by David Carr

Lexington, KY — Saturday evening, following the conclusion of Grand Circuit racing at The Red Mile, the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale held its penultimate session. Much like the battles being waged at the cross-town track, there was spirited competition to acquire the elite yearlings on display. A total of 160 yearlings passed through the sales ring, selling for an average price of $22,863.

The sale topper Saturday was a son of Credit Winner named Neal. Jules Siegel paid $150,000 for this Cameo Hills Farm bred and consigned foal. This yearling’s position in the sale proved to be fortuitous, since Tom Cango, a brother to the dam Lavern Lavec, won a division of the Bluegrass at The Red Mile earlier in the afternoon.

Taking runner-up status on the sales leaderboard for Saturday’s session, and top pacer, was Trick Rocks, a colt by Rocknroll Hanover, selling for $100,000. Jeff Ruch placed the final bid on this son of Monitrix, a producer of a pair of $100,000 winners, consigned by Preferred Equine Marketing Inc. for breeder Emerald Highlands Farm.

Rounding out the third spot on the podium of leading sellers on Saturday night at $85,000 was the royally bred and named filly Queen Extreme. By Dream Vacation, her dam Queen Of Queens has already produced a pair of $500,000 winners in Queen Serene and Muscle King. Chris Lems signed on behalf of the Purple Haze Stable for this filly bred and consigned by Perretti Farms.

The average price on Saturday represented a decline of about 11 percent from the comparable session in 2008. This was actually a slight improvement over the previous three sessions this year, reducing the drop from last year for the entire sale to 13 percent. The average price of the 567 yearlings selling through four sessions is $44,018.

The Lexington Selected Yearling Sale concludes with Sunday’s session starting at noon.

Session 4
Gait-Sex-Number Sold-Average-$100K
Pace-Colts-41-$26,220-1
Pace-Fillies-37-$16,973-0
Trot-Colts-51-$23,627-1
Trot-Fillies-31-$24,194-0
All-160-$22,863-2

Through 4 sessions
Gait-Sex-Number Sold-Average-$100K
Pace-Colts-151-$51,093-16
Pace-Fillies-112-$33,536-2
Trot-Colts-163-$45,086-15
Trot-Fillies-141-$43,532-10
All-567-$44,018-43

Sale leaders in fourth session
Yearling-Sire-Dam-Gait-Sex-Price-Buyer
Neal-Credit Winner-Lavern Lavec-T-C-$150,000-Jules Siegel
Trick Rocks-Rocknroll Hanover-Monitrix-P-C-$100,000-Jeff Ruch, Agent
Queen Extreme-Dream Vacation-Queen Of Queens-T-F-$85,000-Chris Lems For Purple Haze Stable
Redwhitenbluestone-Yankee Glide-Real Live Woman-T-F-$70,000-Nancy Peck, Agent
Coal Burner-Metropolitan-Miss Coalie-P-C-$67,000-Ron Michelon
Windisputable-Windsong’s Legacy-Ruby Crown-T-F-$60,000-Ole Bach
Johnny B Kemp-Credit Winner-Sarafina Hall-T-C-$57,000-Jimmy Takter
Air-Stewart-Striking Sahbra-Ten Queens-T-C-$55,000-Douglas Millard
Destination Afar-Art Major-So Far Away-P-C-$55,000-Pat Lachance