Fasig-Tipton's Kentucky, Saratoga Sale Dates Unchanged

Three days after rival Keeneland announced a one-year hiatus for its select yearling sale in July due to the effects of mare reproductive loss syndrome on the pool of early maturing foals of 2002, Fasig-Tipton Company said it was sticking to its traditional sale dates for Lexington in July and Saratoga Springs, N.Y., in August.

The two-day FT Kentucky sale will be held in the Newtown Paddocks in Lexington on July 16-17 and feature a "new sire showcase" during the opening session. The Saratoga select yearling sale will be held the evenings of Aug. 5-6-7 at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in the upstate New York town of Saratoga Springs.

"A number of call from concerned sellers persuaded us it would be helpful to confirm our plans," said Fasig-Tipton president Walt Robertson. "The recent discussions and announcement about yearling sales in Lexington this summer have had no impact on our schedule. We are in our regular time slots, which have proved successful for us in the past, and are looking forward to the 2003 summer sales."

The 2002 FT Kentucky sale grossed $31.8 million and averaged $97,815 per yearling sold, the highest gross and average since 1984. The Saratoga sale, which averaged $251,729 and grossed $35.2 million, suffered declines of 34.7% and 43.5% in the two respective categories.

Mare reprodutive loss syndrome, which struck in the spring of 2001, reduced Kentucky's nation-leading foal crop by 20% in 2002, from approximately 10,000 to 8,000.