Fasig-Tipton wrapped up its December digital horse sale on Wednesday night with total sales reaching $10,607,900 for 421 horses sold. The auction, which started on December 4th and concluded over two sessions on the 9th and 10th, surpassed last year’s digital sale total of $10,258,700 and is believed to set a new record for the highest online Thoroughbred auction globally. The sale featured a diverse mix of racing-age horses, broodmare and sire prospects, broodmares, yearlings, weanlings, and stallion seasons.
The top purchase was the two-year-old colt Treadstone, a Tapit debut winner, who sold for $470,000 to agent Greg Compton. Consigned by Gainesway as a racing-age horse, Treadstone had his maiden victory on November 23rd at Suidobashi and is a half-brother to notable UAE Oaks winners Down on Da Bayou and Polar River.
Other significant sales included:
– Tour Player (Hip 42), a 4-year-old undefeated American Pharoah colt with strong speed figures, sold for $350,000 to Legion Bloodstock, representing Graham Grace Stables.
– Empress Eleanor (Hip 368), a Bernardini filly and stakes-winning dam prospect, sold for $280,000 to Ashview Farm.
– Wild Bout Hilary (Hip 6), a 4-year-old broodmare prospect with six wins including the Bayacoa Stakes (G3), sold for $250,000 to Bourbon Boys.
– Rock On Layla (Hip 645), a 4-year-old broodmare and half-sister to Clark Stakes (G2) winner Magnitude, sold for $230,000 to Fiddleleaf Bloodstock.
– Zapple (Hip 351), a Ghostzapper mare and half-sister to graded stakes winners, sold for $220,000 to Reverie Farm.
Leif Aaron, Fasig-Tipton’s digital sales director, highlighted this sale as the highest-volume digital auction in their history, with over 1,600 horses sold this year and more than $50 million in revenue generated since the platform’s launch nearly four years ago. The December sale alone attracted over 1,500 registered bidders worldwide, illustrating its global reach.
Overall, 421 horses were sold for a cumulative $10,607,900, marking the largest online Thoroughbred auction ever held internationally. Twenty-two lots fetched prices above $100,000, with buyers participating from three continents and eight countries. Complete sale results are accessible online.
Fan Take: This record-breaking online sale marks a significant shift in the horse racing industry towards digital platforms, expanding accessibility and global participation. For fans and industry insiders alike, it signals promising growth and modern innovation that could attract new followers and investment to the sport.
