A fortnight after Doncaster’s flagship St. Leger yearling sale in England, the South Yorkshire venue plays host to the two-day St. Leger Festival yearling sale on Sept. 10 and 11.

The sale was staged for the first time last year — when 143 lots sold at an average of 14,338 guineas — and the catalogue has been pruned from 210 lots in 2007 to 161 this time around.

Lot 125, a Trans Island colt offered from David and Trish Brown’s Furnace Mill Stud, is the dearest pinhook catalogued having cost 19,000 guineas as a foal.

Lot 32, an Avonbridge half-sister to listed-placed Vintage Premium, has an 18,500-guinea foal price tag and is offered from Low Gallop Stables.

Individuals are likely to make as big impact at pedigrees at this sale although Lot 84, a Xaar filly consigned from Rob Lloyd’s Cloverdale Bloodstock, could have a big family update Sept. 13 if her half-brother, Ancien Regime, takes up his engagement in the group I Ladbrokes Sprint Cup.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Twelve horses sold for $1-million or more on Tuesday at the Keeneland September yearling sale, compared with 19 on the same day last year, and cumulative total receipts were down 22% after two days at the world’s largest yearling sale.

Keeneland reported 146 horses as sold from 215 offered on Tuesday for total sales of $57,310,000, a 26.5% decline compared with last year’s second session. Average price declined 16.4% to $392,534, and median dropped 9.8% to $300,000 compared with day two last year.

Cumulatively, Keeneland reported 300 horses as sold for $113,357,000, a 22% decline compared with last year when 337 horses sold for $145,377,000 through two days. Average price is down 12.4% to $377,857, and the buy-back rate has risen from 24.4% a year ago to 30.6% through two sessions. Median was level at $300,000.

“Everybody’s here and they have now set the table. This is what the world is today. They’ve established the value of these horses,” said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland’s director of sales. “It’s a lot different from the same time last year. There’s a credit crunch and a lack of easy financing, and all those things play into a lack of discretionary income to pay for Thoroughbreds.”

Through Tuesday, 17 yearlings have sold for seven-figure prices, compared with 30 at the same point last year. Bidding on many attractive horses stalled at about $1-million.

Whether it was a drop in quality of offerings or a change in how much buyers were willing to pay, the ceiling for the top yearlings is not as high, compared with previous years.

“I think you have to ask the buyers why they stopped [at the $1-million plateau],” Russell said. “Unfortunately, I’m not privy to their ideas of what these horses are worth.

“On the positive side, our median was equal at $300,000. Talking to our auctioneers, although the top end didn’t have what you call fireworks, the sale had a good rhythm to it all day.”

Tuesday’s session topper was a $1.5-million A.P. Indy colt out of Taegu, by Halo, that went to Shadwell Estate Co. The half brother to Grade 2 winner Classic Elegance was consigned by breeder Mt. Brilliant Farm.

“He was a beautiful colt, and we were happy that Shadwell bought him because we feel he’ll get a great opportunity to succeed at the racetrack,” said Mt. Brilliant’s Greg Goodman.

When asked if he thought the colt might have brought more in last year’s market, Goodman said he thought it was possible.

“If you have the sale topper, you’re not supposed to complain,” Goodman said. “But another day, another year, he might have brought more money.

“There just weren’t people getting together on the same horse and going after it this year.”

Tuesday’s highest-priced filly was a $1,250,000 Giant’s Causeway filly out of the Chief Singer mare Alidiva (Ire)—1997 broodmare of the year in Ireland and Italy. Troy Steve Bloodstock purchased the full sister to Grade 2 winner Oonagh Maccool (Ire) from Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.

The 15-session sale continues at 10 a.m. EDT Wednesday.
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)

Sheikh Mohammed’s bloodstock manager, John Ferguson, had some advice for shoppers during the Keeneland September yearling sale’s opening day, which suffered downturns of 16.8% in gross revenue and 7.7% in average price from 2007’s first session.

“If somebody is thinking of buying a racehorse,” he said, “this is a good time to do it because I think there will be value to be had throughout the course of the year. The market is probably a little sticky.”

The 154 horses sold in Lexington Sept. 8, during the first of the auction’s two select sessions, grossed $56,047,000 and averaged $363,942. The median price was $300,000, the same as a year ago. The other key business figures for 2007’s first session were 171 horses sold, a gross of $67,395,000, and an average of $394,123.

The buy-back rate rose from 24% last year to 29% this year, while the number of yearlings selling for $1 million or more dropped from 11 to five.

“The world is a different place from a year ago,” said Keeneland director of sales Geoffrey Russell. “Based on the (troubled) economic climate at the moment, I thought today was very favorable and very solid. This is where the market is at the moment, and I think we’ll see similar things at all strata.”

Ferguson was the first session’s biggest spender, paying $8,825,000 for nine yearlings. Sheikh Mohammed’s Darley Stud also bought an El Prado—Dreams filly for $160,000. Ferguson’s most expensive purchase, which was the session’s top-priced horse at $3.1 million, was a striking bay A.P. Indy filly that is a half-sister to the winner Loving Vindication (by Vindication). Their dam, the 8-year-old Elusive Quality mare Chimichurri, won the Tempted Stakes (gr. III) at Aqueduct and the Jersey Jumper Stakes at the Meadowlands in 2002.

