by Karsten Bonsdorf, USTA web newsroom correspondent

Hall of Famer Lou Guida has just bought a yearling out of Meadowbranch Emily, a mare he originally purchased as a yearling in 1988.

It was at the ITS sale in Etrea in northern Italy. Guida bought Pickup Bi, a colt sired by Pine Chip and out of Meadowbranch Emily. Guida had to pay 50,000 Euro or $64,000 for the colt, and that was the highest price for a colt at the sale.

Meadowbranch Emily, who is a half sister to Hambletonian winner Park Avenue Joe, has had 16 foals in her broodmare career. The best was by far Beauty America, who had a record of 1:57.1 and earnings of $560,000. Beauty America, just like Pickup Bi, was sired by Pine Chip. Besides Beauty America, her offspring include top trotters like Stallone Jet, sired by Sharif di jesolo, who also has been a very successful stallion in Italy; Zoning America, sired by Valley Boss Bi; and Lovely Bi, sired by Pine Chip. They all have earnings of more than $125,000.

Pickup Bi was not the only one to fetch $64,000 at the sale. The same price was paid for the filly Pretoria AS, who is sired by Cantab Hall and out of Victoria Sib, she by Armbro Goal. Victoria Sib is the dam of Doria As 1:57.3 ($385,000), Faliero AS 1:57 ($627,000) and Galiera As 1:55.3 ($217,000) — all sired by top Italian stallion Lemon Dra.

Penner LB, a colt sired by Andover Hall and out of the Donerail mare Love On The Rocks, was sold for $57,000 to an Austrian horse owner.

The average price at the sale was $22,800, down 22 percent compared to last year.