Nothing Arbitrary About It: Randomized Set to Shine on Night of the Stars

[Wandering Eyes]

When Seth Klarman stretched for a yearling filly by Nyquist at the 2021 Keeneland September Sale, he paid $460,000, which trainer Chad Brown said was, “at the top end of what he goes for for yearlings.” That filly, Randomized, went on to earn four times that amount on the track and now figures to be one of the star attractions at the November 3 Fasig-Tipton Night of the Stars when she sells as hip 137 in the EliTE consignment.

“She was one of our top picks at the sale,” recalled Brown. “She's an excellent physical and she really looked like a high-quality prospect.”

She proved to be just that, going on to be a dual Grade I winner and a model of consistency, hitting the board in 11 of 15 starts. She won the GI Alabama Stakes and the GII Beldame at three, the GI Ogden Phipps at four, and the GIII Molly Pitcher at five. She was second by a half-length to champion Idiomatic in the Breeders' Cup Distaff at three after a prolonged battle to the wire.

She won all of her races on the front end, including the Alabama, where she lay down fast fractions and just kept on going, which Brown called her most impressive on-track moment.

“For her medium, unassuming stature–at least in height-for her to go out there and set a very fast pace and continue on and carry it a mile and a quarter showed her versatility,” said Brown.

Randomized came into the Alabama off a win at a mile in the Wilton Stakes at Saratoga. “Coming off a race where she ran just a mile, within a month's time to win at Saratoga going all the way up to a mile a quarter, I think really speaks to her versatility, her overall ability to carry her speed over a large range of distance and to win such a prestigious as the Alabama, not only for a racehorse but for a future broodmare.”

Fasig-Tipton President and CEO Boyd Browning said that that consistency, along with her speed and durability, would likely prove to be an attractive package for many breeders.

“One of the things that jumps out to me about Randomized is her consistency and durability as a racehorse,” said Browning. “She's running in top competition as a graded stakes winner as a three-year-old, as a four-year-old, and as a five-year-old. The other thing that really jumps out at you about Randomized is her speed. This mare is really fast, and she carried that speed a mile and a quarter in the Alabama. That combination of speed and durability, and the ability to carry that speed along a distance are really two of the attributes people are looking for in a broodmare.”

It doesn't hurt her chances that her sire Nyquist is on an incredible hot streak in 2025. He has had 10 Grade I horses in this year, more than any other stallion, and has sired three $1 million yearlings and three $1 million two-year-olds this year in the sales ring.

His top runners of 2025 include the undefeated Cavalieri, headed toward the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff; Johannes, headed to the Breeders' Cup Mile; $1.7 million earner Immersive; GI Summer S. Winner Argos; GI Del Mar Oaks winner Velocity; and graded stakes winners Nysos, Crimson Advocate, Tenma and Gosger.

“When we look at stallions that continue to be on the rise and continue to shine, Nyquist certainly has to be in that category,” said Browning, “not only as a stallion, but also as a potential influence as a broodmare sire. He's Uncle Mo's leading son at stud thus far. We all know what kind of influence Uncle Mo has had as a broodmare sire, and there's every reason to think that those same trends and traits would continue on. And Randomized is going to get an opportunity to be a special mare. She's going to be bred to top stallions wherever she happens to land, whoever happens to buy her. She's going be presented with some of the best stallions in the world for many years to come. And you know the future for her is extremely bright.”

Browning points out the depth under her second dam, where three millionaires are found, demonstrating, he says, “how consistent of performance at the highest levels this family is producing.”

Brown agreed. “I can see Randomized appealing internationally, to any of the top American breeders or to anyone else in the world,” he said. “Anyone who wants to have that dream about breeding a Classic horse, a Derby contender, a Breeders' Cup Classic contender, a Dubai World Cup contender, a Saudi Cup contender–you're looking at mile-and-eighth to mile-and-a-quarter dirt races where you'd like to have some speed. And she certainly provides one half of that equation.”

A Classic-distance stallion combined with her speed could be the secret sauce, says Brown. “Randomized is the perfect match to breed with classic-distance stallions, either very proven stallions, or exciting stallions who will be hitting the market soon who have been performing at classic distances.”

As he says those words, Sierra Leone passes behind him in the walking ring, cooling out after his morning exercise. Brown turns to watch him go by and laughs out loud at the obvious implication.

But then he's reminded that after four years of having her around the barn, his time with her is coming to an end.

“When I sell these high-end broodmare prospects at the Night of the Stars, it's always a very bittersweet moment for me personally and for our team,” he says. “To make it into that sale and to be one of the major headliners, it takes a very special, unique, rare horse to be one of the tiny percentiles it takes to be there. It's a very proud moment. But it's also a bit daunting to know you have to replace her and it's not easy to do.”

But, he says, his loss is someone's gain.

“To find a very fast broodmare who ran exclusively on the dirt at a high level is a rare find and I think she's going to be a very rare piece in somebody's broodmare collection.”

 

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