by Denis Blake
Sparked by a pair of six-figure Louisiana-breds, the first day of the Fasig-Tipton Texas summer yearling sale posted increases in total receipts and average price.
Considering the mediocre performances of other yearling sales to date, the robust first day at the Texas sales was a mild surprise.
Fasig-Tipton reported 145 yearlings from 219 offered as sold for total receipts of $1,718,200, an increase of 29% compared with the corresponding session last year, in which 121 horses sold for $1,331,600.
The average price increased 7.7% to $11,850, while the median fell 23.1% to $5,000.
Unlike many of this year’s yearling sales that ended with high buy-back rates, the buy-back rate fell to 33.8% on the first day, compared with 38.9% during the opening session last year. The 2007 Texas yearling sale produced stronger results on the second day, however, fueled by a yearling that brought an all-time sale record price of $330,000.
“Overall, I was pretty pleased,” said Tim Boyce, director of sales for Fasig-Tipton Texas. “We generally follow what happens at [the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. August yearling sale], so I was glad to see we didn’t quite follow the market right now and that we are holding our own in the Southwest.”
The highest price of the day did not come until the end of the session when a Louisiana-bred colt by Even the Score topped out at $120,000. Lee Young Farm purchased the dark bay or brown colt, and Young said he intends to race him in Louisiana.
From the consignment of Elysian Bloodstock, agent, the session topper is out of the multiple stakes-winning Malagra mare Whata Rock, who has produced five winners from as many starters including stakes-placed winner Whata Soldier.
“We felt like he was one of the better colts in the sale, but you are never really thinking that you’ve got the top one,” said Tod Wojciechowski of Elysian. “He’s a Louisiana-bred by a good, young sire out of a nice dam, so it all came together.”
The only other horse to reach six figures was a Louisiana-bred filly by Gulch out of a half sister to Grade 2-winning millionaire Bien Nicole. Consigned by Legacy Bloodstock, agent, the top-priced filly was purchased by Leprechaun Racing for $105,000.
The second and final session of the sale kicks off at 10 a.m. CDT on Tuesday at the Texas Thoroughbred sales pavilion at Lone Star Park.
For hip-by-hip results, click here.
Denis Blake is a Texas-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent