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Hip 165, a Curlin colt out of Beholder at the 2023 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale.
On the heels of a record-setting edition of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Select Yearling Sale in 2022, this year’s renewal set new high-water marks in gross and average sale price, led by the $4-million purchase of a Curlin colt out of Hall of Famer Beholder.
A total of 153 yearlings changed hands over the two-day sale for revenues of $74,780,000, surpassing last year’s record gross of $66,955,000 from 143 sold by 11 percent.
The average sale price hit an all-time high of $488,758, up four percent from last year’s record-setting figure of $468,217. The median went unchanged from a record $375,000.
This year’s buyback rate closed at 26 percent, compared with 20 percent in 2022.
Zedan Racing purchased the sale’s two most expensive horses, both going through the ring on Tuesday evening.
Hip 165, a Curlin colt out of Beholder, a Hall of Fame daughter of Henny Hughes, topped the sale for $4 million, tying for the third-highest price in Fasig-Tipton Saratoga history. The record is held by a Northern Dancer colt who brought $4.6 million in 1984.
The chestnut colt is a half-brother to the War Front filly Teena Ella, a Grade 3 winner. His second dam is Broodmare of the Year Leslie’s Lady, putting him in the family of four-time leading sire Into Mischief, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner and popular young sire Mendelssohn, and successful California sire Curlin to Mischief. Taylor Made Sales Agency consigned the colt, as agent for breeder Spendthrift Farm.
Hip 228, an Into Mischief colt out of the unplaced American Pharoah colt All American Dream, dropped the hammer for $3.2 million.
The bay colt is the first foal out of All American Dream, hailing from the family of Grade 1 winners Dream Supreme, Spinning Round, and Majestic Warrior. Indian Creek consigned the colt, as agent.
“We’ve experienced some magical nights in Saratoga in the past and you’ve heard me talk about the Saratoga magic,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “But we ain’t seen nothing like tonight… (This is) what happens when you have the opportunity to sell exceptional physical horses that have outstanding pedigrees to an unbelievable group of buyers that love coming to Saratoga.
“It was just phenomenal,” added Browning. “It was really rewarding to see people send their very best horses here and trust us and then have the results and the success they had tonight.”
To view the auction’s full results, click here.
