Buying opportunities

We will be on-site to
purchase horses at

Fasig-Tipton November
Fasig-Tipton December 

Selling opportunities

We will offer strong consignments at

view consignment

FT Midlantic December

Phase II Flying Zee Dispersal

Timonium - Dec. 5

fasigtipton.com  

Closes November 1st

Led by a $160,000 Giant's Causeway colt, Hidden Brook sold 100% of the yearlings they offered at the Fasig-Tipton October Yearling Sale held October 24-26 in Lexington.

Hidden Brook brought eight yearlings to the sales ring and sold all eight. In addition, the Hidden Brook yearlings out-performed the overall sale average.

On the final day of the three-day venue, Hidden Brook presented Phase I of the Flying Zee dispersal, selling 39 yearlings for $1,236,700. The dispersal average of $35,335 out-performed the October Sale average by 41%. The high-priced yearling was a Lemon Drop Kid filly, who sold for $375,000, just $5,000 less than the top yearling at the main sale.

Hidden Brook will next offer consignments to the Kentucky November Breeding Stock Sales at Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland. Both consignments may be accessed via links on the left side of this Newsletter.

The Estate of Carl Lizza Jr. has chosen Hidden Brook as agent for the complete dispersal of Flying Zee Stable.

For more than three decades Flying Zee has been a prominent New York based racing and breeding powerhouse; they have led all breeders in N.Y.State four times, including 2011. Mr. Lizza died on July 8th, prompting the dispersal of the vast majority of his Thoroughbred holdings.

Phase I of the dispersal with Hidden Brook acting as agent, was held Oct. 26 at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky, and 39 registered New York-bred yearlings were sold on the final day of the Fall Yearling Sale in Lexington, totaling over $1,200,000. 

Phase II of the dispersal will be held at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December mixed sale in Timonium, Maryland on December 5, 2011, and includes weanlings, broodmares, and horses of racing age.

Further information and catalogues may be accessed via Fasig-Tipton's website. A link has been provided on the left side of this Newsletter.

Founded: 2007  

Partners: James O'Reilly and his longtime friend
                 and high school mate

Born and raised: Huntington, NY
Notable successes: Raced four stakes horses of
                                   2011 from a 12-horse stable      

Ok, I'll bite. Does the diehard UK fan dare ask the inspiration for your name? We deal with this question all the time-especially from Kentuckians, who think we are associated with Duke University (Ed note: dreaded rival of Lexington's beloved University of Kentucky Wildcats). More importantly, Blue Devil is the mascot of Huntington High School, on Long Island, where my partner and I went to school and played together on the lacrosse team. We are frequently asked if we are associated with Duke, and we emphatically say, especially to the people in Kentucky, "no-we are not." Just the other day, Christophe Clement asked us in the paddock if we are from Duke. It is something we deal with on a regular basis. We want it known now, "don't shun us because of our name." 

Whew. Now that that's settled: How did you get involved with racing? My partner's family raced Standardbreds at the Meadowlands in the '80's, and back in high school, we often went to the races and experienced  horseracing on that level. We always said to one another, "When we can, we want to be involved in this great sport." Through the years, we continued to be avid followers of racing, attending the races at Belmont and Saratoga, etc. The year Street Sense won the Derby we made our first Derby appearance. We went with 10 people, spent the whole weekend, and had a great time. On the way home, my partner looked at me and said, 'It's time'.  Within months we bought our first horse  (Honest To Betsy), trained her with Dale Romans, and won our first start in a two-year-old Maiden Special Weight at Belmont Park.How's that for an introduction into this game?"   

How many partners are there in Blue Devil Racing? Just the two of us. But we absolutely involve our friends and families. We ran several  horses at Churchill on Derby Day, and had our wives and friends with us. We didn't win anything, but that's part of the experience. My partner's wife helps in other areas. She is an accomplished equestrienne, and helps place the horses after their race careers are over.      

Blue Devil has had some excellent success this year with Hidden Brook sales selections, including three $100,000 stakes horses. Tell us about them. Zapparition had some early success in Florida, placing in a Grade 3. She ran 4th on Derby Day in a Grade 2. She's been resting, and we intend to bring her back in Florida in January, and point for the Sunshine Millions. Rogue's Jewel, trained by Carlos Martin, had some early success on the dirt, but she switched to the turf and really moved up. She is a solid New York-bred stakes runner on the grass. Shot Gun Pennie is also trained by Carlos...we bought her as a yearling and targeted the New York-bred Lady Finger Stakes at Finger Lakes. She ran in it as a maiden- went right to the front and really took to the wet track. We were at Saratoga that day, watching it on the monitors-all the people there were handicapping for the next race, and there we were, screaming at the monitors.