“She is a filly that Sheikh Mohammed saw earlier today,” Ferguson said, “and both he and (his wife) Princess Haya felt that she was an absolute queen, or should I say princess? We’ve been very fortunate over the last few years with A.P. Indy (and his offspring), be it Bernardini, Music Note, or Little Belle. We’ve got some exciting 2-year-olds by him now, and he’s an absolutely sensational sire. Chimichurri was a very fast mare by Elusive Quality, and she had a lot of quality as does this filly. She was a filly that we were very, very keen to have.”

Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings bred the $3.1-million filly in Kentucky. Gainesway, as agent, consigned her to the Keeneland September sale.

“Mr. Jackson deserves to be congratulated because he’s bred some lovely horses of which this one was a highlight,” Ferguson said. “I thought she was a strong enough individual, with that pedigree, to be one of the top fillies in the sale. It is so hard to breed fillies to look like that. When you do and you have an outstanding sire and a great mare, you deserve to be paid for it. She oozes class. She has a great shape and excellent conformation, and she looks like a real athlete. You’d have to say she has what it takes.”

Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell operation was the opening session’s second-biggest spender, paying $6,220,000 for 12 yearlings. Legends Racing ranked third, spending $2,005,000 for five head.

Two yearlings brought $1.7 million each. Ferguson bought an Unbridled’s Song—Silken Cat filly consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for Aaron and Marie Jones, and Jon Kelly purchased an Empire Maker—Aurora filly sold by Middlebrook Farm, agent.

The first foal out of 2002 Horse of the Year Azeri established a Thoroughbred public auction buy-back record when the colt, named Vallenzeri, failed to find a new home at $7.7 million. The previous mark was $7.5 million, set when Ajdal, who went on to become a champion in England, was bought back during the 1985 Keeneland July select yearling sale.

John Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency consigned Vallenzeri (also by 1992 Horse of the Year A.P. Indy) for his breeder, the Allen E. Paulson Living Trust. An Eclipse Award-winning owner and breeder, Paulson died in 2000. The primary trustee of the trust is Paulson’s son Michael.

Michael Paulson told The Blood-Horse’s Lenny Shulman he would like to form a partnership to race the handsome chestnut colt.

“We’re working with some people who have expressed interest in him,” Paulson said, “and hopefully we can strike a deal where we keep part of him.”

In an interview two days before the September auction’s start, Paulson admitted he had mixed emotions, saying: “He (Vallenzeri) is so exceptional. It’s hard to consider selling him.”

Paulson and his wife, Lenora, spent more than two weeks in Kentucky in 2007 so they could be on hand for the colt’s birth, which was on Valentine’s Day.

“She (Azeri) is a special gift left by my father, and he (Vallenzeri) is like part of the family,” Michael Paulson said.

The Keeneland yearling auction continues through Sept. 23.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Pushed by Charlotte Weber inside the pavilion and another unidentified buyer in the back, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and his principal representative John Ferguson established a new top for the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale on Monday afternoon, going to $3.1-million for a filly by A.P. Indy.

Bred by Jess Jackson’s Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings LLC, the daughter of Grade 3 winner Chimichurri, by Elusive Quality, was consigned by Gainesway as agent.

“She’s a filly that Sheikh Mohammed and Princess Haya saw this morning and both of them thought that she was an absolute queen,” Ferguson said. “We’ve been very fortunate in the last few years with A.P. Indy, with Bernardini, Music Note, Little Belle, and we have some very exciting two-year-olds by him now. He’s an absolutely sensational sire and Chmichurri was a very fast mare.”

“I thought she’d bring $1.5-million coming in, but everybody loved her,” said Brian Graves, Gainesway’s director of yearling sales. “She’s a foundation broodmare type though, so I can see why she went past that figure.”
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)

Four days after the selected session of Canadian-bred yearlings realized a small dip in average price, the preferred session boasted a 3% increase in average price despite large hikes in yearlings not sold and a drop in median price.

The preferred session took place Sept. 6 at the Woodbine sales pavilion and 153 yearlings grossed $1,309,200 compared to 151 selling for a total of $1,247,000 in 2007.

But the number of yearlings that went unsold skyrocketed from 37 in last year to 70 this year and the median price dropped from $5,500 to $5,000.

The sales topper of the preferred session was reported as hip no. 384, Who’s Big Daddy, a colt from the second crop of promising young sire Where’s the Ring (by Seeking the Gold) out of the multiple winning Tethra mare Cosa Rara, who is a full brother to this year’s undefeated stakes winning 2-year-old filly Cawaja Beach.

The dark bay colt, consigned by Gardiner Farms Limited, agent , was sold for $60,000 to Scott Fairlie, who bred the colt and co-owns Cawaja Beach.

Attracting a bid of $55,000 was a dark bay colt by top Canadian sire Bold Executive out of the winning Carson City mare Lazylou Café who was bought by Bill Farish from Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency.

The top selling filly of the session was a dark bay filly by grade II stakes winner Kafwain out of Castle Mey, a With Approval mare who is the dam of two stakes-placed horses, sold for $35,000 to Mike Lightner, agent for Mary Surrency. The filly was consigned by Richard Hogan, agent.

