'I genuinely believe it was the greatest horse sale I've ever seen in my life' – Fasig-Tipton Saratoga smashes through $118 million ceiling

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Records were smashed across the board as Fasig-Tipton’s Saratoga Sale reached a spectacular conclusion, with a frenzy of high-stakes bidding headlined by an Into Mischief colt who brought an eye-watering $4.2 million from Flying Dutchmen.

The boutique yearling auction surpassed the record figures for aggregate, average and median established in 2025. At the close of trading on Tuesday evening, 152 yearlings had sold for a combined $118,215,000, including private sales. Having broken the $100 million barrier for the first time last year, the sale recorded a 17 per cent increase in aggregate year-on-year. 

The average price climbed 24 per cent to $777,730, while the median rose 17 per cent to $525,000. A record 35 horses commanded seven-figure prices.

“I genuinely believe it was the greatest horse sale I’ve ever seen in my life,” Fasig-Tipton president and CEO Boyd Browning Jr told Bloodhorse. “Last night and tonight were simply incredible. It shows what happens when you are able to assemble a magnificent group of horses on the grounds.

“Mark my words, you’re going to look up two years from now, three years from now, and see some of the best horses in the world are graduates of this horse sale.”

Flying Dutchmen: who are the figures behind the $22 million spree in Saratoga? 

Flying Dutchmen led all buyers by aggregate, spending a remarkable $21,625,000 on 11 yearlings.

The top-lot was offered under the newly launched Heartwood Farm banner of Juan Aguilar and Sarah Sutherland. The operation, formerly known as Indian Creek, was rebranded earlier this spring.

The top-seller is a brother to multiple Graded stakes winner Barnes, who Aguilar and Sutherland sold under their Indian Creek banner to Donato Lanni on behalf of Zedan Racing for $3.2 million at the 2023 Saratoga Sale. 

“This just is a full-circle moment. I think these are clients and mares that are just so special to us,” Sutherland said. “I don’t know how to describe it.”

Bred by Jeff Drown and Don Rachel, the colt is out of the American Pharoah mare All American Dream.

“I thought he was the fanciest horse in the sale, not saying that means he’s the best, but he showed himself really, really well,” said Flying Dutchmen’s Hunter Rankin. “They prepared him great as they always do. Just thought he’d be very expensive just with his pedigree.”

A son of Gun Runner proved popular, selling for $4 millionCredit: Fasig-Tipton Photo

Flying Dutchmen delivered Heartwood Farm another stellar result a little later when Rankin signed the docket at $3 million for another Into Mischief colt. 

“They’re two extremely special animals, and I think it was really fascinating the last few days to watch them,” Sutherland said of the pair. “They complemented each other and I think even strengthened each other. They were so different, but so nice. And I don’t know that anybody could really separate the two.

“It was amazing to see them both thrive in that way, separate but together.”

The colt provided another full-circle moment for the Heartwood team, having been bred by Santa Rosa Partners, which was co-founded by Sutherland’s father, prominent bloodstock agent Mike Ryan, and the late Gerry Dilger.

The youngster is out of the Curlin mare Beyond Perfection, a half-sister to 2017 Grade 1 Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming, who was bred by Ryan and Dilger.

Payton Boersma, chief operating officer of Flying Dutchmen, said all of the operation’s purchases will initially head to David O’Farrell’s Ocala Stud before eventually joining trainer Brian Lynch.

Flying Dutchmen also secured the sale’s second-highest-priced yearling, going to $4 million for a striking Gun Runner colt consigned by Gainesway.

Bred in Kentucky by Whisper Hill Farm, the colt is out of multiple Graded stakes winner Four Graces, whom Mandy Pope’s operation purchased for $2.3 million at the 2022 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Brian Graves (left): "It took a lot to bring him here because we like to keep those kind of horses"Credit: ERICA MILLER

“We knew we had a super nice horse. It took a lot to bring him here because we like to keep those kind of horses,” said Whisper Hill racing manager Todd Quast. “But it is a business, and you have to make business decisions.”

Gainesway general manager Brian Graves was equally enthusiastic about the colt’s prospects. 

“He was one of the best colts I saw in all of my inspections this year,” Graves said. “We couldn't think any higher of him than we do in his ability to become a racehorse and a stallion.

“We’re thrilled to bits for Mandy Pope, who’s put so much in this business, to get a result like that, and we’re grateful to the Flying Dutchmen and wish them the best with this fancy horse.”

Flying Dutchmen have already enjoyed considerable success with their Saratoga Sale purchases. The operation found its first Grade 1 winner at the 2023 auction when it paid $610,000 for La Troienne Stakes winner Shred the Gnar.

At the same sale, Flying Dutchmen also purchased subsequent graded stakes winner Owen Almighty for $350,000.

Spendthrift Farm’s Into Mischief dominated the sire standings at Saratoga, accounting for three of the five highest-priced yearlings sold on Tuesday evening.

The leading stallion was responsible for seven of the sale’s 35 seven-figure yearlings, with nine of his offspring selling for an average of $2,172,222.

Three Chimneys Farm’s Gun Runner also enjoyed a standout sale, siring ten yearlings who commanded seven-figure prices.

MV Magnier of Coolmore was involved in two purchases. Along with Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm, he signed for a Gun Runner colt out of Toni Tools from Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services for $1,900,000 who was bred by Maurice Regan's Newtownanner Stud Farm.

They then partnered with Winchell Thoroughbreds for a $3,000,000 Not This Time colt from Paramount Sales.

Read more:

'He could be a Kentucky Derby horse one day' - $3.2 million Nyquist colt tops opening Fasig-Tipton Saratoga session 

'My blood pressure was taking a bit of a knock' - Sun Goddess points to brighter days for Owenstown Stud 

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