Fasig-Tipton's final live sale of the year, the Midlantic December Mixed and Horses of Racing Age Sale Dec. 5, will see 187 horses head through the ring starting at 11 a.m. ET. The catalog, down 41 horses over 2022, offers horses for a large spectrum of racing jurisdictions and pinhooking avenues.
"It's a small catalog, but as always, there's something in here that will make everybody's list," Paget Bennett, Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sales director, said. "We have some New York-, Maryland-, and West Virginia-breds, something for every racing jurisdiction. We have some Kentucky and regional sires; you can see a little of everything. Our usuals who support this sale and shop it have come up."
There are 44 broodmares in foal, nine open mares, seven broodmare prospects, 13 racing/broodmare prospects, 39 racing prospects, 12 yearlings, and 63 weanlings cataloged for the single session.
"This is the second year the mares and foals are interspersed throughout the sale, which helps keep things moving," Bennett added. "The racehorses have had some additional runs since the PPs were first put out, so they have been updated. There are grass horses ready to head south and partake in lucrative programs."
This past weekend, three horses cataloged to the sale as Hips 4, 5, and 136 (all with consignor Bill Reightler) received an exciting update when the juvenile Kissedbyanangel won the Maryland Juvenile Filly Stakes at Laurel Park. Also not shown on the page is her third-place effort in the Maryland Million Lassie Stakes Oct. 14. She now has earnings of $136,930 in six starts, with five of those on the board.
❄️ The Midlantic December Mixed & Horses of Racing Age sale begins tomorrow, December 5, at 11 AM!
— Fasig-Tipton (@FasigTiptonCo) December 4, 2023
View catalogue ➡️ https://t.co/7EyYnV1GxL #FasigMD pic.twitter.com/bBSsPwdVXZ
With the later start time on Tuesday, local trainers can conclude morning training and head over to the fairgrounds in time to have a look before the sale begins.
"Every hour, we see more people come to the barns," Bennett said. "With a smaller catalog, people can shop this afternoon and before the sale starts tomorrow."
Last year the sale recorded a gross of $3,233,600, with 172 horses sold of the 228 to go through the ring, setting an average price of $18,800 and a median of $10,000. An RNA rate of 24.6% represents the 56 horses that failed to change hands.
There were 11 racing prospects sold to mark the highest average of $51,591, followed by the racing or stallion prospects, which averaged $47,333 for the three sold. There were 54 weanlings sold for a gross of $711,300, at an average of $13,172, and the 40 broodmares sold averaged $13,228 with a $529,100 gross.
Tom Kagele purchased the racing prospect Radical Right, by First Samurai , for $260,000, which was the highest offering of the previous year from Northview Stallion Station. The 4-year-old gelding finished second in the Palos Verdes Stakes (G3) this past February at Santa Anita Park for trainer Peter Miller and Kagele.
Trainer Mike Maker purchased four horses for a gross of $437,000, at an average of $109,250, to be the sale's leading buyer. Northview Stallion Station sold 51 of its 66-horse draft to lead with a gross of $1,144,500.
As of Monday afternoon, Fasig-Tipton reports 29 horses have been withdrawn from the single session sale, which begins at 11 a.m. at the Maryland State Fairgrounds in Timonium.
