Cover image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton

At A Glance

>> Monomoy Girl, who captured her second G1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Saturday, went to B. Wayne Hughes’s Spendthrift Farm.

>> Fasig-Tipton sold 142 horses for a total of US$80,237,000 (AU$110 million), In 2019, 128 head grossed US$68,011,000 (AU$93.26 million).

>> The average was US$565,049 (AU$774,804) up from US$531,336 (AU$728,576) last year .

>> The median was US$200,000 (AU$272,400), down from US$300,000 (AU$411,360).

>> The clearance rate was 67.3 per cent .

>> Six of the 22 horses who sold for seven figures on Sunday were purchased by Hughes’s Spendthrift operation .

>> Spendthrift also purchased Grade 1 winners Bast (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}), She’s A Julie (USA) (Elusive Quality {USA}) and Got Stormy (USA) Get Stormy {USA}) .

Spendthrift spends up after Classic success

Monomoy Girl, a 5-year-old mare, who will return to training with Brad Cox, spearheaded a remarkable night of bidding for the Spendthrift team, which purchased 12 horses for US$25,030,000 (AU$34.32 million).

“It was a remarkable evening,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “I think if I would have told someone six months ago when our world kind of changed, or six weeks ago, or six days ago, or even yesterday that we were going to sell $80 million worth of horses tonight and 22 horses for a million dollars or more, they probably would have said I was delusional.

"But the success of the Sale this evening was built upon having a tremendous catalogue of quality horses. It’s as simple as that. It really does begin and end with the quality of the horses who were entrusted to us for this catalogue. It was a spectacular catalogue.

“I think the kind of mares we zeroed in on for this sale are just not affected very much by market conditions,” said Spendthrift General Manger Ned Toffey. “We were pretty sure that for these high-end mares, it would be pretty competitive. What will the lesser mares go on through the books at Keeneland bring? Who knows. We are as curious to see as anybody.”

Spendthrift captured Saturday’s G1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Classic with Authentic (Into Mischief {USA}) before continuing its domination in the sales ring Sunday.

“If Wayne Hughes isn’t an inspiration to everybody involved in our industry, I don’t know who is,” Browning said. “He is an innovator, he puts his money up, he puts his ideas up and he puts his heart in it. You may not always agree with what he does or what he thinks in terms of business philosophy, but he is willing to get behind his product and he’s willing to be different.

"He’s a remarkable man. You can see why he has been an enormously successful businessman. He is a blessing and a great asset to our industry. The participation that Spendthrift demonstrated tonight, and honestly have demonstrated in the stallion game in the last 24 months, has been remarkable and there are bright days ahead for Spendthrift. But I would be completely remiss not to say tip of the cap and a thank you to Mr. Hughes and the whole team there because they were a huge part of the success of the sale tonight.”

While international participation in the marketplace has been limited in recent months due to travel restrictions caused by the global pandemic, Japanese buyers were out in force Sunday at Newtown Paddocks. Katsumi Yoshida purchased four horses for seven figures, led by the US$2.2-million (AU$3.02 million) Miss Besilu (USA) (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), while Shadai Farm purchased Competitionofideas (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) for US$1.3 million (AU$1.78 million).

“There was a broad buying bench with significant participation from Japanese buyers,” Browning said. “I am not surprised. I think one thing we’ve watched over the last 25 years is that the Japanese breeding industry has a long-term perspective, a much longer term perspective than we do in America and even than the Europeans do.

"They are looking to acquire the best equine athletes in the world and produce quality racehorses. They bought some exceptional horses tonight. You could kind of sense that there would be a perceived buying opportunity combined with an exceptional catalogue of horses who fit their profile.”

Monomoy Girl shines brightest

When Brad Weisbord and Liz Crow’s Elite Sales sold two-time champion Tepin (USA) (Bernstein {USA}) for US$8 million (AU$10.97 million) at the 2017 renewal of this auction, the partners never imagined they could top that moment, but they did just that Sunday when selling their beloved champion Monomoy Girl.

