Designer Soxx, a daughter of Half Ours, sold for the highest price of $75,000 at the Stars of Tomorrow 2-year-olds in training sale March 9 at Evangeline Downs Racetrack Casino and Hotel.
After a spirited bidding duel, Velton Vidrine secured the dark bay or brown filly on behalf of Scott and Belinda Roy's Roy Investments. Consigned by Clear Creek Stud, the filly is out of multiple stakes winner Elegant Designer, by Suave Prospect, and is a half sister Designer Legs, winner of the 2013 Adirondack Stakes (gr. II) at Saratoga Race Course.
With the track having recently completed its first season under the leadership of new owner Boyd Gaming, the sale was rebranded this year as Stars of Tomorrow after being known for many years as the Evangeline Downs John Franks Memorial 2-year-olds in training sale. The auction is held in conjunction with Breeders Sales Co. of Louisiana.
Overall, 84 horses sold for total receipts of $682,400, up 8.5% from last year when 70 horses were sold for $628,700. The average price of $8,124, was down 9.5%.
"We concentrated with breeders and consigners to upgrade the overall quality of the sale and we were pleased with how the buyers responded to the top end of the catalog," said Charlotte Stemmans Clavier, president of Stemmans Inc., which acted as administrator of the sale.
"As part of our incentive program, Evangeline Downs has created a pair of stakes races, the Evangeline Downs Star and Evangeline Downs Starlet, which, including bonuses for two-year-olds that ran through the sales ring, feature a total purse of $100,000 each and will be contested in late August 2014."
