Records Fall at Dazzling 105th Saratoga Sale
Records were toppled across the board as the 105th edition of The Saratoga Sale, Fasig-Tipton's flagship selected yearling auction, concluded a dazzling two night run on Tuesday night at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs, New York.
The sale continued an upward trajectory by breaking the records for gross, average, and median established just last year. Led by a pair to hit the $4,000,000 threshold, a total of 35 yearlings were sold for seven figures over the course of two nights, also breaking the record established last year, when 25 horses hit that marker.
“Genuinely believe it was the greatest horse sale I've ever seen in my life,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said. “I joined Fasig-Tipton in 1988. We've had some wonderful moments, and some not so wonderful moments, and last night and tonight were simply incredible. It shows you what happens when you are able to assemble a magnificent group of horses on the grounds, and that's really where it starts and really where it finishes, because the finest judges that rate yearlings in the world, came on the grounds … and they clearly decided that this was an exceptional group of horses, which validated the thoughts and the beliefs that our consignors and our customers had, and our inspection team had, and that's a very, very, very fulfilling and a rewarding experience, really for every member of our staff and for every customer that we've got.”
Browning often speaks of the magic and the atmosphere in Saratoga Springs, a vibrant racing town, but said “there really isn’t any pixie dust” to the record results, giving credit to those who support Fasig-Tipton at every level.
“Pretty special place, but it's a special place because of the men and women at work at Fasig-Tipton,” Browning said. “The men and women who support Fasig-Tipton as buyers and sellers, the men and women who have worked at Fasig-Tipton and participated in our sales that came before us, and hopefully we're laying a foundation for a culture and a company and an organization that will continue to aspire to great heights for both ourselves and for our industry.”
An Into Mischief colt (hip 136) who is a full brother to multiple graded stakes winner Barnes sold for $4,200,000 to Flying Dutchmen about an hour into Tuesday's session to lead the sale (video). An appreciative crowd waited for the colt to exit the ring with aplomb before erupting in applause. As photographers rushed to capture the moment of the ticket signing, the Flying Dutchmen team was not distracted from the action for long. The operation walked away from the two nights of this sale with 11 additions to the stable totaling $21,625,000, including Tuesday’s top two lots, and four of the evening’s top five prices.
"There's a bunch of them that stand out here," Flying Dutchmen President Hunter Rankin said on Monday night of shopping The Saratoga Sale. "It's so hard to predict ... which one's going to be the best one. I just think if you keep buying horses like [these], you give yourselves a chance. We love supporting this place. It's so fun, the atmosphere's great. Our group, we like to have a little more fun."
This bay colt, who was bred in Kentucky by Jeff Drown and Don Rachel, represented the first home run for the inaugural consignment for Heartwood Farm. The Kentucky operation is co-owned by Juan Aguilar and Sarah Sutherland, who hung out their own shingle this year after previously serving in key management roles for Indian Creek. If sending out the sale topper wasn't enough, Heartwood also consigned the yearling who tied for the evening's third-highest price, a $3,000,000 Into Mischief colt (hip 154) also purchased by Flying Dutchmen less than an hour after the first Into Mischief colt went through the ring.
"I don't even know what to say," Sutherland said. "We work very hard at home. We have an amazing group of men and women at the farm that help with these horses day to day. And when you know them well, you feel like you have a good handle on what you have, but to bring them here and have them received the way they were, it's very fulfilling, very gratifying."
Into Mischief is the nation's seven-time reigning leading general sire, and is among the leaders at this point of 2026, with the likes of reigning Horse of the Year Sovereignty and prominent 3-year-olds Renegade and Commandment on the track. He had an outstanding sale, finishing with six seven figure lots on Tuesday night, and seven from this auction overall.
When previously crossed with the sale topper's dam, the American Pharoah mare All American Dream, Into Mischief sired Barnes, winner of the Grade 2 San Vicente Stakes and Grade 3 Perryville Stakes, and also Grade 1 placed. Barnes sold for $3,200,000 at the Saratoga Sale in 2023, while All American Dream also produced a $1,100,000 filly sold here last year.
"I just think he's an unbelievable animal," Sutherland said of this colt. "I think anybody that had a couple of minutes to look at him and watch him, I think you understood him pretty quickly. You can see what a serious horse he is. ... I'm excited for Flying Dutchmen to get him. He could be anything."
The second horse of the sale to cross the $4,000,000 threshold was a Gun Runner colt (hip 200), sold for exactly that amount to Flying Dutchmen (video). The bay Kentucky-bred was consigned by Gainesway, as agent for Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. The breeder houses her star-studded broodmare band at Gainesway, which had a solid sale for a number of breeders, consigning five seven figure horses over two nights, including Monday’s session topper.
This colt is the second foal out of the multiple Grade 3 winning Majesticperfection mare Four Graces, who was also Grade 1 placed. Out of Grade 3 placed Ivory Empress, she is a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner McCraken.
