 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky saved the best for last at its July horses of racing age session, when the last horse through the ring, Temper Mint Patty, brought the session's top price of $350,000.
The 3-year-old daughter of Congrats , whose victories include the New York Oaks for New York-breds, was purchased by Mike Repole. Jacob West of Taylor Made Sales Agency signed the ticket on behalf of Repole.
The filly consigned by Bluewater Sales will be sent to trainer Todd Pletcher and likely be pointed toward state-bred stakes.
Trained by Jeremiah Englehart for Mark Stanley, Temper Mint Patty increased her earnings to $274,050 when she rolled to a 9 1/2-length victory in the New York Oaks July 3 at Finger Lakes Gaming & Racetrack. She was supplemented to the F-T sale following that victory.
Bred by Gallaghers Stud, Temper Mint Patty was initially purchased by Becky Thomas for $30,000 from the Denali Stud consignment to the 2013 Fasig-Tipton New York-bred yearling sale and then resold to Stanley for $95,000 at the F-T Florida March sale of 2-year-olds in training.
Another recent stakes winner added to the sale later, Come to Mischief, a 2-year-old daughter of Into Mischief who won the My Dear Stakes at Woodbine June 26, was bought back by her connections for $500,000.
Come to Mischief races for Horen'n Around Stable and Martha Gonzalez.
"We were trying to get a little more money and didn't get it," said Nicholas Gonzalez, who trains the filly. "She's a real nice filly and got great vet reports (at the sale). In this market, we just thought she was worth a little more than that. So we're going to take the next step and try to make her worth a little more."
Gonzalez said Come to Mischief would either return to her base atWoodbine or be sent to Saratoga Race Course for her next start.
Another high-profile buyback was multiple graded-placed War Story, who was returned to Loooch Racing Stable and Glenn Ellis after failing to meet his reserve on a final bid of $545,000. Trained by Tom Amoss, War Story finished second in the Risen Star (gr. II) and LeComte Stakes (gr. III) and third in the Louisiana Derby (gr. II). After checking in 16th in the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (gr. I), the son ofNorthern Afleet was given a breather, returning to be fourth in the June 20 Ohio Derby.
The gross and average were down, but the median was up this year from the 2014 auction that was boosted by horses from the dispersal of Eugene Melnyk's Melnyk Racing Stables. Melynk's Bedford Landtopped that sale when purchased by Three Chimneys Farm for $1,075,000.
This year, 65 horses were sold for $3,996,000, an average price of $61,477. A year ago, 109 horses grossed $8,426,000. This year's $48,000 median price was well above the $35,000 figure a year ago. There were 31 horses bought back this year.
The horses of racing age sale was preceded by the July selected yearlings sale.
Second-highest price of $270,000 was paid by West Point Stables for three-time grade III winner Divine Oath, a 4-year-old son of Broken Vow who has earned $464,210, was sold for $270,000. West Poinit's Terry Finley said the colt will be campaigned in New York, possibly with trainer Christophe Clement.
Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, the colt was trained by Todd Pletcher for Let's Go Stable to win five of 14 starts to date. Bred in Kentucky by Sanford B. Robertson, Divine Oath was a $200,000 yearling purchase by Pletcher.
Dixiana Farms went to $250,000 to acquire Lutine Belle, a 3-year-old daughter of Bellamy Road who has won three of 10 starts and earned $114,950. Trained by Jerry Hollendorfer for KMN Racing, Lutine Belle won the Blue Norther Stakes at Santa Anita Park Jan. 1.
Bred in Kentucky by WinStar Farm and John R. Penn, the filly had been purchased for $40,000 by Litt Bloodstock from the Taylor Made Sales consignment to the 2013 Fasig-Tipton October yearling sale. |
