by David Carr, the U.S. Trotting Association

Lexington, KY — The Lexington Selected Yearling Sale continued with its fourth session on Thursday afternoon (Oct. 6), 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.

Pacing colts continued to lead, having the largest number of yearlings passing through the ring and commanding the highest average prices. It was a trotting filly, however, that captured the sales topper honors. Per Henriksen cast the final bid of $80,000 for Frisky Magic, a daughter of Kadabra and Frisky Fergi. Northwood Bloodstock consigned the filly as agent for breeders Jeff Gural and Ray Schnittker.

Henriksen was also the winning bidder at $65,000 on the session’s runner-up, Porsche Magic, also by Kadabra, but this one a colt. The yearling’s dam, Porsche Hall, earned more than $580,000 in her racing career. Preferred Equine Marketing consigned the colt for breeders Bet Max Stables and Benenati Inc.

The next highest price for the session, and tops among pacers, belonged to Ridethrucountry, by the intriguing sire Christian Cullen out of Costal Skyhawk. The yearling colt is part of his sire’s first North American crop, although Christian Cullen has become well-known here due to the success of his hard-hitting racehorses he produced that have been imported from his native New Zealand. Christian Cullen’s owner Ian Dobson and prominent New Zealand writer/owner Noel Kennard purchased this yearling for $60,000 from the Kentuckiana Farms consignment.