The colt's purchase was the cherry on top of an outstanding sale for Horse of the Year and perennial leading sire Gun Runner. He finished with 10 seven figure lots at The Saratoga Sale, the most of any sire.
The Heartwood principals are also familiar with the family and breeders behind their second Into Mischief colt (hip 154) headed to Flying Dutchmen. The colt was bred by the Santa Rosa Partners of which Sutherland's father, noted bloodstock agent Mike Ryan, is a key part. The colt is the first foal out of the Curlin mare Beyond Perfection, in turn out of Above Perfection, dam of Kentucky Derby winner Always Dreaming and Grade 1 winner Hot Dixie Chick, the latter in turn the dam of Grade 1 winner Pauline's Pearl. A filly out of Above Perfection fetched $1 million at the 2021 Saratoga Sale.
"That's a mare that my father owned with the Dilger family with [the late] Gerry Dilger, so to have her first foal come up here and sell this well to a great program like Flying Dutchmen is everything," Sutherland said. "It's very emotional, very fulfilling. I think any time you bring two horses by the same stallion in a small consignment, you hope that you're doing the right thing. ... I think they were seen as individuals and really complimented each other."
Late in the evening, a colt by Not This Time (hip 227) matched the $3,000,000 price tag to tie for the third-highest price of the night, going to the partnership of Winchell Thoroughbreds, White Birch, and M.V. Magnier of the Coolmore group. The chestnut colt was bred in Kentucky by Springhouse Farm, and was consigned by Paramount Sales, as agent.
Not This Time, a breakout young stallion who has shown versatility by siring champions on both dirt and turf, is currently narrowly leading Into Mischief atop the 2026 North American general sires earnings list. This colt is out of the Grade 3 winning Five Star Day mare Just Louise, whose best runner is Grade 2 winner Forbidden Kingdom. She has also produced stakes placed Bibi Dahl.
Flying Dutchmen stretched to $2,800,000 for another Into Mischief colt (hip 140). This colt was consigned by Four Star Sales, as agent for breeder Spendthrift Farm. This bay colt is the second foal out of the winning Tiznow mare Anacapa, a half sister to Grade 2 winner Amalfi Sunrise.
Spendthrift was involved with the purchase of another Into Mischief colt in support of its own stallion, as Delta Squad Racing, Whisper Hill Farm, and Spendthrift partnered at $2,600,000 on a bay colt (hip 121).
"I just hope the one we sold doesn't beat the one we bought a couple of years from now," Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey joked.
The colt was bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Farm, which enjoyed a stellar sale, breeding seven of the seven figure offerings under its Stonestreet Bred & Raised brand, including Monday’s session topper. The operation spreads its select offerings among several consignors, and this colt was handled by Warrendale Sales. The bay colt is the second foal out of the Jump Start mare Vault, winner of the Grade 2 Ruffian Stakes, and a half sister to Grade 1 winner Mirth.
Continuing down Tuesday’s leaderboard continued to show Gun Runner and Into Mischief’s names. A chestnut Gun Runner colt (hip 207) was purchased for $2,300,000 by RMT Racing. Consigned by Lane’s End, as agent for St. Elias Stables, the Kentucky-bred is out of the Grade 1 winning Tapit mare Sweet Loretta.
Spendthrift partnered with Go Go Greys Stable for an Into Mischief filly (hip 217), consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, as agent for breeder LNJ Foxwoods. The gray Kentucky-bred is out of the stakes placed Tapit mare Hemmerle, dam of stakes placed Zeppelin. It is the extended family of champions Caitlinhergrtness and Street Cry.
A chestnut Gun Runner colt (hip 194) was purchased for $1,750,000 by Caitlin Dunne, acting as agent for Asagi Stables. The colt was consigned by Bridie Harrison, as agent for breeder Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds. He is out of the winning Tapit mare Etiquette, making him a full brother to Society, a Grade 1 winner around two turns in the Cotillion Stakes and one turn in the Ballerina Stakes.
Spendthrift and Delta Squad partnered for a $1,700,000 colt by Not This Time (hip 129). This colt was also bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet, and was consigned via Taylor Made Sales Agency. The bay colt is out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Way Too Pretty, a half sister to Grade 1 winner Callback and stakes winner Defy Gravity, both of whom have produced stakes horses. This is the extended family of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver and Eclipse Award champion Rhythm, among other Grade 1 winners.
Stonestreet also bred the next colt on Tuesday’s leaderboard, a chestnut son of Triple Crown winner Justify (hip 212), purchased by Speedway Stables for $1,550,000. Consigned by Warrendale Sales as agent, the colt is out of the Smart Strike mare Good Omen, dam of Grade 2 placed Miracle. He is from the extended family of two-time Horse of the Year and prominent sire Curlin.
