The catalogue for Fasig-Tipton's September Yearling Sale at Pomona was made available last week, and in Mike Machowsky's telling, it constitutes the best book of yearlings he's been involved with since picking up the mantel of Fasig-Tipton's California representative.“It's a pretty big diverse type of catalogue,” he said, highlighting representation from strong Kentucky sires like Nashville, Maxfield and Hard Spun.“We've never had an Uncle Mo in here–we have an Uncle Mo filly,” he said, of a filly out of the stakes-winning Tomlin. “We've just got a lot of really strong Kentucky-sired Cal-breds.”This, said Machowsky, is representative of shifting tides in California breeding, where volume is being replaced by a greater emphasis in quality.“I credit to these breeders in California. They've stepped up over the last several years, sending their mares to Kentucky or buying mares from Kentucky, just giving us a bigger pool of quality to choose from,” said Machowsky,Cal-Bred Yearling Sale | Fasig-TiptonAll of the eligible yearlings in the book who were foaled in California are or will be registered for Cal-bred premiums and will be updated on the Fasig-Tipton website, said Machowsky.What will be crucial for this 293-strong book (the largest sale for quite some time, with additional supplements likely, said Machowsky) is participation.In other words, the sale's only as strong as the interest in it.“We have it on a Wednesday this year. We've usually had the sale on a Tuesday. This'll give the guys, whether it's trainers or agents, an extra day. With no racing at Santa Anita on Monday, Tuesday, there's no excuse not to get through all these horses,” said Machowsky.“So, don't let any grass grow under your feet here,” he added. “We need to get you, get everybody motivated.Which is why Machowsky's keen to hammer home some of the added incentives this year.The first is the $500,000 bonus offered to the first sale graduate from this year's auction that wins a U.S. Grade I at age two or three.If won, the half-million pot of money will be divided between the owner at the time of the Grade I win and the owner at the time it went through the auction. Horses RNA'd also qualify.“We just thought it was a great idea, a way to draw more eyes onto our sale and make sure everybody kind of sifts through their sales so they're not missing out on anything. So hopefully, it'll generate a lot more foot traffic and a lot more interest and a lot more dedicated shopping,” said Machowsky.“It's hard for any type of horse to win a grade one. But it's very possible if you look at the book and the horses out there running right now, the good Cal-breds that we have,” said Machowsky.Then there's the raft of enhanced breeders' incentives that have been unfurled this year, in additional to the strong Cal-bred program already in place.Fasig-TiptonCal-breds (already entitled to two first-level allowance condition wins if they're recorded separately on dirt and turf) are now permitted two wins on the same surface at two separate distances: one win at seven furlongs or less, and one at one mile or more.The $100 registration fee is waived for Cal-bred registered foals born in 2025, 2026 and 2027. Starting with foals born next year, the California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association (CTBA) will award $1,000 for each Cal-Bred registered foal (maxing out at 25 foals per breeder).Furthermore, breeders will receive a $3,000 transport reimbursement for certain eligible mares purchased at out-of-state auctions who are subsequently bred back to a registered California stallion.“The Cal-bred program has got so many lucrative pieces to it. You know, this sale is the strongest one since I've been here on paper and looking at some of the individuals. So, that's exciting. Add to that the financial incentives for these Cal-breds, they're huge. I mean, a Cal-bred isn't just a horse, it's an active revenue multiplier,” said Machowsky.“That's why it's just so important for the industry and for racing in California that we support our breeders who have put the effort and time and money breeding these horses, raising them, and getting them to the sale. We need the support of the buyers and the trainers and everybody else involved to make it a successful venture,” he added.“So, if you want race here and you want to win races at Santa Anita, Del Mar, this is where you've got to start.”The California Yearling Sale, presented by Fasig-Tipton, will be held Sept. 30 at Fairplex Park, starting at 11:00 a.m. PT.The post Machowsky: Fasig-Tipton September Yearling Sale “Strongest One Since I’ve Been Here” appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.