Checking in at $32,000 was a colt by 1995 Canadian Horse of the year Peaks and Valleys that was sold by Beth Hancock, agent to Lightner.

And Cudney Stables paid $32,000 for a colt by new sire Eye of the Tiger, a grade II winner, out of Northern Sorceress, by Devil’s Bag, consigned by Richard Day’s Kingview Farms, agent.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

It’s crunch time for North America’s Thoroughbred yearling market, which faces its biggest test when the Keeneland September sale gets under way. There are more horses cataloged than ever before, 5,555, and they will be offered over 15 sessions beginning Sept. 8 in Lexington.

So far, the demand for yearlings in 2008 has been shaky. With the American economy slumping and financial woes spreading to other parts of the world, already picky buyers have become even more discerning. Auctions of young horses have suffered plenty of downturns, and the percentage of buy-backs has risen.

“I think you’re definitely going to see a correction this year at Keeneland,” said Martin O’Dowd, the vice president and general manager of Runnymede Farm. “The top end will be fine, as usual, but maybe not as strong. I don’t expect any records to be broken. I’ve talked to some agents, and a lot of them have said their orders are down. There is a hesitancy to go out and spend a lot of money at the moment, and I think buyers are going to be back off the horses a little bit.”

Last year, the Keeneland September auction showed a surprising resilience. Even though Dubai’s ruler Sheikh Mohammed, through his bloodstock manager John Ferguson, spent $42,165,000 less than the previous year, the sale was able to generate its second-highest-ever gross revenue and median price. The auction’s average price was its third-highest ever.

Many people said the enthusiasm from other overseas buyers, who took advantage of favorable exchange rate, kept the September sale from crashing and burning. But what will happen this year, with the dollar strengthening and the economic health of some foreign countries weakening?

“It’s a different world from last year, but I still think you’ll see a lot of foreign buyers here,” said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland’s director of sales. “While the exchange rate is not as favorable as it was last year, it’s still very much in their favor. The American-bred horse in the English breeze-up sales has been very successful, so I think the people who bought those horses to pinhook will be back again. I also think we’ll have some good representation from the Far East, and there will be Latin American buyers here later on in the sale.”

Shoppers looking at Keeneland horses Sept. 6 included representatives of Sheikh Mohammed, John Magnier of Coolmore Stud, English trainer Brian Meehan, English sales agent Ted Voute, and English bloodstock agent Hugo Merry.

“We’ve all got recession in the back of our minds, so we’re going to be more careful,” Voute said. “But when there’s an economic crisis for someone, it always creates an opportunity for someone else. I’ve come over here because I think maybe I can get something to pinhook into the December sales. Maybe I can get one for a breeze-up sale next year or maybe I can buy a big-pedigreed filly for not a lot of money.”

Merry also was upbeat.

“There are too many horses and we’re running into a slowing economy, so it’s going to impact the middle market; it has to,” he said. “But the good side is that there’s still a lot of demand for a very nice horse. Racehorses are making as much or more than they’ve ever made in purses.”

David Hager of Idle Hour Farm was cautious in his pre-sale projections.

“I’m guarded in my feelings,” he said. “The effect of the economy might not show up the first week, but I think it will hurt the deepness of the market as we go on. If we get away from here down 12% or 15%, I think we’ll be very lucky. We could live with that kind of correction.”

Pat Costello of Paramount Sales joined Hager in expressing uncertainty about the overall health of the yearling market.

“Everybody, I’m sure, is a little on the nervous side,” he said. “All year, the good horses have been bringing plenty of money, so I hope that will continue on. But with the economy on the iffy side, we’re going to have to work harder and watch our reserves.”

The September auction will start each day at 10 a.m. (EDT). There will be a break from selling Sept. 12, with the auction resuming the following morning and continuing through Sept. 23.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Germany’s premier yearling sale, held by BBAG at Baden-Baden over two days, ended Sept. 4 with substantial declines despite a much expanded catalogue.

A total of 324 yearlings went through the ring, with 242 selling for 7,315,500 euros, The average was 30,229 euros and the median was 28,469 euros.

Last year’s figures were 242 consigned and 203 purchased for 8,021,000 euros, The average was 39,512 and the median was 36,358.

The top end of the market was dominated by overseas money with Britain’s Blandford Bloodstock and Russian vodka distiller Rashit Shaykhutdinov making the headlines.

Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock, in association with Paul Webber, was top buyer, with nine gained for 1,063,000 euros while Jurgen Albrecht, acting for the Russian, purchased four for 480,000 euros.

Gestut Karlshof’s Samum filly, sister to the group II German Oaks third-place finisher Baila Me, made the most on the day, at 250,000 euros, when bought by Blandford Bloodstock, which paid nearly as much, 240,000 euros, for a daughter of Dubawi from the family of Epsom Oaks (Eng-I) heroine Love Divine.

Blandford Bloodstock also bought Gestut Brummerhof’s Nayef colt from the family of Kahyasi for 200,000 euros on behalf of Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell, plus the same vendor’s Monsun colt, bred from a half-sister to the dam of the champion Quijano, for 150,000 euros and Gestut Auenquelle’s Big Shuffle colt for 100,000 euros.

