Whatever seeds of doubt that the lower ticket sales at the 2025 Kentucky Derby may have planted have pretty much been nipped in the bud. If Churchill Downs $934.4 million revenue milestone wasn’t enough indication, then the record-breaking Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale has once again quashed any doubts. That’s because the 104th Saratoga Sale shattered multiple records.

The two-day sale at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion, Saratoga Springs, NY, saw some mind-boggling numbers. Hip 218, a colt by colt by Into Mischief, sold at an eye-watering $4.1 million, becoming the most expensive Saratoga yearling sold since 2000. At 11.6%, the RNA rate was the lowest since 1981, and for the first time in the sale’s history, the gross topped $100 million. Now, that momentum may help another sale.

After just a few days since the historic Saratoga sale, the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale will commence on Sunday at 7 p.m. Only 100 yearlings will grace the event. That’s 60 fewer horses than the Saratoga Sale. Yet, sellers are bullish on this year’s New York Sale. “Our shows seem to be way up from last year,” said Brian Graves of Gainesway said as the upcoming sale hopes to top its previous year’s $19 million gross sales mark.

And why won’t Graves make such a prediction? After all, Gainesway alone sold three million-dollar yearlings at Saratoga less than a week ago. Consignor Colin Brennan expects an advantageous tax code will help this year’s sale reach new heights. “I think the tax breaks seem to be motivating some people, in addition to the new New York-bred incentives,” Brennan said as per Thoroughbred Daily News.

“Everything is coming together–the sum of all the parts, which would suggest a strong market for us,” added Brennan. What’s more? The Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale is expecting a trickle-down effect from the historic Saratoga Sale. After all, not everyone who wanted a seat at the buyer’s table at the record-breaking Saratoga Sale got their seat.

Big players and incentives at Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale

The fact that many of the same buyers and sellers like Gainesway, who sold at Saratoga, will also join this one should boost interest. Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, which sold horses at Saratoga, will offer nine New York-breds in the upcoming sale. “We had six last year, and we sold every horse for more than we thought,” Ron Blake said about last year’s sale.

Lili Kobielski of The New Hill Farm predicted a successful sale as well. “I would imagine that the momentum will keep rolling, and hopefully, some people got outbid at that sale and want to come here to buy,” Kobielski said as per BloodHorse. Yet, there’s one more thing at play at the Fasig-Tipton sale other than returning players and tax breaks, and that’s purse parity.

While even legendary trainers like Bob Baffert commented on the Saratoga Sale, the New York Racing Association’s offering of purse parity will be a huge boost for the upcoming sale. Starting on January 1, the NYRA will offer the incentive for all New York-bred overnight 2-year-olds running at the Aqueduct Racetrack, Belmont Park, and Saratoga Race Course.

That means every yearling sold at the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearlings Sale will run for the same purse money as their open-company counterparts from January 1. What’s more? This benefit will extend to all NYRA tracks from 2027. So it’s no wonder that everyone associated with the sale thinks it could exceed last year’s $19 million mark.