by Denis Blake

After a strong opening session, the second day of the Fasig-Tipton Texas summer yearling sale failed to match the stout figures from the final day of the 2007 sale, which led to mixed results overall.

Held on the grounds of Lone Star Park, the Texas Thoroughbred Association-sponsored sale concluded with 281 horses from 443 offered reported as sold for $3,369,700. Total receipts rose 2.6% compared with last year’s sale, in which 241 yearlings from 382 offered sold for $3,283,200.

Average price decreased by 12% to $11,992, and the median declined 27.4% to $4,500. The buy-back rate remained nearly unchanged at 36.6%, compared with 36.9% last year.

The 2007 Texas yearling sale set a sale-record for the highest-priced yearling at $330,000 and posted the highest average price in the sale’s history. Combined with the lackluster performance of the yearling market so far this year, Fasig-Tipton Texas officials were not disappointed with this year’s results. 

“The whole year has to pass before we measure how we did, but my gut feeling is that we did pretty well,” said Tim Boyce, director of sales for Fasig-Tipton Texas. “We sold more horses for over $70,000 than we did last year; we had ten this year and six last year. We had three for over $100,000 last year and four this year, but of course we had that one for $330,000 last year.”

An Even the Score colt brought $120,000 during the first session and held up as the sale topper, but a pair of horses threatened that mark in the second session.

A Kentucky-bred More than Ready colt was purchased for $110,000 by Florida-based pinhooking operation M & B Bloodstock to top the session. Consigned by Roger Daly, agent, the chestnut colt is a full brother to Grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner Audacious Chloe.

“He looked good on paper, but I really liked the individual,” said Tony Bowling, who is partners with Bobby Dodd and Dave McKathan in M & B Bloodstock. “He’s real precocious and I think he’ll really crank up as a two-year-old, and we’ll sell him in Florida.”

A Texas-bred filly by leading regional sire Valid Expectations was purchased for $100,000 by Bobby Powell, who signed the ticket as agent for Mike Rutherford. Consigned by Lane's End Texas, agent, the bay filly is a half sister to Grade 2 winner and sire Postponed.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.

Denis Blake is a Texas-based Thoroughbred Times correspondent