"I am really proud of her and proud of our whole team,” said Crow after hugging Weisbord and trainer Brad Cox. “It was a really emotional day. It was kind of hard not knowing what was going to happen going up to the ring. We obviously had a lot of interest in her from everyone. You just want her to go to the right hands and I am glad they got her. They obviously know what they are doing with campaigning top horses such as [G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic hero] Authentic. I am sure they will do great things with her next year.”

Crow picked out Monomoy Girl for a modest US$100,000 (AU$137,120) at the 2016 Keeneland September Sale on behalf of Michael Dubb, Sol Kumin’s Monomoy Stables, the Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables. Entrusted to Cox, the chestnut has won 13 of her 15 starts, with seven of those being Grade 1s, and earned over US$4.4 million (AU$6.03 million). She already has one Eclipse Award on her resume and is guaranteed to win another this year after capturing her second G1 Longines Breeders’ Cup Distaff Saturday across town at Keeneland.

Monomoy Girl missed her entire 2019 campaign after a battle with colic and then a hamstring injury, but returned better than ever in 2020 with four decisive victories.

“There is a lot of emotion after that,” said Cox. “It was electric to say the least. I am hoping to meet the new connections and lobby for a 2021 campaign.”

Cox was one of the first to congratulate Spendthrift’s General Manager Ned Toffey after the hammer fell and was successful in his mission. Toffey announced that Monomoy Girl would return to Cox’s care for a 2021 campaign.

“She is a superstar. She is an all-timer,” said Toffey. “She will go back to Brad Cox. That’s the plan right now, but we will let her decide, as long as everything stays the same. She appears very sound. The vet checked her out and everything looks good. She will train for another year and we have a stallion or two that will suit her. We will sit down with Brad and assess from there.”

The long-term goal for 2021 would be an attempt for a third Distaff. Should she accomplish this feat, Monomoy Girl would actually be the second three-time Breeders’ Cup winner in Spendthrift’s broodmare band, which is ruled by four-time Eclipse winner Beholder (USA) (Henny Hughes {USA}).

It was a banner night in many ways for Weisbord and Crow’s operation, which sold seven mares for a whopping US$22.05 million (AU$30.24 million) with an average of US$3.15 million (AU$4.32 million). Their star-studded line-up also included US$5-million (AU$6.86 million) champion Midnight Bisou (USA)(Midnight Lute {USA}); US$4.1-million (AU$5.62 million) Eclipse winner Uni (GB) (More Than Ready {USA}) (Lot 228); US$1.3-million (AU$1.78 million) Competitionofideas (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) and US $1.05-million (AU$1.44 million) Mirth (USA) (Colonel John {USA}).

Spendthrift proves unstoppable

Spendthrift did not stop there, however. They were back in action immediately, buying the next two hips after Monomoy Girl: Hip 193, US$1.8-million (AU$2.47 million) Mother Mother (USA) (Pioneerof The Nile {USA}), and Hip 194, US$800,000 (AU$1.096 million) Motion Emotion (USA) (Take Charge Indy {USA}).

Mother Mother was one of several million-dollar purchases hailing from the Bob Baffert barn. The 4-year-old was consigned by Gainesway as a racing or broodmare prospect on behalf of a partnership that included Gainesway, Barry Lipman, Mark Mathiesen, Barry Hall and Andrew Molasky.

“She is a beautiful mare. I love her,” Toffey said. “She will come to the farm and be a broodmare. We didn’t have a stallion in particular in mind. She is just a really nice mare we wanted to add to the band.”

Three-time Grade 1 winner Bast was the Spendthrift team’s second most expensive purchase of the day at US$4.2 million (AU$5.76 million). Last seen winning the G2 Santa Ynez S. in Jan. 5, the Baffert runner was retired six weeks later due to a soft tissue injury and bred to Triple Crown hero Justify (USA).

“No secret here,” Toffey said. “When you see that kind catalogued, you hope you come out here and you’re not disappointed. When you see her, you’re certainly not disappointed–she’s just a big, impressive filly. She’s just a superstar; the talent, plus the pedigree, and in foal to a heck of a horse, so we’re excited.”

He continued, “He’s a wonderful sire–or we think he can be a wonderful sire, I should say. If you can get a chance to get a mare in foal to a horse like that, that’s always exciting.”

