Total receipts, average price, and median plummeted during the opening session of the Barretts Equine Ltd. January mixed sale on Monday at Hinds Pavilion in Pomona, California.

Barretts sold 187 horses from 250 offered for total receipts of $1,220,900, a 52.6% decline compared with last year’s first session, in which 224 horses brought $2,574,600.

Average price declined 43.2% to $6,529 while median decreased 30% from $5,000 to $3,500. The buy-back rate was 25.2%, up from 17.3% during the corresponding session last year.

Last year’s sale was anchored by the major dispersals from Stan Fulton and Granja Vista del Rio Stable, while there are no major dispersals this year.
 
Spring Ridge Farm went to $55,000 to secure two-time stakes winner Bartok’s Blithe from the consignment of Havens Bloodstock Agency, agent, to top the session. The eight-year-old Bartok (Ire) mare out of winner Merry Krisoke, by Roanoke, is a half sister to stakes winner Irish Bar and stakes-placed winner Bewitching Bartok.

Bartok’s Blithe won the 2003 Melair and Pleasanton Senorita Stakes during her three-year-old campaign. She won three of 30 career starts and earned $389,656. The bay mare is believed to be in foal to Marino Marini.

D & B Stable purchased a bay Trippi filly for $50,000, the highest price for a yearling in the session. A half sister to Grade 2-placed stakes winner Latin Rhythms, the filly is out of the winning Seattle Dancer mare Chris’ Rocket Girl.

Consigned by Susan Edlund, agent for Beverly Glen Farm, the filly hails from the immediate family of Grade 2 winner Valay Maid. 

The second and final session begins today at 11 a.m. PST.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.