Fasig-Tipton has cataloged 237 horses for its Florida select sale of 2-year-olds in training, which will be held March 2 at Calder Race Course. The number is down 12.9% from last year’s total of 272 for the auction.
“People are going to pick up this catalog and say, ‘Damn, that looks like a good bunch of horses,’ and when they get to the sale grounds, they’re going to find good-looking physicals, too,” said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning.
The juveniles entered include the offspring of such accomplished sires as A.P. Indy, Distorted Humor , Giant's Causeway , Malibu Moon , Medaglia d'Oro , Smart Strike, Tiznow , and Unbridled's Song.
“Our Calder consignors reacted to the challenges posed by the marketplace by being extremely selective in their purchases,” Browning said. “This resulted in the 2010 catalog being one of the strongest—both in pedigree and conformation—we have put together for a 2-year-old in training sale.”
Recent graduates of the auction include dual 2009 Eclipse Award winner Gio Ponti and Eclipse finalists Zensational and Hot Dixie Chick.
For many years, the Fasig-Tipton sale has been a market leader, generating the highest gross revenue and average price among the major select sales of 2-year-olds in training. In 2009, the auction, like many other sales in a recession-battered economy, suffered significant downturns in its key business figures. The gross revenue dropped 25.5% from the previous year to $26,151,000. The average declined 31.5% to $235,595. And the median fell 34.8% to $150,000. However, more horses found new homes as the buy-back rate dropped from 40.4% in 2008 to 35.5%.
The results for gross, average and median would have been worse, some consignors said, had Fasig-Tipton not rolled out the red carpet for buyers. The efforts included erecting a tent complex, which included a business center and a café that served breakfast and lunch, on Calder’s backstetch, upgrading the food sold during the sale and under tack show, and paying for the airplane tickets and hotel rooms for some shoppers.
The 2010 catalog can be viewed on Fasig-Tipton’s Web site: www.fasigtipton.com.
The auction begins at 11 a.m. (EST) March 2. The under tack show is scheduled for Feb. 26 at Calder starting at 10 a.m. Other events associated with the sale include the Fasig-Tipton-sponsored Fountain of Youth Stakes (gr. II) at Gulfstream Park Feb. 20 and the Fasig-Tipton Fillies Festival at Gulfsteam Feb. 27.