Constitution and Vekoma colts share $300,000 top billing as Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Sale opens

Two colts by Grade 1-winning Kentucky sires led Sunday's first session of the Fasig-Tipton sale of preferred New York-bred yearlings, purchased by buyers with deep ties to New York racing.

Hip 315 is a Constitution colt out of the Forestry mare See the Forest and sold for $300,000 to West Bloodstock, agent for Repole Stable. Consigned by ELiTe, agent, the colt was bred by Ten Strike Racing. 

See the Forest was claimed by Ten Strike and hip 315 is the first foal they've bred that they've sold. The mare has produced three stakes winners and five runners to earn more than $200,000. 

"We've always bred to race," said Clay Sanders, co-founder of Ten Strike Racing. "She's done so well for us, we'd figured take a shot with a commercial stallion, and if the baby came out looking good, we'd sell him." 

"He's by Constitution," said Jacob West, explaining why he was willing to go to $300,000 for the colt. "Mike [Repole, owner] loves supporting the New York programme, and we've had a lot of luck with Constitution, so it made a lot of sense right now to do it." 

Ed Rosen and Jacob West swooped for one of the top lotsCredit: Fasig-Tipton Photos

Constitution stood the 2024 season at WinStar Farm for $110,000, quite the contrast to Galilean, the other stallion that West went to six figures for. 

Hip 350 is by the first-crop yearling stallion that stands at Hidden Lake Farm in New York for $3,500. From the consignment of Eaton Sales, agent, the colt was bred by Blue Chip Bloodstock, and West purchased him for $220,000.

"Welcome to Repole Stables," said West with a grin, by way of explaining the range of pedigrees he purchased. "I told Mike that if I'd stood this horse up and said that he was by Uncle Mo, he'd have brought [at least twice] what he brought tonight. Galilean was a pretty talented horse in his own right, and well bred."

Ed Rosen, who is part of a team that works with Repole at sales, added: "I love the female family."

Hip 350 is out of the Ireland-bred Three Am Tour.

The first session of the two-day sale concluded with 66 horses selling for a total of $6,860,000, a 14 per cent increase over last year's first-session gross. The average price was $103,939, a 2 per cent decrease over the 2023 session, and the median also fell, from $100,000 to $89,000. The RNA rate decreased by 6 per cent and 29 horses sold for at least $100,000.

"We're off to an excellent start," said Fasig-Tipton president and chief executive officer Boyd Browning. "There was consistent trade from start to finish, and I'm encouraged by the drop in the buy-back rate, which is traditionally high at this sale because of the opportunities that New York breeders have to race."

"Most of the people that I talked to on the sales grounds thought there were a little bit higher percentage of good horses [on Monday] than today," he continued. "I'm looking forward to a very strong catalogue."  

Trainer Christophe Clement bought the other $300,000 yearling, a Vekoma colt out of the Shackleford mare Alana's Allure. Sold as a weanling for $100,000 to Good Luck Farm, the chestnut colt was bred by Cheryl A. Prudhomme and Dr. Michael Gallivan and sold from the consignment of Taylor Made, agent. 

"He looks fast," said Clement, grinning. "It's probably too much money, but I'm keeping the dream alive. My son Miguel told me about him, and I bought him on spec, so now I need to find some owners to support me and go from there. 

"You always overspend on what you like. This is a very strong sale, and I'm glad that we got in." 

The second and final session takes place from 12pm local time on Monday.

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