Toffey went to $3 million (AU$4.11 million) to secure stunning, dual Grade 1 heroine She’s A Julie, who will now retire to the Spendthrift broodmare band and is likely to visit the farm’s superstar sire Into Mischief (USA).

“This is just a big, gorgeous, talented race mare,” Toffey said. “She will probably go to Into Mischief. She fits him well on paper. She is a really nice mare. We couldn’t be more excited to have her. She is a superstar. There aren’t too many better looking ones out here than that.”

Racing fans will also get another chance to see two-time Grade 1 winner and 2019 GI Breeders’ Cup Mile runner-up Got Stormy compete as Toffey said she will also return to training for 2021.

“She will go back to Mark Casse,” Toffey said. “Mark feels she is very sound and obviously Mark knows her best. She will go to his place in Ocala and get a little time off. Again, we will let the horses tell us, but she also appears to be very sound. We will let Mark give her a little break and then gear up for another campaign.”

As for the mare’s future mate, Toffey said, “We have a pretty nice stallion that warrants a mare like that.”

Galileo date for Rushing Fall

Rushing Fall (USA) (More Than Ready {USA}), fresh off a runner-up effort in Saturday’s G1 Maker’s Mark Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf, is expected to ship to Ireland for a date with super-sire Galileo (Ire) after bloodstock agent Jamie McCalmont went to US$5.5 million (AU$7.54 million) at Fasig-Tipton Sunday to acquire the 5-year-old on behalf of Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier.

“What’s not to like?” Coolmore’s Adrian Wallace said when asked about the mare’s appeal. “She is a wonderful physical. She’s a mare that we loved from the moment we saw her. The plan is to send her to Ireland to go to Galileo. The future is bright.”

Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan purchased Rushing Fall on behalf of Bob Edwards’s Five Racing Thoroughbreds for US$320,000 (AU$438,790) at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale. The bay became Edwards’s second Breeders’ Cup winner when she won the 2017 G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. She also won the 2019 G1 Longines Just a Game S., 2018 G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup S., and 2020 G1 Diana S., as well as the 2019 and 2020 renewals of the G1 Coolmore Jenny Wiley S. at Keeneland.

“She was wonderful from start to finish,” Ryan said. “She never let us down. She is the best filly I’ve ever bought and one of the best fillies I’ve ever seen. From a physical appearance standpoint, she was a 10 out of 10. She’s gone to a great home. I can’t wait to see the offspring out of her.”

Coolmore won out on Rushing Fall following an extended duel, with bids volleying between the pavilion and the back walking ring.

“We were probably running out of petrol,” Wallace admitted. “It was spirited bidding and it’s lovely to see on a night like tonight. All of these mares are household names and it’s great that people are here in a year like this to be able to support the industry and support those owners and trainers who campaigned them so well. It’s great that we can all be here to do it.”

Among the underbidders on Rushing Fall was Hunter Valley Farm’s Fergus Galvin, who was doing his bidding on behalf of a partnership in the balcony of the pavilion. Galvin was also an underbidder on the $9.5-million Monomoy Girl.

Allen buys out Bisou Partners

Allen Racing’s Chuck Allen, seated in the front row next to Bloom Racing’s Jeff Bloom, simply couldn’t part with their five-time Grade 1-winning mare Midnight Bisou (USA) (Midnight Lute {USA}), and fended off some stiff competition to buy out his partners on a winning bid of US$5 million (AU$6.86 million). The near US$7.5-million (AU$10.28 million) earner was consigned as Hip 185 by ELiTE.

“I didn’t know how that was going to play out, but in the end, Chuck Allen, one of the partners decided he wanted to have her,” said Bloom, who bought Midnight Bisou for just US$80,000 at the 2017 OBS April sale. “I’ll have to get with Chuck, and obviously I’ll help him out with what the future plans are going to be. She’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for Chuck to incorporate into his program. I couldn’t think of a more impressive broodmare to add to the portfolio for him.”

Midnight Bisou, winner of the 2018 G1 Santa Anita Oaks and G1 Cotillion S.; the 2019 G1 Apple Blossom H., G1 Ogden Phipps S. and G1 Personal Ensign S.; and second this year in both the Saudi Cup and Personal Ensign on either end of a G2 Fleur de Lis S. romp, retired at the end of September.