Former trainer Jurgen Albrecht went to 220,000 euros for Gestut Karlshof’s son of Samum out of the group III-winning Winged Love mare Kapitol, which makes the colt a brother to this year’s German Derby (Ger-I) victor Kamsin. He also purchased Gestut Fahrhof’s filly for 180,000 euros. The daughter of Monsun is from the Hernando mare La Hermana.

The top lot of the sale, a Monsun colt, went through the ring the previous evening for 480,000 euros.

BBAG managing director Carola Ortlieb commented, “Vendors at the top level were pleased. Very pleasing also was the strong foreign interest with especially England and Russia being very active this year.

“We all hope that we have now reached the very bottom and things will improve from now.”
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Keeneland will play host to the international Thoroughbred community for the next two weeks as it conducts its 65th annual September yearling sale. The catalog is the largest in the auction’s history, with 5,555 horses listed.

The sale opens Sept. 8 in Lexington and runs though Sept. 23, with a break from selling on Sept. 12. Sessions will begin each day at 10 a.m. (EDT).

“Keeneland’s September sale is recognized globally as the ‘gold standard’ for yearling auctions,” said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland’s director of sales. “This sale offers buyers from across America and every corner of the world quality and value at all levels of the market. It is truly one-stop shopping.”

Reigning Horse of the Year Curlin, the second-leading North American money-earner of all time and winner of six grade I stakes, is a graduate of the 2005 September sale. Other alumni include champions Rags to Riches, War Pass, Wait a While, Midnight Lute, English Channel, and Maryfield; Good Ba Ba, Horse of the Year and champion miler in Hong Kong; and Canadian Horse of the Year Arravale.

“Keeneland September Sale graduates have distinguished themselves on every racing front,” Russell noted. “We were represented last year by six Eclipse Award winners, including Horse of the Year; two classic winners in Curlin and Rags to Riches; five winners of the Breeders’ Cup, including a 1-2 finish with Curlin and Hard Spun in the Breeders’ Cup Classic (gr. I); and War Pass, the highweighted colt on the Experimental Free Handicap. It was an extraordinary year, and the momentum has continued into 2008 with 17 grade I winners to date.”

The world’s most prominent sires are represented by September sale yearlings, including A. P. Indy, Awesome Again, Danehill Dancer, Distorted Humor, Dixie Union, Dynaformer, El Prado, Elusive Quality, Empire Maker, Forestry, Fusaichi Pegasus, Galileo, Giant’s Causeway, Gone West, Harlan’s Holiday, Johannesburg, Kingmambo, Malibu Moon, Mineshaft, Montjeu, More Than Ready, Mr. Greeley, Pivotal, Pulpit, Rahy, Sadler’s Wells, Seeking the Gold, Smart Strike, Storm Cat, Street Cry, Theatrical, Tiznow, Unbridled’s Song, and Vindication.

Also cataloged are yearlings by such top young sires as Afleet Alex, Candy Ride, Chapel Royal, Closing Argument, Congaree, Consolidator, Eddington, Eurosilver, Forest Danger, Friends Lake, Ghostzapper, Leroidesanimaux, Limehouse, Lion Heart, Medaglia d’Oro, North Light, Offlee Wild, Pollard’s Vision, Pleasantly Perfect, Purge, Rock Hard Ten, Roman Ruler, Saint Liam, Smarty Jones, Speightstown, Strong Hope, Tapit, and Value Plus.

Keeneland Productions and HRTV are partnering to provide live coverage of the opening two days of the September sale. Keeneland.com will stream the live auction signal each day of the 15-day sale. During the opening two days, a second stream also will provide enhanced coverage and commentary.

Last year’s auction produced total sales of more than $385 million, the second-highest September gross in history. An industry record 3,799 yearlings were sold, including 32 for $1 million or more. Demi O’Byrne, on behalf of John Magnier and Coolmore Stud, purchased the sale topper, bidding $3.7 million for a colt by Unbridled’s Song out of Kentucky Oaks (gr. I) winner Secret Status, from the consignment of Lane’s End, agent.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Release

The catalogue for Australia’s premier breeze up style thoroughbred auction - the Magic Millions National Horses in Training Sale - is now online.

The catalogue is available by clicking the links from the Magic Millions website or clicking here.

A quality packed line up of 477 racing prospects make up the catalogue - regarded as the best ever assembled.

All of the country’s leading sires are represented - Encosta de Lago, Flying Spur, More Than Ready, Redoute’s Choice, Exceed and Excel, Hussonet, Danehill Dancer and Red Ransom to name a few.

Among the quality young stock catalogued include (at least) half relations to outstanding stakes winners including Cheeky Choice, Our Giant, Rockabubble, Sound the Alarm, Cayambe, Danger Looms, Fantasia, Bank Robber, Ain’t Seen Nothin’, A Country Girl, Gabbidon, Mr Profumo, Gonski, Hillfa, Gaze On, Spurcent, Recast, Daka’s Gem, Brief Embrace, General Minolta and dozens of others.

