Ways and Means sold for $5,000,000 at Fasig-Tipton on another sensational night
The newly crowned Breeders’ Cup winner topped the sales ring at $5 million, while Cy Fair commanded $4.2 million and Kathynmarissa, bred by Don Alberto, reached $3.2 million
LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).— Barely 48 hours after the curtain came down on the 2026 Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland, the thoroughbred bloodstock market displayed its absolute strength once again. The traditional Fasig-Tipton November Sale, one of the most exclusive fixtures on the global calendar, concluded Monday with gross sales of $101,617,000, surpassing the $100 million barrier for the second consecutive year and for the fifth time in the last six seasons.
A total of 140 horses were sold, averaging $725,836—just fractionally below the 2025 figure—while the median surged by a remarkable 20 percent to reach $360,000. In another resounding metric, 36 horses commanded seven-figure price tags, compared to the 27 that achieved that milestone twelve months ago.
The undisputed star of the evening was Ways and Means (Practical Joke), who had put on a dazzling display on Saturday by drawing off to a 6 1/4-length victory in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). Consigned by Elite Sales, the outstanding 5-year-old mare was secured by Boyd Racing for $5,000,000, marking the highest price of the auction.
Racing in the colors of Klaravich Stables, Ways and Means built a stellar career that featured 3 Grade 1 victories and over $2.15 million in earnings. She also boasts an exceptionally attractive pedigree, being a half-sister to fellow Grade 1 winner Surge Capacity (Flintshire) and the graded performer Highly Motivated (Into Mischief).
Brittany Linton signed the ticket on behalf of Boyd Racing, though she did not confirm whether the champion will remain in training for 2027 or transition directly to the broodmare band.
The evening's second-highest price was fetched by Cy Fair (Not This Time), acquired by AMO Racing—the powerful operation led by Kia Joorabchian—for $4,200,000. Winner of the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf Sprint (G1) in 2025 and runner-up in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1), the filly will remain in training with George Weaver, with Royal Ascot mentioned among her key targets.
Her commercial trajectory is nothing short of extraordinary: Reagan Swinbank had purchased her for just $185,000 at the 2025 OBS sales. After accumulating more than $1.19 million on the racetrack, she multiplied that initial investment exponentially.
Kathynmarissa (American Pharoah), another marquee winner from the weekend at Keeneland, reached $3,200,000 and is bound for Japan after being purchased by Katsumi Yoshida. The Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Turf (G1)heroine, bred by Don Alberto, carries a special South American tie: she is out of the Chilean champion La Dalila(Milt's Overture), who also produced top performer La Poetisa (Empire Maker).
Shingo Hashimoto, representing the buyer, indicated that she will likely be targeted for a mating with Equinox(Kitasan Black), one of the grandest stars in recent Japanese racing history.
Also commanding significant attention was Scottish Lassie (McKinzie), purchased by Spendthrift Farm for $3,000,000. Winner of the Frizette Stakes (G1) and the CCA Oaks (G1), the Jorge Abreu trainee was scratched from the Breeders’ Cup and will now enter stud, with Into Mischief listed among the options for her maiden cover.
Japanese participation proved decisive in the sale's overall success. Katsumi Yoshida secured 6 horses for $10.9 million, while other buyers from the Asian nation made multi-million-dollar investments. In Our Time (Not This Time) reached $2.5 million, while Dynamic Pricing (Night of Thunder) realized $2 million.
There was no shortage of impressive prices among the youngest offerings as well. Asagi Stables paid $1,150,000 for a weanling filly by Not This Time and $1,000,000 for a daughter of Into Mischief, with both future prospects slated to join Wesley Ward's stable.
Another notable chapter involved Sovereignty (Into Mischief), the newly crowned winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic (G1). Peter Brant, through White Birch Farm, spent $1,000,000 for a lifetime breeding right in the champion, who will begin his stallion career at Darley with an announced fee of $150,000.
A similar breeding right in Knightsbridge (Nyquist), who finished third in the Classic, sold for $450,000.
"It was another extraordinary night," summarized Boyd Browning Jr., president of Fasig-Tipton, pointing to the broad participation of buyers from Japan, Europe, Saudi Arabia, Australia, and the United States. He also noted that the market remains selective, with intense competition reserved for top-quality offerings.
The final figures sent a unmistakable message: when top pedigree, physical individual, and elite racetrack achievements converge, demand knows no bounds. In Lexington, the industry demonstrated once again that its commercial engine is operating at full power.