Uni purchased by long-time admirer

With most of his horses in training with Chad Brown, White Birch Farm principal Peter Brant spends a lot of time in the leading trainer’s barn, giving him an opportunity to study more than just his own runners. One Brown trainee in particular really caught the horseman’s eye over the years and on Sunday she finally became his when Brant went to US$4.1 million (AU$5.62 million) to secure champion turf mare Uni (GB).

Brant did his bidding over the phone and Brown, who watched the mare sell through the pavilion window, was thrilled to hear his client purchased the 6-year-old mare.

“Peter had the opportunity to see her train a lot,” said Brown after finishing a phone call with Brant. “He spends a lot of time at the barn and he knows all my horses very well, particularly her. He really liked her. He is a hands-on horseman and an excellent horseman. I am thrilled that he bought her. I wasn’t sure he was going to bid on the horse, but, like I said, he knows my horses very well, better than any buyer would.”

Elite Sales’ Brad Weisbord and Mandore International’s Nicholas de Watrigant teamed up to privately purchase Uni on behalf of Michael Dubb, Sol Kumin’s Head of Plains Partners, Robert LaPenta and Bethlehem Stables after her first stakes win in France in 2017.

“The owners had four amazing years campaigning her,” Weisbord said. “It is awesome to hear Peter got her. He has become a good friend of mine. We will get to see her for the next 10 or 15 years and be around her foals. I am sure Chad will get to train them. It made a lot of sense. Peter bought Unaided (GB) (Dansili {GB}), Uni’s dam, a couple of years ago in France, so I know how excited he is about the family. Nobody outside of the owners saw Uni train more than Peter.”

Blum buys back Flawless

Prominent commercial breeder Peter Blum made a last-minute decision Saturday night to offer 13-year-old mare Flawless (USA) (Mr. Greeley {USA) after her son Authentic sealed up Horse of the Year and champion 3-year-old honours, but ultimately passed her in for US$4.1 million (AU$5.62 million). Consigned as Hip 288 by Blum’s longtime advisor Bridie Harrison, she was carrying a full-sibling to the Bob Baffert-trained superstar and appeared to garner live bids from the likes of Jane Lyon of Summer Wind Farm.

“I’ve had this family for at least 20 years,” Blum noted when reached by phone Sunday night. “I’m very familiar with the family. This mare ran as a 3-year-old in New York and won her first start by 13.25 lengths under wraps… Not that long after she was retired, Flawless’s dam Oyster Baby died. She was only seven years old. I bumped into [Flawless’s trainer] Bill Mott at Keeneland a year or two later and told him, ‘I’m a commercial breeder and I don’t know whether I can sell foals out of the mare that would bring much money because the page is going to have two blank dams.’ Bill’s comment to me was, ‘Sell your other mares, but keep her.'”

City Of Light colt tops Foal Sale

The November sale began with a large offering of weanlings. Larry Best’s OXO Equine purchased the highest-priced foal when going to US$600,000 (AU$822,730) for a colt by City Of Light (USA).

“The foal market was as expected: selective,” Browning said. “I don’t think there was a question that, overall, the weanling pinhookers who bought in 2019 and sold in the 2020 market had a very difficult year. So it was logical that there would be a little more restraint among the pinhooking group and some of the higher-priced weanlings were sold to end-users.

"We know that the target continues to get a little narrower–you’ve got to vet, you’ve got to have enough pedigree, you’ve got to be physically good enough. I think there was a little more hesitancy on the weanling side of things tonight than there would have been a year ago and understandably so.”

“I have watched him win some of those big, big races and I was always in awe of him,” said Best. “It wasn’t as much about the pedigree as the physical. I really fell in love with the physical. When I went back and considered the pedigree, it was strong enough. It is the first time I have bought a colt out of an Into Mischief filly, so we will see. It was really driven by the visual. This horse looks like he will grow up to be a two-turn horse. I hope.”

Three members of City of Light’s first crop went through the ring Sunday for a total of US$1.215 million (AU$1.67 million) and an average of US$405,000 (AU$555,342).