Buyers, Sellers Embrace Revised F-T Under-Tack Show

This year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale under-tack show that started May 12 debuted a new format, featuring untimed workouts and restricted whip use. Fasig-Tipton is not publishing any official times. Boyd Browning Jr., president and CEO of Fasig-Tipton, said, "The goal is to showcase each horse's natural athleticism in a way that supports safety and produces a sounder horse that can move forward after the sale." Typically, the fastest works during an under-tack show ultimately attract premium prices at 2-year-old sales, but both consignors and sellers at the Maryland sale have embraced the new format with optimism. Clovis Crane of Crane Thoroughbred Services sent five horses to the track Tuesday, combining a mix of gallops and breezes. "It's just like life, you have to make adaptations," Crane said of the new format. "The playing field has changed a little bit over the years, and we just have to adapt and adjust. "I take a stance that as long as we're doing what's right for the horses, it'll end up being the right thing for the people. Those of us looking to stay in the business long term, we have to learn to adapt and do the best we can. At the end of the day, if you're doing the best thing for the horse, it will all work out." Hips 1-300 completed their previews on Day 1 of the under-tack show for the Midlantic sale, which condensed the under-tack show to two days, barring weather concerns. Additional details about the new under-tack show format are available online. Crane's most eye-catching worker of the day was Hip 13, a colt by Volatile. The colt was bred in Kentucky by Doug Wert and purchased in a partnership including Crane for $18,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale. "He's been brilliant all winter," said Crane of Hip 13. "From what I'm hearing around the backside, he had the fastest time of the day at the time of his breeze, and that was the fifth set, so it's a good shot he was one of the top breezes of the day. So, that's pretty exciting." Crane said he thinks the Midlantic May Sale will fit any type of horse, but really showcases a place for dirt horses to shine. Saul Marquez of Caliente Thoroughbreds brings a large consignment to the sale. Marquez sent 13 horses to the track Tuesday and was very pleased with the results. "I love it, it seems to be working," Marquez said. I'm getting good results, I don't see any cons with the new rules." One of the standouts on paper and visually from the Caliente group is Hip 159, a colt by Good Magic out of the Congrats mare, Diamondsandpearls, who sold for $1.7 million at the 2017 Ocala Breeders' Sales March 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, after breezing a quarter-mile in :21. The colt was bred in Kentucky by Phoenix Thoroughbreds (III) and purchased as a yearling for $320,000 by Starlight Express at the 2025 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October Yearlings Sale. "All (of the horses) went really well. They took a liking to the track," Marquez said. Marquez said the new rules and the dirt track factored into his decision to bring a large group to the sale. "I get to show more of what the horses are made of and not get them out of rhythm. They can showcase their natural ability and movement. "There are some horses that don't adapt to the synthetic, and that's probably the case with a lot of mine. They are dirt horses and bred to run on the dirt. They performed very well on the track today." While consignors have adapted to the necessary changes, some buyers will have to change their strategies and put in a little more work to narrow down their shortlists. "I think with the galloping, it's going to make your first shortlist a lot longer than it would have been with just times, because everyone stays kind of grouped together a little bit more, but we have plenty of time to get through the horses here," said Kristian Villante of Legion Bloodstock. "If anything, I think it kind of turns it back into a bit of a yearling show, which we don't have any problem with." Villante was complimentary of the changes Fasig-Tipton has made. "The track seemed pretty fair and consistent throughout the day. I think kind of going a little slow with some of these horses, you can see the movement a little bit better." The second and final day of the under-tack show begins at 8:00 a.m. ET May 13 with hips 301-619 set to head to the track.