Despite a strong final session, the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale was not able to realize record growth earned a year ago and wrapped up on Wednesday with overall declines in gross, average, and median.Fasig-Tipton reported sales on 541 of the 752 yearlings offered during the three sessions for a total of $9,153,000, an 18.9% decrease from last year's record total of $11,289,300 for 566 sold. The sale's average also slipped 15.2%, from a record $19,945 to $16,919 this year, while median was down 13% to $8,000.

After two straight days of declines, numbers were up during the final session as 184 of the 249 yearlings offered brought a total of $3,362,600, up 7.7% from last year's total of $3,122,000 for 190 sold during the final session. The session's average jumped 11.2% to $18,275 and median was up 31.6% to $10,000.

The sale's top-priced yearling also was sold during the final session when Samantha Siegel, bidding via telephone from Southern California, went to $180,000 for a Florida-bred daughter of 1998 leading freshman sire End Sweep. Sold as the property of Mr. and Mrs. Sam Rogers Jr.'s White Oaks, the attractive bay filly is the third foal out of the stakes-placed winner She's My Choice, by El Raggas.

Siegel, who purchased the filly in the name of Jan, Mace, and Samantha Siegel, also purchased a Kentucky-bred filly by Silver Deputy that equaled two others for second highest price for a filly of the sale on a bid of $150,000.—Tom Law