Four days after the select session of  the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society (Ontario division) yearling sale realized a small dip in average price, the preferred session boasted a 3% increase in average despite a large increase in the number of yearlings not sold and a drop in median price.

The preferred session took place Sept. 6 at the Woodbine sales pavilion, and 153 yearlings grossed $1, 309,200 (Canadian funds) compared to 151 selling for $1,247,000 in 2007. The number of yearlings that went unsold skyrocketed from 37 in last year to 70 this year, and the median price dropped from $5,500 to $5,000. The average rose from $8,258 to $8,557.

The most expensive horse sold during the preferred session was Who’s Big Daddy, a colt from the second crop of promising young sire Where’s the Ring (by Seeking the Gold) out of the multiple winning Tethra mare Cosa Rara. The yearling is a full brother to this year’s undefeated stakes winning 2-year-old filly Cawaja Beach.

The dark bay colt, consigned by Gardiner Farms, agent, was sold for $60,000 to Scott Fairlie, who bred the colt and co-owns Cawaja Beach.

Attracting a bid of $55,000 was a dark bay colt by top Canadian sire Bold Executive out of the winning Carson City mare Lazylou Café that was bought by Bill Farish from Hill ‘n’ Dales Sales Agency.

The top-selling filly of the session was a dark bay daughter of grade II winner Kafwain   out of Castle Mey, a With Approval mare that is the dam of two stakes-placed horses. Consigned by Richard Hogan, agent, the yearling sold for $35,000 to Mike Lightner, agent for Mary Surrency.