to West Coast Racing. The colt, bred in Kentucky by Summer Wind Equine, is out of the Uncle Mo mare Mozay, who is a half sister to the stakes-winning and graded stakes-placed Moon Over Miami (Malibu Moon). He was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, which sold 100 head from its draft for $6,694,000 to be the second-leading consignor behind Gainesway.
Gainesway sold 102 of its 113 offerings for a total of $6,718,000, led by a $725,000 Nyquist filly (Hip 996) which topped the third session of the sale.
Woods Edge Farm consigned two colts during the fourth session who totaled $770,000. Hip 1498, a colt by Authentic , was purchased for $400,000 by Gold Square, and Hip 1270, a colt by Tiz the Law , brought $370,000 from Bakster Farms.
READ: Smart Eye Rewards O'Callaghans at F-T October Sale
Fasig-Tipton will look ahead to its upcoming Eastern Fall Yearlings Sale Oct. 27 in Timonium, Md.
Succeeding that sale is Fasig-Tipton's marquee event, The November Sale, held Nov. 2. The boutique breeding stock sale is held the Monday after the Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland.
