In spite of competition from an increasing number of sales in Louisiana and Oklahoma, the average and gross increased slightly at the Fasig-Tipton Texas December Mixed Sale, held Dec. 9 at the Texas Thoroughbred Sales Pavilion on the grounds of Grand Prairie.
“I was really happy with the average,” said Tim Boyce, director of sales for Fasig-Tipton Texas. “Most regional breeding stock sales have been awful so I’m happy to reverse that trend. We had a lot of action on the phones and out of state.”
A total of 125 horses sold for $574,700, up 6.1% from 124 sold for $541,300 in 2006. The average climbed to $4,598, a 5.3% increase from last year. With 35 horses not sold, the buyback rate decreased to 21.9% from 23%. The only negative figure was the median, which suffered a 25% decline to $2,100 from $2,800.
A pair of broodmares, both in foal to leading Texas stallion Valid Expectations, topped the sale with final bids of $35,000.
The first mare to reach the top price was Moon Tide, a 10-year-old daughter of Storm Bird consigned by Lane’s End Texas, agent, as property of Stonerside Stable. She was purchased by Harvey Trimble.
“We were expecting that range,” said John Adger, Stonerside’s racing and bloodstock manager. “We bought three mares to the sale, and they all sold in the range that we thought.”
Moon Tide, who sold as hip 26, is out of the grade II-placed Highland Tide, who has produced six winners from seven starters. Her second dam is the stakes winner Maytide, a half sister to Florida Derby (gr. I) winner Croeso and the dam of multiple graded stakes winners Super May and Ide.
Moon Tide’s leading earner is stakes winner Moon Kid, by Lemon Drop Kid, who recently finished second in the $100,000 Star of Texas Stakes.
“She’s a lovely mare,” said Adger. “She’s got a lot of foals working for her. We have a beautiful Valid Expectations yearling by her in training that we think a lot of. I think the buyers have a chance to do quite well with her.”
Lane’s End Texas, agent, also consigned hip 57, the Saratoga Six mare Taffy, as property of Ted Britt’s TRB Thoroughbreds. Heiligbrodt Racing Stable paid $35,000 for the 12-year-old mare.
Taffy raced from age three to six and earned $322,746 from 11 wins, including victories in the Claiming Crown Tiara and Delicada Stakes. Her only starter to date is three-time winner Sweet Expectations, a 4-year-old gelding also by Valid Expectations.
A Louisiana-bred filly by Even the Score became the top-selling weanling when Heiligbrodt Racing Stable purchased the filly for $20,000 from consignor Inside Move Inc., agent.
The highest-priced yearling was a Texas-bred daughter of Littleexpectations who sold for $12,000 to BP Prod. Corp. as property of Hi Step Ranch.
At the 2006 sale, the highest price for a broodmare was also $35,000, and a yearling More Than Ready filly topped that sale at $40,000.
