While Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July started the yearling season on a strong note in its usual position of late—first on the calendar—horses of racing age also turned plenty of heads at the first-ever Fasig-Tipton summer horses of racing age sale.
The sale, which followed the July yearling sale, accepted late entries to allow horses to enter right off the track. Buyers had a chance to purchase horses to compete in top summer and fall stakes.
Sale-topper Starship Truffles took full advantage of the arrangements as she sold for $1 million just 11 days after winning the Princess Rooney Handicap (gr. I) at Calder Race Course.
Castleton Lyons landed the 4-year-old Ghostzapper filly, who previously was campaigned by Chasing Tails Stables and trained by Martin Wolfson. Hidden Brook, agent, consigned the winner of 14 of 24 starts who has earned $433,035 to date. Castleton Lyons is leaning toward sending the filly back to Wolfson.
"She is very impressive and will keep racing," said Gabriel Duignan, who signed the ticket for Castleton Lyons. "You have to pay a high price for the good ones."
Mike Recio, of consignor Hidden Brook, said they thought the filly could reach $1 million.
"She is a first-class filly and she has a great mind," Recio said.
The sale saw 55 horses sell for $5,819,000, for an average price of $105,800. Median price was $45,000 and just 10 horses failed to sell. Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning said the sale was a big success and would return next season.
"We live in an evolving world," Browning said. "From talking with our consignors and buyers, people in the marketplace, we felt like there was a need for a vehicle to sell horses of racing age in an organized fashion at this time of year."
Emily Walden contributed to this story.