The McMahons have been breeding and elevating horses for greater than 4 a long time at their 400-acre farm in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. House to the highest three stallions standing at stud within the Empire State, the McMahon of Saratoga title is synonymous with profitable New York-breds—each within the gross sales ring and on the racetrack. Based by Joe and Anne McMahon in 1971, lots of the farm’s day-to-day operations have been handed alongside to his son and daughter, John and Jane, who at present oversee the McMahon’s 19-horse consignment at this yr’s Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale.

John McMahon spoke with BloodHorse concerning the significance of the Fasig-Tipton New York-Bred Yearling Sale to New York breeders, the success of the McMahon of Saratoga stallions Central Banker  , Bucchero  , and Solomini  , in addition to the blossoming evolution of the New York-bred yearling.

JM: I’ve bought some very good horses. That is a half to a grade 1 winner and a half to a grade 2 winner.  We have additionally introduced a number of very racy-looking Central Bankers. I’ve a pleasant Daredevil (Hip 407) out of a mare who simply had a Solomini maiden particular weight winner. So far as a horse although that I am notably enthusiastic about I’ve to say Hip 334 is a gorgeous colt. He is a handsome Exhausting Spun and I am excited to see how he does. Of all of them, he is the one I’d choose to go on and do effectively at a 2-year-old in coaching sale or be a maiden particular weight winner.

BH: In trying on the choices in your consignment it may be famous that lots of them are sired by stallions standing in New York. Why do you discover it vital to assist New York-based stallions?

JM: We most likely have 50% Kentucky-sired to 50% New York-sired within the consignment right here, which might be stronger New York-sired than lots of the opposite consignments within the sale.

We actually imagine within the stallion enterprise in New York. We’ve got the main sires within the state and we’re very proud to face them and we’re very proud to point out off their offspring, so we push to get these New York-sired horses within the sale every year.

BH: As you talked about, Bucchero (who simply stood his first season in New York after starting his stallion profession at Nice Acres Stallions in Florida), Central Banker, and Solomini are at present the highest three main stallions standing in New York. What are you able to say concerning the success of those stallions and their impression on the New York breeding program?

JM: They’ve all had an excellent impression to date. Central Banker has persistently thrown sound, quick runners that go onto 3-, 4-, and 5-year-olds. Solomini sired a grade 2 winner in his first crop. He is already method forward of the sires inside his crop at a nationwide degree so we’re very proud of him. New York breeders have responded accordingly. We breed every of these stallions to 160 mares, 110 mares, and 100 mares between these three.  

We’ve got a pleasant breeding and racing program that has produced good maiden particular weights winners, allowance winners, and stakes winners. We’ve got horses we have bred persistently carry out yr after yr and we’re fairly proud of that.

BH: Why is that this sale so vital to New York breeders?

JM: First, it is a spot to showcase our product. Second, it represents an opportunity for us to make our revenue for the yr. In case your intent is to promote New York-bred horses regardless in case your horse is New York-sired or Kentucky-sired that is the sale you wish to focus in on. It is a vital week for New York-bred horses. It is a large vital week for our farm. We work laborious at elevating these horses. It begins while you breed them and quite a bit can go unsuitable between then and now so to get them right here is an accomplishment in itself.

BH: Have you ever observed an inflow in attendance and visitors on the sale lately?

JM: It is a very well-attended sale. We undoubtedly see the identical consumers from yr to yr inside the consignment and also you see a certain quantity of individuals which can be among the many main consumers within the nation strolling the grounds taking a look at horses. That is an exquisite factor. This sale has an excellent historical past and Fasig-Tipton has performed an excellent job of offering an excellent venue for us to take part in.

BH: Your loved ones has been breeding New York-breds for many years. What have your impressions been of the evolution of the New York-bred program?

JM: This system retains getting stronger and stronger. And the breeders, my dad and mom included, persistently have stepped up and produced a greater product. We have a look at horses we have stood up to now or raced up to now and evaluate them to the horses we have dropped at the sale at present and we will see we have come a great distance. I bear in mind yearlings that weren’t as large and ahead and precocious-looking because the inventory we produce now. The sport has actually modified. The New York tracks hold elevating the purses for New York-breds and the award program is booming, so it is saved elevating the usual for New York-bred horses. I believe this system is trying excellent for the subsequent 10 years and much more so with the modifications at Belmont Park coming.

Bucchero must be completely suited to the brand new artificial observe they’re constructing given the outcomes he’d had together with his runners down at Gulfstream. We’re trying ahead to that within the subsequent couple years.