Fasig-Tipton
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The Fasig-Tipton Company, Inc. is an auction house for Thoroughbred horses founded in 1898 by William B. Fasig and Edward A. Tipton. It is the oldest auction company of its kind in North America. Its first headquarters were in Madison Square Garden in New York, and Fasig-Tipton initially sold high-class road and carriage horses in addition to Thoroughbred and Standardbred racing stock.[1]
The company has offices in Lexington, Kentucky, Elkton, Maryland, Grand Prairie, Texas, Saratoga Springs, New York, and Ocala, Florida. In 2008, Fasig-Tipton Co. was purchased by Synergy Investments Ltd., a Dubai-based company headed by Abdulla Al Habbai.
Saratoga Springs, New York
The Saratoga Springs branch of Fasig-Tipton is located at East and Madison Avenues in Saratoga Springs, New York, approximately a quarter of a mile from the Saratoga Race Course. The Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion, the center of the sales during the month of August, is a small auditorium with seating on the bottom in front of an oblong walking ring, where the horses are shown and the auctioneer and spokesperson sit during the sales. The balcony area contains more seating and a press box, around which is an art exhibition which arrives each year from Lexington, Kentucky, at the time of sales. This exhibition is put on by the Cross Gate Gallery, which is not affiliated with Fasig-Tipton. The grounds also hold a restaurant, a snack bar for lighter fare, eight large barns, an office and tool room, and a large walking ring attached to the pavilion for warming up and viewing the horses.
The Fasig-Tipton auctions in Saratoga are typically held in early August. There are two nights of Select Sales where only the top yearlings in the country are selected to be sold. During these sessions one can only sit inside the pavilion if a reservation is made in advance. The public is allowed on the grounds and inside the pavilion to view the horses and artwork inside, but cannot sit unless prior arrangements are made. During the Preferred sessions only selected New York bred horses are shown, and the public is invited to sit where they wish. The sales grounds and seating are open to the public throughout the sale but seating is limited during the Selected sessions. Historically the FasigTipton Saratoga Select Sale kicks off the Summer yearling sales in North America, preceded only by their own Kentucky July Sale of Selected yearlings.
Two alleys that front parts of the property are named Fasig Lane and Tipton Lane.
2008 acquisition
In May 2008, Fasig-Tipton was purchased by the Dubai-based company Synergy Investments Ltd. Synergy has updated and modernized Fasig-Tipton's sales facilities in Lexington, Saratoga, and Timonium, Maryland as well as increased its profile internationally with the addition of representatives in Australasia, Europe, and South America.
