The experiment of consolidating Southern California's two traditional yearling sales into a single auction emerged as a success on Tuesday when the inaugural California's October yearling sale exceeded the expectations of its organizers, Barretts Equine Ltd. and the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association.

Operating as a joint venture at the Barretts Hinds Pavilion in Pomona, the companies reported sales of 207 yearlings from 283 offered for gross receipts of $5,239,400, an average price of $25,311 and a buy-back rate of 26.9%.

Barretts President Jerry McMahon and CTBA Executive Vice President Doug Burge had targeted a $25,000 average and a 25% buy-back rate for the auction, which combined the former CTBA Del Mar August yearling sale and Barretts October preferred yearling sale.

Symphonic Movement, a colt from the first crop of California sire High Demand, sold for $290,000 to top the sale and establish a record price for a yearling sold at Barretts.

"I think when we kind of looked at the combination of the two sales, we thought that if we combined them, the $20,000 average would be something that was do-able," McMahon said. "Really some good things happened that just helped us to hit that target and go past it. Looking at top end of the market, it looks like we captured the top end of the Del Mar sale and filled in our sale and ended up with a real good marketplace."

Trainer John Sadler purchased the High Demand colt out of the unraced Kingmambo mare Cover Letter for a syndicate that he is putting together. The California-bred colt was consigned by Golden Eagle Farm.

"He was my favorite horse in the sale," Sadler said. "He fits our profile. He's very athletic and very well put together. It's a young sire, but Golden Eagle bred some nice mares to him. [The colt] is a very a nice-looking horse."

The sale's second highest price was $170,000 for a Swiss Yodeler colt named Pay the Yodeler.

Dee L'Archeveque and Gary Lochansky bought the half brother to stakes winners Spring Cat and Watch Me Fire from the consignment of Julie Adair, agent. The colt is out of the Whitesburg mare Watch for Spring.

"We feel very confident in the horse because of his look, his walk, and his personality," L'Archeveque said. "He wants to win. He's got that energy in him. He's been showing all this time and he still comes out and walks with confidence. He's proud of himself."

Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brad Penny bought a daughter of Beau Genius for $105,000, the sale's highest price for a filly.

Trainer Howard Zucker signed the ticket for the filly on Penny's behalf. Woodbridge Farm, agent, consigned the filly out of Sassy Synner, by Synastry.—Jeff Lowe