Cover image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
The Fasig-Tipton July Selected Yearlings Sale recorded both its highest-ever average and median Tuesday in Lexington and was followed immediately by the company's July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale, which set records of its own when multiple Graded-placed Our Moneyman (Mr Money) sold for US$2 million (AU$2.87 million) to KAS Stables.
In all, 146 yearlings grossed US$16,981,000 (AU$24.33 million) during the first yearling sale of the season. The average was a sale record US$116,308 (AU$166,660) and up 7.8% from the 2025 figure of US$107,872 (AU$154,572), while the median was US$92,500 (AU$132,545)–up 2.8% from last year's figure of US$90,000 (AU$128,960).
“It was a great start to the yearling sales season,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “There was tremendous activity on the grounds. We felt very, very positive based on the level of activity that we saw on the grounds Saturday, Sunday, Monday and today, both in terms of people looking and feedback from consignors, and the repository activity. We knew all those indications were very positive.
“The sale today reflected the positive momentum that we've seen through the sales in recent years. We are delighted with the overall results.”
“The sale today reflected the positive momentum that we've seen through the sales in recent years. We are delighted with the overall results.” - Boyd Browning
A colt by Vekoma attracted the highest price for a yearling on Tuesday, when bringing a final bid of US$600,000 (AU$860,000) from Legion Bloodstock. The chestnut, consigned by Shawhan Place, was one of 24 to sell for US$200,000 (AU$287,000) or more during the one-session auction, up from 19 a year ago.
With 44 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 23.2%. It was 28.1% a year ago.
Our Moneyman's record-setting pricetag - which bettered the US$1.7 million (AU$2.44 million) record set just last year – helped lead the Horses of Racing Age sale to a record average price of US$167,641 (AU$240,216). The previous record of US$157,588 (AU$225,811) was set last year. Thirty nine tried horses sold for a total of US$6,538,000 (AU$9.37 million). The median was US$90,000, down from US$95,000 a year ago.
“The horses of racing age is always an interesting and dynamic exercise,” Browning said. “We were very pleased over the weekend when we contacted the owner of Our Moneyman and said we think there is a unique opportunity to market this horse. He was a very, very legitimate horse in terms of his performance on the track and in terms of the statistics that people really look at to evaluate a racehorse.
"He (Our Moneyman) is the kind of horse who can have you dreaming of major results in his 3-year-old career." - Boyd Browning
“He is the kind of horse who can have you dreaming of major results in his 3-year-old career and on down the road through the rest of his racing career. He was an exciting addition to the sale.”
Boyd Browning | Image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
US$2 million Our Moneyman to KAS Stables
The last lot through the ring on Tuesday, Our Moneyman ended the sale on a high when bringing a final bid of US$2 million from Pedro Lanz, bidding on behalf of KAS Stables. The 3-year-old, bred and campaigned by Chester Thomas's Allied Racing Stable and trained by Bret Calhoun, was second behind 'TDN Rising Star, presented by Hagyard' Further Ado (Gun Runner) in the June 7 GIII Matt Winn Stakes and again behind 'Rising Star' Leading Change (Gun Runner) just three days ago in the GIII Indiana Derby.
“I had been watching his replays and I was wishing that he was in the sale,” Lanz said. “I know the profile of the kind of horses who can be for sale. It's very hard to find horses with stallion's pedigrees. I'm not going to buy Golden Tempo, Sovereignty or Further Ado. I know it's almost impossible.
"I had been watching his (Our Moneyman's) replays and I was wishing that he was in the sale." - Pedro Lanz
“So when I saw this horse–and when I saw that race–I thought he would be a perfect horse for Saudi Arabia. And the next day, Anna (Seitz) told me she had a horse who might be interesting to me. And it was him.”
Lanz continued, “I reviewed the horse's campaign more deeply and I realised he was a very good horse. This is a horse, if you were putting a wager for the Travers or the Pennsylvania Derby, he would be there in the superfecta because he's always trying. His Beyers are in the 90s and his Rags in the sevens. And he's a horse that, when he went two turns, he got better. This horse can be very nice for KAS Stable.”
Lanz said he was planning to reach out to Calhoun to keep Our Moneyman in the trainer's barn.
“I don't know if the Travers is too soon, but maybe the Pennsylvania Derby,” Lanz said of possible targets for the sophomore. “There are plenty of races for 3-year-olds. We still have five races for them without going against the older horses. And in a crop that you can see every race has a different winner, this horse can be right there.”
"In a crop that you can see every race has a different winner, this horse (Our Moneyman) can be right there." - Pedro Lanz
Of Our Moneyman's record-setting price, Lanz said, “It's always hard to find horses like this because nobody wants to sell them. So when someone brings a horse like this, I know we will have to pay.”
'The cycle continues': Thomas out one 3-year-old and a dinner
After watching his homebred Our Moneyman bring a final bid of US$2 million from bloodstock agent Pedro Lanz Tuesday, owner Chester Thomas admitted he had lost a bet.
“We had made bets in the back ring,” Thomas said. “I predicted the colt would bring $1.85 million, while my wife Jennifer said he would bring $2 million. So I have to buy dinner tonight.”
Pedro Lanz | Image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
The Thomases purchased Our Moneyman's dam, Lipstick Junky (Flatter), for US$20,000 (AU$28,658) at the 2012 Keeneland September sale. They purchased his sire, subsequent five-time Graded stakes winner Mr Money, for US$130,000 (AU$186,000) at the 2017 Keeneland September sale.
Thomas admitted it was hard to send Our Moneyman through the ring Tuesday.
