Son of Songandaprayer Tops Fasig-Tipton Final Session

A son of leading freshman sire Songandaprayer   topped Wednesday's third and final session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling at Timonium, Md., helping the sales company realize increases in gross, average, and the number of horses sold.

This year the Fasig-Tipton sale was expanded from two days to three due to increased entries.

During the three-day sale at the Maryland State Fairgrounds, Fasig-Tipton reported selling 615 horses for $14,499,600, an increase of 35% over last year's two-day figure of $10,791,500. The average jumped 8% from $21,851 last year to $23,570 this year. The median decreased to $10,500 this year compared to $12,000 last year.

The number of horses not sold decreased from 23% last year to 22% this year with 169 horses failing to find new homes this year compared to 143 last year. The sales company also reported 26 horses bringing more than six figures compared to nine last year.

Fasig-Tipton president Walt Robertson cited the drop in median to the increased number of lower priced horses selling this year compared to last due to the large foreign influence at this sale and the increased catalogued of almost 200 horses. Contingents from Russia, the Ukraine, and the Philippines were very active buyers this year.

"Overall, it was just a phenomenal sale," Robertson said. "You always look at last year when you go into the next year, and when you have such a huge increase in the number of horses offered you just hope to be even. It was thrilling to be up this year with the number of horses not sold down. I think it just shows a lot of buyer and seller confidence in this sale."

The sale's topping son of Songandaprayer  , named Tobin's Bobcat, was purchased for $375,000 by Jess Jackson's Stonestreet Stables via cell phone conversation between Boyd Browning, Fasig-Tipton executive vice president and chief operating officer, and bloodstock agent John Moynihan, who was in communication with Jackson.

The bidding war also saw other Fasig-Tipton sales officials on cell phones with other bidders.

"I'm really delighted with the price," said Pat Costello of Paramount Sales, who consigned the colt. "He was getting a lot of attention before the sale so we thought he would bring a good bit of money, but this was more than we expected. He had a lovely body and he just came along great."

Jorge Tabraue bred Tobin's Bobcat in Florida from the Fortunate Prospect mare Tobin's Fortune and the colt is from the family of stakes winners Crawford Avenue and Explo Royale.

Tobin's Bobcat has been sent to Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables near Ocala, Fla.

Wednesday's session saw 187 horses sold gross $4,269,900 to average $22,834. The median was $10,000 with 70 horses failing to find new homes.