Also among those catalogued are youngsters from stakes winning mares including Victory Vein, Love Dance, Prefer An Angel, Love to Dance, Brief Embrace, Sorrento, Cloister, Laurel Grove, Classy Dane, Verdict Declared, Laguna Lake, Lady of Persia, Crown Princess, Tilt My Halo, Macrosa, She’s a Pipe Dream, Our Dynamic Lady, Queen Isolt and plenty more.

The two days breeze up component of the sale will be held at the Gold Coast Turf Club on October 28 and 29.

The sale will then be held over two days on October 30 and 31.
www.magicmillions.com.au

For those unable to attend the breeze up sessions - they will be broadcast live via the Magic Millions website and replays will be available for viewing online and at the MM complex throughout the entire sale period.

Release

The 2008 BBAG Yearling Sale got off to a solid start on Wednesday evening. In spite of the still difficult situation in German racing and the driving rain, the atmosphere was positive. The reserves were realistic and the bidding went smoothly most of the time. Arguably the strongest catalogue in the sale’s history was supported by the quality of the individual yearling.

Not surprisingly, the first session’s highest-priced lot was Gestut Fahrhof’s lot 67, a handsome Monsun colt out of the multiple Stakes producing US-bred mare Dawn Side which was knocked down for €480.000 to Roger Alles acting on behalf of Baron von Ullmann. The colt is a half-brother to six stakes performers including Group winners Diamante and Divisa.

The second highest price at €100.000 was realised by Gestüt Wittekindshof’s lot 14 which went to Gestüt Ammerland via the transaction of Crispin de Moubray. The son of the young Sadler’s Wells stallion High Chaparral was bred from the German Oaks heroine Night Petticoat whose previous progeny is headed by the Classic winners Next Desert and Next Gina.

The sale will continues tomorrow at 9.30 a.m.

Top three lots sold

Lot 67, colt by Monsun-Dawn Side(USA), vendor Gestut Fahrhof, purchaser IVA, €480.000
Lot 14, colt by High Chaparral-Night Petticoat, vendor Gestut Wittekindshof, purchaser Crispin de Moubray, €100.000
Lot 87, colt by Pentire-La Capilla, vendor Union-Gestut, purchaser IVA €70.000
www.bbag-sales.de

Steady and solid was the theme of the 2008 selected session of the Woodbine yearling sale on Sept. 2, hosted by the Ontario division of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society.

The sale of 149 yearlings resulted in dips in average, gross and the median but consignors and buyers alike seemed satisfied.

In all, the gross sales for the 149 yearlings sold dropped from $6,374,000 (for 159 yearlings in 2007) to $5,830,500. The average price of $39,131 was down just 2% from $40,088 last year. The median price, which jumped up to $32,000 in 2007 from $27,000, fell back down to $27,000.

“It was a solid sale,” said consignor and agent Richard Hogan, who sold one of the night’s 11 six-figure yearlings. “I thought I might get a little more for a couple but there was fair value for the current economic climate.”

Glenn Sikura, who wears two hats as president of the CTHS (Ontario division) and as consignor through Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, said there were “a lot of good people” looking at horses but that only the exceptional yearlings attracted the money.

“If you had a really good (yearling) you did OK. It was a bit disappointing,” said Sikura. “Only because the money there did not seem to be enough for some 230 horses (cataloged).”

Topping the sale was the buzz horse of the session, a sizey colt by Tale of the Cat and the first foal of the winning Unbridled mare Remsheg.

The colt, bred by Robert Krembil’s Chiefswood Farm, was sold by Gail Wood’s Woodlands Farm, agent for $195,000 to Jim and Alice Sapara’s Winsong Farm. The sales topper’s price tag matched the high price for last year’s selected session, a Peace Rules colt also bought by the Saparas, who reside in Alberta.

Listed as the second highest price was a $185,000 filly from the only crop of Horse of the Year Saint Liam. The filly, a daughter of the stakes winning Smart Strike mare Noble Strike was consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Farms Sales Agency, agent, and sold to Arosa Farms, which bred the filly.

Gardiner Farms Limited as agent sold the second highest priced colt to the session’s leading buyer, Danny Dion’s Bear Stables. Dion paid $165,000 for a colt by Peaks and Valleys out of the stakes producing Numerous mare Gold Lined.

Dion also signed the ticket for a $150,000 Congaree colt out of the stakes-placed mare Shannon River, by Let’s Bo Blue, consigned by Windfields Farm, agent. Donver Stables of Alberta bid $135,000 for a flashy chestnut colt by Smart Strike out of stakes winner Orangeberry, sold by Windfields Farm agent and Dave Sepiashvili’s Goldmart Farms also paid $135,000, for a Bold Executive –Chelsea Anne filly, a half sister to multiple stakes winner Barbeau Ruckus consigned by Hadwendale Farms, agent.

Other notable yearlings included a Gold Case filly out of Honolulu Gold, consigned by Richard Hogan, agent that brought $130,000 from Patrick Lawley -Wakelin on behalf of Sam-Son Farms and a Storm Boot colt out of stakes producer Raphael Rose consigned by Shannondoe Farms, agent. that was bought for $125,000 by Brian Cullen.

Dion’s Bear Stables led all buyers with seven purchases for a total of $687,000.