“This was a very difficult decision,” he said. “The horse racing business is such a delicate game and we breed and race a lot of horses. What makes it particularly hard for me is that I love racing and I'm competitive. However, I also recognise that, if we were going to sell this horse and get the most for him, today was the day.”
"I also recognise(d) that, if we were going to sell this horse (Our Moneyman) and get the most for him, today was the day." - Chester Thomas
Thomas said he had received offers for the colt following his runner-up effort in the Matt Winn, but it wasn't until Sunday–the day after the Indiana Derby–that he agreed to send him through the ring with the Hunter Valley Farm consignment.
“I made the final decision Sunday morning,” Thomas said. “I'd received a phone call from (Fasig-Tipton's) Max (Hodge) after the Matt Winn and he put the seed in my ear, though I had no real intention to sell initially. We'd already gotten numerous calls after the Matt Winn offering serious money–nothing like what we achieved today, but substantial amounts nonetheless.”
"We'd already gotten numerous calls after the Matt Winn offering serious money (for Our Moneyman) – nothing like what we achieved today, but substantial amounts nonetheless." - Chester Thomas
Thomas was full of praise for everyone involved with the horse.
“The folks at Fasig-Tipton did an amazing job,” Thomas said. “And I must acknowledge all the people at Clear Creek, particularly Michelle (LaVoice) and Val (Murrell), who I can't thank enough. Chip Bork got the horse legged up properly. Josh Stevens has always been one of my advisors and a close friend. And we can't leave out Bret Calhoun and the great job he and his team have done.
Chester Thomas | Image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
“Looking back to 2017, Josh Stevens bought By My Standards and Mr Money, both of whom took us to great places. The cycle continues.”
'A physical standout': Legion Bloodstock goes to $600k for Vekoma colt
The Legion Bloodstock team, bidding from an upstairs balcony in the pavilion, went to US$600,000 to acquire a colt by Vekoma (hip 135) from the Shawhan Place consignment to top the Fasig-Tipton July Selected Yearlings Sale Tuesday in Lexington.
“I think he could have stood out in the Saratoga sale, not just July,” said Legion's Kristian Villante. “He was a big, forward-looking colt with a really good presence about him. He handled himself really well all week. We love the sire, but this colt was a physical standout for us.”
"I think he (hip 135) could have stood out in the Saratoga sale, not just July." - Kristian Villante
The chestnut colt is out of Passionate Dream (Uncle Mo), a full sister to Graded winner Paradise Lake.
Villante, surrounded by a group of various partners, said ownership of the colt was still to be determined.
“We have a couple of different people, so we are going to let them sort out what piece they want of it,” he said.
Of immediate plans for the colt, Villante said, “He will go to Travis (Durr) and then to (trainer) Whit (Beckman) eventually when he's ready to run.”
The sale topper was one of three yearlings purchased by Legion Bloodstock Tuesday. The operation also acquired a colt by Gunite (hip 130) for US$180,000 (AU$258,000) and a colt by Bolt d'Oro (hip 168) for US$85,000 (AU$121,800).
Vekoma colt a career high for Shawhan Place
The US$600,000 sale-topping colt by Vekoma marked the highest sale to date for Shawhan Place, founded by Matt Koch and Teddy Kuster in 2006.
“I kind of blacked out,” Koch said with a laugh when asked what it was like to watch the colt sell Tuesday. “They were propping me up. It was unbelievable.”
"I kind of blacked out... It was unbelievable." - Matt Koch
Shawhan Place purchased the colt's dam, Passionate Dream, for US$17,000 (AU$24,360) at the 2023 Keeneland November sale.
Koch was quick to credit the entire Shawhan Place team for Tuesday's success, particularly the farm's director of sales Courtney Schneider and farm director Gus Koch.
“He's a homebred, it's a mare we purchased a few years ago,” Matt Koch said. “Courtney did the mating, Gus did the prepping. All the credit goes to them. I've learned I don't have to be the smartest person at the farm, I just have to have very smart people that are out there working on all of this. They do amazing things. And this whole team, everybody here, has been with me forever.
“I can't tell you how special this is for the whole Shawhan Place. It's the most expensive horse we've ever sold and it's for the home team.”
"I can't tell you how special this is for the whole Shawhan Place." - Matt Koch
After signing the ticket on the colt, Legion Bloodstock's Kristian Villante said the yearling could have been a stand-out at the boutique Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale next month.
“We are Kentucky through and through,” Koch said with a big smile before crediting the Fasig-Tipton inspection team with the colt's placement in the July sale.
Matthew Koch | Image courtesy of Fasig-Tipton
Koch's brother Gus added, “Every year, I ask (the Fasig inspection team) at the end of the morning, which one do you want? And historically, that's the one we do the best with. It's an easy decision when they say, 'We want that one for July.' At the end of the day, they are almost always right.”
It was the second July sale in a row that Shawhan Place has enjoyed success with a yearling by Vekoma. Last year, the operation sold the auction's top-priced filly, a daughter of Vekoma purchased for US$345,000 (AU$494,000) by Ken McPeek.
The 6-year-old Passionate Dream, who has a 2-year-old colt by Idol, is back in foal to Vekoma's Graded stakes-winning son Jonathan's Way.
“We have been huge supporters of Vekoma, we bred to him every year–at least when he was in our price range,” Schneider said. “Vekoma's been very good to us. He was a little out of our range at his price point now, but we thought we love this colt, why not send the mare to Jonathan's Way. He's the only son of Vekoma standing in Kentucky. Maybe we can get lucky again.”
