A phenomenal Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale came to a close in New York on Tuesday having smashed records across-the-board. Fuelled by no fewer than 14 seven-figure yearlings – topped by a $2.3-million son of breakout sire Gun Runner – the two-day auction featured the sale of 143 yearlings for a record total of $66,955,000. The sale of $468,212 smashed the previous record of $411,459 set in 2019, while the median of $375,000 broke the record of $350,000 recorded in 2019 and 2021.

Trade was particularly frenzied on Tuesday, when the average surpassed the half-a-million dollar mark at $513,851. Of the 74 horses that sold, ten made seven figures.

“Rarely do you find me speechless,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “We are blown away by the results. The energy, the excitement, it just feels so good from an industry perspective.”

This Gun Runner colt sold for a sale-topping $2.3 million. Photo – Fasig-Tipton

Three Chimneys Farm stallion Gun Runner has been carrying all before him in recent weeks, with a 126-strong first crop having already thrown five Grade 1 winners in Preakness Stakes hero Early Voting, champion two-year-old Echo Zulu, Gunite, Cyberknife and Taiba – the latter pair of colts recently ran one-two in the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational.

Naturally, such relentless success has spilled over into the auction ring, where demand for his progeny reached fever pitch in the sale of a colt out of Heavenly Love, for whom MV Magnier and Peter Brant of White Birch Farm paid $2.3 million. Bred by Debby Oxley and sold through Gainesway, the colt is the second foal out of the Grade 1 Alcibiades Stakes heroine Heavenly Love. In turn, the daughter of Malibu Moon is a half-sister to the Grade 2 winner Forever Darling and out of the Grade 1-placed Darling My Darling.

In a show of real appreciation for Gun Runner, Magnier also went to $1.4 million for a colt out of the unraced Giant’s Causeway mare Flag Day from Denali Stud.

It was also a big night for veteran Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm sire Curlin thanks to a sister to Grade 3 winner First Captain, himself a former Saratoga sale-topper, who sold for $2 million to West Point, Woodford Racing and 3C Stable and a colt out of Grade 1 winner Angela Renee, who made $1.75 million to agent Mike Ryan.

Stone Farm sold the filly on behalf of celebrity chef Bobby Flay, who had bred her out of the Grade 3 winner America, while Taylor Made Sales Agency sold the Angela Renee colt on behalf of breeder Don Alberto Corporation.

Also popular was a Quality Road half-sister to Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes winner Sweet Loretta, for whom trainer Bob Baffert went to $1.8 million.

Leading buyer Donato Lanni purchased four yearlings for a total of $3,500,000 at an average price of $875,000.

Taylor Made Sales Agency was the leading vendor, selling 27 of their 34 yearlings through the ring for a total of $11,710,000.

This Curlin filly joined her brother First Captain as stars of the Saratoga Sale. Photo – Fasig-Tipton