“We think we bought the cream of the crop,” said Dion’s main trainer, Reade Baker, who is based at Woodbine. “We paid in the range of what we thought we would have to.”

Hall of Fame trainer Robert Tiller bought seven yearlings, for himself or in partnership, for $208,000 and said he was satisfied with what he paid for his purchases.

“They were all in the range of what I expected,” said Tiller. “The good boned yearlings with a decent family sold well, in the $60,000-$100,000 range. The Ontario sired program is simply a great program for buyers.”

One of the new faces to buying for the Ontario-sired program was Steve Asmussen, North America’s leading money-winning trainer.

Asmussen attended the sale from start to finish and bought five yearlings for a total of $130,000 with his most expensive being a $31,000 Perigee Moon filly sold by Michael C. Byrne’s Park Stud.

The preferred session of the sale is on Sept. 6 beginning at 3 p.m. at the Woodbine sales pavilion.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Dan Pride, chief operating officer of Darley USA, will leave that post to become executive vice president and chief operating officer of Fasig-Tipton Co.

Fasig-Tipton officials announced a restructuring of the company’s senior management team on Tuesday. Pride will take over the position currently held by Boyd Browning Jr., who will become the corporation’s president and chief executive officer and assume responsibility for day-to-day operations.

The moves came 4 1/2 months after Synergy Investments Ltd., a Dubai-based company headed by Abdulla Al Habbai, purchased Fasig-Tipton. Habbai is a close associate of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai and owner of Godolphin Racing and the global Darley breeding operation.

D.G. Van Clief Jr., Fasig-Tipton’s chairman of the board under the previous ownership, will become chairman emeritus, continuing in a non-executive role as senior adviser.

Current President Walt Robertson will become chairman and continues in his full-time role with an emphasis on client development, auctioneering, and strategic decision making.

Van Clief said the appointments are “the culmination of a process which has been underway within the company for some time now and accurately reflect the jobs being accomplished by our key managers.”

“The addition of Dan Pride adds strength to the lineup as Fasig-Tipton prepares to ramp up operations under its new ownership,” Van Clief said. “Walt and Boyd should be congratulated for their effective leadership over the years and the new titles appropriately reflect the senior status they have earned as well as the jobs they do.”

“We look forward to taking Fasig-Tipton to the next level in terms of customer experience, market presence, and as a positive force for enhancing our industry,” Browning said. “This means we will be taking a fresh look at all of our operations with an eye toward innovation and improvement.”

“We are excited to commence a new chapter in Fasig-Tipton’s history and believe the best is yet to come,” Robertson said. “Our focus will continue to be on our customers, both buyers and sellers, and that focus can become even sharper with greater resources at our disposal.”

Fasig-Tipton is North America’s oldest Thoroughbred auction company. It currently conducts auctions in Saratoga Springs, New York; Timonium, Maryland; Miami, Florida; Grand Prairie, Texas; and at its home base at Newtown Paddocks in Lexington.
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)

The four major United States Thoroughbred auction companies have agreed to ban front toe grabs and limit whip usage at two-year-old sales.

Barretts Equine Ltd., Fasig-Tipton Co., Keeneland, and Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. issued a press release on Tuesday stating that beginning in 2009, the use of whips by riders will be “strictly regulated,” at the under-tack shows, with stiff penalties and suspensions being contemplated for riders who do not follow the sales companies’ regulations.

The specific whip regulations still are being developed. The four companies also will prohibit the use of front toe grabs at training sales, a ban which is in line with recommendations from The Jockey Club’s Thoroughbred Safety Committee now being widely adopted by the racing industry.

The first sale to operate with the new regulations will be the 2009 OBSC February sale of selected two-year-olds in training. Mike O’Farrell, chairman of OBSC, said consensus was reached quickly between all four sales companies and the two-year-old consignors.

“The focus on safety and soundness issues within our industry brought us together, and we forged a united front to introduce important changes in the way under-tack shows are conducted,” O’Farrell said. “The changes we have enacted can only enhance for buyers the reputation and image of the two-year-olds-in-training sales program.”
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)

Auctioneers Brightwells today unveiled plans for a £1-million state-of-the-art sale ring at Cheltenham Racecourse.

Work has started on site and the exciting new sale ring will be completed early next year.

Brightwells have sole selling rights at Cheltenham Racecourse for the next 25 years and will finance the sale ring which will adjoin the stable block end of the main grandstand opposite The Centaur building.

The pavilion-type auction ring, which will also be used as a public facility at Cheltenham’s race meetings, has been designed by acclaimed architects Limbrick Limited, whose work for Jockey Club Racecourses includes The Centaur and the new Grandstand at Epsom Downs under construction.

Terry Court, Joint Managing Director of Brightwells, said today: “The new auction ring demonstrates our commitment to make Cheltenham Racecourse one of the country’s top sales venues and follows our initial £200,000 investment. This included the new Ecotrack surface that has been so well received by the industry.

“We are all extremely excited by this fantastic opportunity and most grateful to the Executive of Cheltenham Racecourse for their confidence in choosing us as partners.”

Brightwells will hold one further sale this year in The Centaur at Cheltenham, the Premier National Hunt Breeze Up Sale on Friday, December 12. The sales calendar will expand from next year when the new sale ring is completed.

