Opening session of Lexington Selected Sale shows slight increase
October 4, 2011,by David Carr, the U.S. Trotting Association
2011 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale from USTA on Vimeo.
Lexington, KY — A record-setting price for a yearling pacing colt helped the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale post a slight increase in its opening session on Monday night (Oct. 3) at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion in Lexington, Kentucky.
USTA/Mark Hall photo
Hitting The Cycle topped the opening session at a record-setting price of $450,000.
Hitting The Cycle, from the first crop of 2008 Horse of the Year Somebeachsomewhere and out of Artistic Vision, dam of 2010 Horse of the Year Rock N Roll Heaven, drew a winning bid of $450,000, surpassing the previous record of $430,000 for a pacing colt set in 1983 by Mustang Almahurst. Trainer Bruce Saunders signed the ticket on behalf of owner Frank Bellino. The same pair teamed up with Rock N Roll Heaven. Hunterton Sales Agency consigned the colt for breeders Charles, Julie and Francene Nash, and Steve Stewart.
A total of 112 yearlings passed through the ring Monday, selling for a total $8,901,000, for an average of $79,473. This compares favorably with the first session average of $78,340 last year, representing a gain of 1.4 percent.
Pacing colts clearly starred, commanding the three highest prices and setting an average price of more than $101,000, topping each of the other divisions by more than $25,000.
The sale runner-up was Source Of Pride, by American Ideal out of Trim Hanover, making this colt a full brother to the sensational undefeated 2-year-old filly American Jewel. Jimmy Takter, trainer of American Jewel, paid $280,000 for her Brittany Farms raised and consigned brother.
Two other colts sold for at least $200,000. The pacer Captaintreacherous is by Somebeachsomewhere out of Worldly Treasure, a full sister to champion Worldly Beauty. Tony Alagna paid $250,000 for the yearling that was consigned by Preferred Equine Marketing for breeder White Birch Farm.
The trotter Team Six is by Yankee Glide out of Armbro Vanquish, making him a full brother to Manofmanymissions, the winner of Sunday’s Kentucky Futurity. Mystical Marker Farm, part of the victorious ownership group in the Futurity, joined forces with Ken Duffy and Mike Anderson to pay $200,000 for Team Six.
Monday was a coming-out party for two eagerly-anticipated first crop sires, the pacer Somebeachsomewhere and trotter Deweycheatumnhowe. Each had 18 yearlings sell, together accounting for nearly a third of this opening session, and neither disappointed. Pennsylvania-based Somebeachsomewhere had nine yearlings sell for at least $100,000, averaging more than $114,000. The Kentucky-eligible crop by Deweycheatumnhowe averaged $73,000 and included five youngsters selling for six figures. Trainer Ray Schnittker supported his brilliant pupil by buying Deweycheatumnhowe’s top priced yearling, the colt Deweyforpresident, for $170,000.
Here are the top priced horses and averages.
Yearling-Sire-Dam-Sex-Gait-Price-Buyer
Hitting The Cycle-Somebeachsomewhere-Artistic Vision-H-P-$450,000-Bruce Saunders
Source Of Pride-American Ideal-Trim Hanover-H-P-$280,000-Jimmy Takter
Captaintreacherous-Somebeachsomewhere-Worldly Treasure-H-P-$250,000-Tony Alagna, Agent
Team Six-Yankee Glide-Armbro Vanquish-H-T-$200,000-Ken Duffy, Mystical Marker Farm & Mike Anderson
The Franchise-Muscles Yankee-Creamy Mimi-H-T-$180,000-Gregory Peck, Agent For Jeffrey Snyder
Fateful Choice-Western Terror-Mattatonic-H-P-$170,000-Howard Taylor
South Pacific-Somebeachsomewhere-Best Laid Plans-M-P-$170,000-John Cancelliere
Ivory Queen-Muscles Yankee-Pure Ivory-M-T-$170,000-Marti Ala-Seppala, Agent
Deweyforpresident-Deweycheatumnhowe-D Liteful Hanover-H-T-$170,000-Ray Schnittker, Agent
Good Day Mate-Christian Cullen-Stienam’s Place-H-P-$170,000-Chris Oakes
Andaro Hanover-Cantab Hall-Angelina Hall-H-T-$170,000-Lindy Racing Stable
Group-Number Sold-Total Price-Average Price
Trotting Filles-24-$1,662,000-$69,250
Trotting Colts-35-$2,649,010-$75,686
Pacing Filles-24-$1,647,000-$68,625
Pacing Colts-29-$2,943,007-$101,483
Totals-112-$8,900,976-$79,473
The Lexington Selected Sale continues with sessions starting at 7 p.m. on Tuesday and Wednesday, and 11:30 a.m. on Thursday and Friday.
- Lexington Selected Yearling Sale continues with solid second session (Wednesday, October 05, 2011)
The Lexington Selected Yearling Sale continued with a solid second session on Tuesday night (Oct. 4), with an average price of $44,715 for the 158 youngsters who walked through the ring. Although this marked a decline in the average of about $1,350 compared to the second session last year, overall the sale is still showing an increase of nearly 1.5 percent through two sessions.
- Third sale session shows gain of 6.4 percent (Thursday, October 06, 2011)
The Lexington Selected Yearling Sale continued with a third session that was highly successful, both financially and artistically.
- Slight decline in fourth session of Lexington Selected Sale (Friday, October 07, 2011)
The Lexington Selected Yearling Sale continued with its fourth session on Thursday afternoon, selling 172 horses for an average price of $17,953. Although this represented a decline compared with the comparable session in 2010, the sale overall continues to maintain an increase in average price of 1.9 percent compared to last year’s sale through four sessions.
- Lexington Selected Sale concludes with significant gains over 2010 (Friday, October 7, 2011)
Buyers have responded this week clearly and positively to questions about the state of the top level yearling market, as the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale concluded with significant gains over 2010.