(Edited press release)

The Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association held its annual winter mixed sale at the Morris J. Alhadeff Sale Pavilion at Emerald Downs Dec. 7. 

This year's abbreviated catalog featured 101 hips, of which 11 were early outs. Of the remaining 86 horses and four stallion shares offered, the sale topper was a Golden Missile   yearling colt from the consignment of Ron and Nina Hagen’s El Dorado Farms. The colt was purchased by Jim and Mona Hour, of SeaTac, for $13,000. The second-highest offering was the broodmare Kaaaching, a stakes-producing daughter of River Special. The 12-year-old mare, bred to top Washington sire Cahill Road, was purchased from Griffin Place for $12,500 by Clemans View Farm in Naches.
 
While the percentage of outs rose from 8.7% in 2007 to 10.9% in 2008, those horses which did not sell (RNAs) were down. Seventeen horses failed to find new homes (8%), down from the 25% recorded last year and much lower than the percentage seen at recent sales across the nation. A total of 73 offerings, which excludes the four stallion shares that must be approved first by the syndicate, sold for an average of $2,019, down 40.2% from the $3,374 average in 2007. The gross for the 2008 venue was $147,400. 

As a special incentive, for every Washington-bred yearling or weanling that sold, the purchaser was eligible to win one of four $500 drawings, which would entitle them to up to a $500 deduction off the chosen drawn hip numbers. The four lucky winners were: Kevin Mertens (Hip 3C), Cornerstone Racing Stables (Hip 18), Dean Street (Hip 26) and Jeff Lynd (Hip 33). 

The buyers of the three top broodmares selling were eligible for one of three “matchmaker” breedings in 2009. Jeff Harris, of Clemens View Farm, chose leading Oregon juvenile/freshman sire Harbor the Gold (courtesy of Pam and Neal Christopherson’s Bar C Racing Stable) for Kaaaching. Breedings to new stallions Raise the Bluff (El Dorado Farms) and Trickey Trevor (Allaire Farms) were also earned.

Top Selling Horses

Hip 64  Yearling colt, Golden Missile—Skip a Dare (Consigned by El Dorado Farms LLC, Nina and Ron Hagen). Purchased by Jim and Mona Hour for $13,000.
Hip 82  Kaaaching, 1996 mare, River Special—Saratoga Success (Consigned by Griffin Place LLC, agent). Purchased by Clemens View Farm for $12,500.
Hip 37 Yearling colt, Vying Victor—Lynntina Run (Consigned by Char Clark Thoroughbreds). Purchased by Craig Harder for $11,000.
Hip 31 Yearling filly, Tribunal—In Suzanne’s Honor (Consigned by El Dorado Farms LLC, Nina and Ron Hagen). Purchased by Green Hill Stables LLC for $10,000.
Hip14 Yearling filly, You and I—Carrie Ann (Consigned by Bar C Racing Stables, agent for Ken Jochimsen and Jenny Webber). Purchased by Margo Lloyd (Monogram Racing Stable) for $8,700.
Hip 49 Yearling colt, Globalize—Paris Next Year (Consigned by Griffin Place LLC, agent). Purchased by A.D. Hoskbergen for $7,500.

Complete results for the sale will be available on the WTBA website www.washingtonthoroughbred.com by late Monday, December 8, afternoon.

Note: These figures are preliminary, and subject to change.