Brightwells’ sales at Cheltenham have achieved great success by focusing on high quality bloodstock, thus producing excellent returns for vendors and an exceptionally high percentage of winners for new owners.

The 2008 April Sale saw a world record average price for National Hunt horses of £52,014, with turnover in excess of £3.5m.
(Source: Irish Racing)

Last year it was strength in the middle market for Canada’s biggest yearling sale, the Woodbine select and preferred auction of Canadian-bred yearlings, hosted by the Ontario division of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society.

This year, breeders and consignors are hoping for a big boost in buyer power to bolster the overall market and help the auction rebound from last year’s dips in gross and average price.

The selected session of this year’s sale is Sept. 2 at the Woodbine sales pavilion beginning at 3 p.m. with 243 offerings. The preferred session of 249 yearlings is Sept. 6, also at 3 p.m.

There was good news reported in the days before the sale as the continent’s leading trainer, Steve Asmussen, was expected to attend the sale. Asmussen, who has raced a string of horses at Woodbine for the first time this season cited a desire to bolster his stock with Ontario-bred and sired runners as a reason for the trip.

“It will be mostly a look and see to get a feel for the horses up there but I could be buying,” said Asmussen. “(Ontario-breds) are totally lacking from our stable. Something that I learned (about racing at Woodbine) is that there a very big difference (in purse money for Ontario-bred versus non-Ontario-breds).”

Asmussen was referring to the new bonus plans implemented this year into Woodbine purses that award an extra 10% (soon to increase to 20%) to Ontario-breds.

In 2007, the median price for the selected session jumped 18% from $27,000 to $32,000 while the average price fell just over 7% from $43,000 to $40,000.

“Hopefully a lot of the new horsepeople to Woodbine this year, folks like Steve Asmussen, will see the rationale to buying a Canadian-bred,” said Glenn Sikura, president of the Ontario C.T.H.S. and national director of the sales committee.

Sikura, whose Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency led all consignors by gross in 2007 has another large group of yearlings offered.

“There are horses in my consignment this year that in other years I may not have sold at Woodbine,” said Sikura.

Among the Hill ‘n’ Dale yearlings is a filly by the recently deceased Vindication out of the stakes winner Strike Me Lucky, plus youngsters by Saint Liam, Stormy Atlantic, Roman Ruler and Canadian Triple Crown winner Wando.

An interesting entrant is Sky Mesa colt out of Iron Feather, by Crafty Prospector, that Sikura bought in utero for $125,000. The mare’s You and I 6-year-old, Are You Serious, has recently taken a new lease on life in the United States this year. He has five wins in his last seven starts, including the $100,000 Harvey Arneault Memorial Stakes at Mountaineer Park in which he ran a 105 Beyer Figure.

Richard Hogan, who sold last year’s sales topper, a Peace Rules colt named Burgis for $195,000, is always a leading consignor, and he has 32 yearlings in the select session.

“I’m looking forward to a good sale,” said Hogan. “Really, there has never been a better time to buy a Canadian-bred yearling and with the huge money in purses plus the extra money for Ontario-breds, the numbers are there.”

Hogan said yearlings by first-year stallions Mobil and Consolidator, leading first crop sire Tomahawk and proven studs like Brahms and Gold Case are just some of the top prospects.

Windfields Farm, which will close down its commercial business in November, will offer its last group of client-yearlings; Gail Wood has another blockbuster group including a colt by exciting first-year sire Candy Ride; Sue Foreman, Huntington Stud Farm, Gardiner Farms, Mike Byrne’s Park Stud and Shannondoe Farm round out the top 10 consignors from last year who are back for 2008.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

The 42nd annual Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association Summer Yearling Sale will be held Sept. 2 and has 215 horses cataloged.

The sale features the offspring of many top local and national sires such as Chapel Royal, Friends Lake, Cuvee and The Cliff’s Edge. First-crop sire represented include Grand Reward, Limehouse, Midas Eyes and Offlee Wild.

The sale, which starts at 1 p.m. in the Morris J. Alhadeff Sales Pavilion located at Emerald Downs, has sold top horses like La Tee (multiple graded stakes-placed in Southern California), unbeaten 2-year old stakes winners Dandy Dora and Ladyledue and graded I stakes stars such as Rings a Chime. For more information, go to the association website at www.washingtonthoroughbred.com.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Doncaster’s St. Leger sale — the first British or Irish yearling auction of 2008 — failed to match its 2007 figures when ending Aug. 28 in England. The average of £33,649 (approximately $61,725) was down 10%, the median of £26,000 ($47,694) fell by 11%. The £13,493,500 ($24,752,207) turnover for the 401 horses that sold dropped by 14.4%.

It was the first time in 10 years that the St. Leger sale had not shown an advance on the previous year’s figures.

“The St. Leger yearling sale is unique in the respect that it is the only European yearling sale to have grown every year for the last 10 years,” said Doncaster Bloodstock Sales managing director Henry Beeby. “To continue that trend would have been difficult in any year, but against the background of such gloomy economic forecasts it was particularly challenging.