Next on the hit list for Into Mischief was a filly (hip 124) purchased for $1,500,000 by Erdenheim Farm Thoroughbreds from the consignment of Buckland Sales, as agent for breeder Calumet Farm. The bay filly, bred in Kentucky, is out of the Grade 1 winning Giant's Causeway mare Vexatious. She, in turn, is out of Grade 1 winner Dream of Summer, making her a full sister to Grade 1 winner Creative Cause and Grade 2 winner Destin, both classic placed runners.
Matching that $1,500,000 price was a Gun Runner colt (hip 216), purchased by Legion/Gracie, agent, from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency. The bay colt, bred in Kentucky by Fred W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding, is out of the Grade 2 placed More Than Ready mare Heart of Paradise, dam of Grade 1 placed Gate to Paradise.
A Constitution colt (hip 119) who was just the fourth horse through the ring was purchased for $1,450,000 by Flying Dutchmen to help set the tone for the evening. The bay Kentucky-bred colt was consigned by Gainesway, as agent for breeder Stonestreet. He is out of the Grade 3 winning Curlin mare Valadorna, who has three foals to race, all winners, including Grade 1 placed Taptastic and Grade 2 placed Tuscan Gold. Valadorna is a half sister to Grade 1 winner Complexity.
A colt from the second crop of Life Is Good (hip 201) sold for $1,200,000 to Justin Casse, with Taylor Made Sales Agency also acting as agent. The bay colt, bred in Kentucky by the partnership of Capri Bloodstock, Brad Stephens, and Steve Martin, is out of the Street Sense mare From the Hood. She is a half sister to Eclipse Award champion Folklore, making this the immediate family of Eclipse champion Essential Quality and Japanese champion Contrail.
A pair of Gun Runner fillies each brought $1,100,000, with Boyd Racing, with Brittany Linton as agent, first reaching to the mark for a chestnut filly (hip 128), and Legion Bloodstock later going to the mark for a bay filly (hip 184).
The chestnut filly, consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, as agent, was bred in Kentucky by Newtown Anner Stud. She is out of the Speightstown mare Wamathaat, a daughter of blue hen Special Me, dam of Grade 1 winners Gina Romantica and Gift Box and graded stakes winners Stonetastic and Special Forces.
Legion Bloodstock’s purchase was consigned by Mill Ridge Sales, and was bred in Kentucky by Arrowfield Pastoral Pty., LTD. She is the first foal out of the stakes winning Into Mischief mare Downtown Mischief.
Another three yearlings joined the leaderboard at $1,000,000 exactly:
--A chestnut colt from the second crop of unbeaten Horse of the Year Flightline, himself a graduate of The Saratoga Sale, brought $1,000,000 when purchased by Deuce Greathouse, agent 30A. The colt (hip 177) was consigned by Denali Stud, as agent, and was bred in Kentucky by EGL One LLC. He is the first foal out of the stakes winning Curlin mare Curlin's Catch, a daughter of Sovereign Award Canadian champion Catch the Thrill.
--Historic Claiborne Farm brought a consignment to The Saratoga Sale for the first time since 1975, and was led by a Constitution colt (hip 186) purchased by the partnership of St. Elias, West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing, and Belladonna Racing. The bay colt, bred in Kentucly by Hoolie Racing Stable is the first foal out of the Grade 3 winning Shackleford mae Dream It Is, dam of stakes winners Otto the Conqueror and Uncle Dodo.
--A Tapit colt (hip 205) purchased by Resolute Bloodstock is out of the Argentinian Grade 3 winner Giant Remex, a Giant’s Causeway mare who had produced Argentinian stakes winner Renio Joy. The gray colt was bred in Kentucky by the Tapit Syndicate and Don Alberto Corporation, and was consigned as agent by Gainesway, which stands his sire.
During the Tuesday session, 71 yearlings sold for $63,410,000, with an average of $893,099 and median of $550,000.
Over the span of two nights, 152 yearlings sold for gross receipts of $118,215,000, a sale record surpassing the mark set last year, when 161 yearlings sold for $100,845,000, the first time in this storied sale's history to reach nine figures.
The average was $777,730, up 24.2% over the highwater mark set last year of $626,366. The median rose 16.6% for another record, to $525,000 from last year's $450,000.
The Leading Consignor by gross was Taylor Made Sales Agency, which sold 29 yearlings for a total of $22,705,000.
The overall buyback rate was 18.3 percent.
“It was a vibrant atmosphere,” Browning said. “It was a kind of a celebration of all the things that that that everybody does right. I hope in 2028 and 2029, we’ve got to use a catalog cover that's twice the size of this one to put all the pictures of the great graduates. Because I'm telling you, mark my words on August 11, 2026, you're going to look up two years from now, three years from now, and see some of the best horses in the world are graduates of this horse sale.
Complete results of The Saratoga Sale are available online.
