by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent
The first of the two important yearling sales in France, the Trotting Promotion sale at Vincennes, showed an increase in the average price of 7.7 percent to $38,620.
The sale lasted two days, where 151 yearlings — all trotters — were sold. That was exactly the same number as in 2010.
During the sale a new French record for a yearling was made, as the colt Amour des Roseaux was sold to the Swedish trainer Robert Bergh for $337,000.
Amour des Roseaux is sired by the French champion Goetmals Wood and is out of My Love Lady (1:53.2 and earnings of more than $800,000). This is her first foal.
Offspring to Goetmals Wood were in high demand at the sale as 13 yearlings sired by him were sold for an average price of $130,785.
Goetmals Wood, who is 17 years old, stands for $50,000 (live foal) and is, together with another French stallion, Love You, the most expensive sire in the world.
And speaking of Love You, three yearlings sired by him were sold for an average price of $117,000.
The next big sale in France — arranged by AF Trot — will begin on Tuesday in Deauville with 309 yearlings catalogued, and the day before, the most important sale in Italy, the ITS Sale with 114 yearlings, will take place. The Italian catalogue includes offspring of North American based sires like Andover Hall, Cantab Hall, Chocolatier, Conway Hall, Credit Winner, Deweycheatumnhowe, Donato Hanover, Glidemaster, Kadabra and Muscles Yankee.