“The general consensus was that we have returned a solid trade that was far better than most thought coming into the week and there has been real competition for the better lots. However, the polarization we saw last autumn was confirmed, and that has been illustrated by the drop in our figures although we would still submit that a clearance rate of 84% is very good. But we are far from despondent as the results are on a par with 2006, and a five-year trend shows an incredible 75% rise in average, demonstrating that we have developed the sale in to a serious sale of quality in a relatively short space of time.”

Beeby added: “Our feedback has been that it was hard to buy from the purchasers and that vendors were very busy so we have to face the fact that the economy has played its part, but I would repeat our plea from earlier this month that we must remain positive as to give in to the prophets of doom will only exacerbate any problems the industry may face.

“The bloodstock business thrives on confidence, and our hope is that we do not allow modest downturns to turn in to talk of much worse. We have survived economic dips before and will again but it makes such a difference if a realistically positive attitude is adopted.

“It will, of course, be fascinating to see how the other British and Irish yearling sales perform as the season progresses, and it may be that we are able to look back on these three days with a good degree of satisfaction.”

A minute’s silence preceded Thursday’s sale following the death in a car crash of bloodstock agent Tim Corby. There were no six-figure lots at the final session.

An Alhaarth half-brother to smart dual-purpose performer Blythe Knight topped the day when selling for £95,000 ($174,266) to agent Cormac McCormack, acting for a client of trainer Peter Chapple-Hyam. Offered from Ger Hourigan’s Whitehall Stud, the colt had cost 30,000 guineas as a foal.

COMPARATIVE FIGURES

Aug. 28 (GB£)
YR      CAT     OFF     SOLD    AGG             AV      MED
2008    160     150     127     3,637,000       28,637  25,000
2007    150     137     119     4,203,675       35,325  26,250

Total sale (GB£)
YR      CAT     OFF     SOLD    AGG             AV      MED
2008    500     474     401     13,493,500      33,649  26,000
2007    500     467     417     15,759,030      37,791  29,400

(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Release

The second annual Inglis Scone Broodmare Sale was held at White Park today with the gross sales of more than $900,000 representing a 26% increase on last year’s inaugural sale.

The top price came for the Tayasu Tsuyoshi mare Red Temptation, a half-sister to stakes winner Red Labelle.

The mare was sold by Widden Stud, in foal to their Golden Slipper winning stallion Stratum.

Earlier, the winning Quest For Fame mare Miss Hillary was sold by Dalmore Stud for $75,000, while the young Fusaichi Pegasus mare Geisha sold for $70,000.

In all, 128 mares sold today at a clearance of just under 80%.

The gross of $931,009 compares favourably to the $734,400 in total receipts from last year’s sale, with the average remaining at a similar figure.

The next Inglis sale is the Sydney Spring Thoroughbred Sale, to be held on September 26, with entries closing September 19.

The Inglis Melbourne 2yo and 3yo Breeze Up Sale is scheduled for October 26 at Oaklands.

Vendors are reminded that entries for this sale close next Friday, September 5.
www.inglis.com.au

Keeneland Productions and HRTV are partnering to provide live coverage of the opening two days of the September yearling sale, September 8-9, which are select sessions.

Jeff Lifson will host the select sessions’ coverage, which will be up-linked both days through Roberts Communications Network (“RCN”). It will be available on Kentucky racetrack decoders and broadcast live by HRTV. Any RCN commercial location interested in receiving the broadcast should call (702) 227-7590, option 2.

At the top of each hour of the broadcast, commentators will review hips sold, preview upcoming hips, and conduct interviews with buyers, consignors and industry professionals. Commentators also may cut in throughout the sale coverage in the event of breaking news.

Keeneland’s website (www.keeneland.com) will stream the live auction signal each day of the 15-session sale, which runs through Sept. 23 in Lexington. During the opening two days, a second stream also will provide enhanced coverage and commentary.

Sessions will begin daily at 10 a.m. (EDT); no sale will be conducted Friday, Sept. 12.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Day two of Doncaster’s St. Leger yearling sale generated a gross of £5,036,500 (approximately $9,281,313), which represented a decline of 17.9% from 2007. The £37,868 average price and £30,000 median price, for the 133 horses sold, fell 4.9% and 4.8%, respectively, Aug. 27. The buy-back rate was 16.4%.

A U.S.-bred Elusive Quality colt, which had made $55,000 at Keeneland last November, topped the day’s business when — reoffered from Brendan Holland’s Grove Stud — he was sold for £145,000 ($267,207). Newmarket agent Richard O’Gorman, acting for an undisclosed owner with trainer John Gosden, outbid trainer Bryan Smart for the colt, which is out of Sahara Star.

Blandford Bloodstock’s Richard Brown spent £115,000 ($211,923) on a Night Shift half-sister to this season’s Richmond Stakes (Eng-II) winner Prolific. Produced from Photo Flash, she will join Newmarket trainer Ed Dunlop.

Angus Gold was busy shopping for Sheikh Hamdan’s Shadwell Estates Company, and his five purchases included £100,000 ($184,281) colts by Dixieland Band (out of Star Queen) and Piccolo (out of Untimely). The latter, consigned through Trickledown Stud, had made just 19,000 guineas as a foal last year.

The sale’s third and final session is scheduled for Aug. 28.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)