Coolmore’s $4.1m Into Mischief colt tops record-shattering Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale
Coolmore and Peter Brant teamed up to buy the most expensive Saratoga Select yearling for 25 years, purchasing a colt by Into Mischief (Harlan’s Holiday) for $4.1 million (approx. AU$6,314,000).
Offered by Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa, agent for Don Alberto Corporation, the youngster was the highlight of a stunning two days of trade that topped $100m for the first time in the boutique sale’s history.
The son of Grade 2-placed mare Stellar Sound was one of 25 seven-figure yearlings sold over the two days, with 17 of them coming during Tuesday’s second session; both are records for the sale, while the reserve not attained rate of 11.6 per cent was the lowest since 1981.
John Stewart’s Resolute Racing was the biggest spender with a total outlay of $5,425,000 (approx AU$8,354,600) for five yearlings, but the majority of that went on a Stonestreet-bred Into Mischief colt who cost $3m.
The sale-topper entered the Fasig-Tipton record books as the third-most expensive yearling ever sold by the company. Brant, who signed for the son of Spendthrift’s champion sire with Coolmore, said the colt will be trained by Chad Brown.
Quoted by Bloodhorse, he said: “He’s a very beautiful horse, he’s well put-together and well-bred. He goes back to the great old Phipps blood, we really liked him and we’re proud to have him.”
Jared Burdine, general manager of Hill ‘n’ Dale, reported that the sale-topper, who is the first foal out of Grade 2 third Stellar Sound (Tapit), had improved during the inspection process.
He said: “He was the man among boys, he stood out from the get-go and was nicer today than 300 shows ago; we started showing him on Friday. I’m thankful for Don Alberto trusting us in selling him.
“We’ve seen him progress throughout the year and he’s always had great presence. Every time he came out and showed, at the farm and here, he just had a great presence.
“When everything falls into line, you get a little magic up here in Saratoga.”
Into Mischief was responsible for three of the five colts who sold for in excess of $2m on Tuesday.
Resolute Racing purchased the second-most expensive lot by the stallion and Stewart was quick to pay tribute to the colt’s breeders Stonestreet.
He said: “Any time you see a horse that is Stonestreet-bred, it’s a top horse. Barbara [Banke] does a great job.”
Offered by Gainesway, on behalf of Banke’s operation, the bay is the second foal out of Grade 1-placed Lady Kate, a daughter of Bernardini (A.P. Indy), so the colt is bred on the same cross as this year’s Kentucky Derby (Gr 1, 10f) and Belmont Stakes (Gr 1, 12f) hero Sovereignty.
“We’re looking for two-turn colts and you can’t beat Into Mischief so we’re pretty happy,” said Stewart. “You can see all of these Into Mischiefs, Gun Runners and Not This Times are bringing good money at this sale, and so they should.”
The other three yearlings who broke the $2m mark on Tuesday night were by Gun Runner (Candy Ride), who was also the sire of the sale’s most expensive filly, a daughter of the multiple Grade 1 winner Paradise Woods (Union Rags) who brought $2.6m from Love/Linton on behalf of Boyd Racing. Gun Runner ended the sale as leading sire on average, with eight yearlings by the Three Chimneys Farm hotshot averaging $1,581,250 (approx. AU$2,435,100).
During the two nights of trade a total of $100,715,000 (approx. AU$155,102,400) was spent on 160 yearlings, a record for the Saratoga Select Sale and an increase of 22.6 per cent on last year’s aggregate, which was the previous highest-grossing edition of the sale.
Both the sale average and median were also record-setting, with the former up 18 per cent year-on-year to $629,469 (approx. AU$969,300) and the latter rising 5.9 per cent to $450,000 (approx. AU$693,000). Last year’s figures had been records in each category.
Boyd Browning, president of Fasig-Tipton, said: “It was a remarkable two days. We’ve been selling at Saratoga for 104 years, so it’s not an overnight sensation. It’s the culmination of many years of hard work and sweat.
“We try to work hard and do the right thing, and on nights like these it all comes together like magic.”