by Karsten Bønsdorf

Amon Tomas – a yearling sired by Kadabara-Caltina, she by Enjoy Lavec fetched the highest price at the Norwegian Derby sale held Friday evening at Bjerke. Amon Tomas was sold for 240,000 NOK or $41,300.

He is a full brother to Norwegian trotter Diablo Va Bene, who took a mark of 1.58.1f and earned $129,450 before he was retired to stud duties.

In France the three day sale at Deauville concluded on a high note – not unexpected, because the yearlings on the last day were all sired by young sires, whose eldest crop was 2 years-old.

The two time winner of the Prix d’Amerique, Ready Cash, is in that category and, as expected, his yearlings sold very well, with 16 selling for an average price of $66,865.

However a debutant sire, Sam Bourbon, did better, as his 14 yearlings sold for an average price of $68,430.

Sam Bourbon is out of the same dam, Etta Extra, as two of the top mares in French harness racing within the last 15 years, Mara Bourbon and Qualita Bourbon, who both won more than $2 million.

Sam Bourbon took a mark of 1.55.1 as 3-year-old and has lifetime earnings of $475,000.

He is sired by Goetmals Wood, who for many years has been one of the leading sires in France.

In fact Goetmals Wood topped the sires list for the Deauville sale as seven of his yearlings were sold for an average price of $77,500. He was followed by Coktail Jet, who had 20 yearlings sell for an average of $74,330.

A total of 517 yearlings went through the ring – 349 were sold for an average price of $32,000.

As this was a new sale it’s not fair to make a comparison with earlier years, where there were two select sales in France – one at Vincennes and one at Deauville.