The Arqana sales company in France is establishing a new auction this year with the aim of offering yearlings that are more precocious and likely to compete as 2-year-olds.
Arqana said 123 yearlings have been cataloged for the first-ever v.2 yearling sale that is scheduled for Tuesday, Aug. 20, at the company's sales complex in Deauville and follows the August yearling sale.
"Looking for precociousness is what the v.2 catalog is all about, an objective that transpires through several indicators such as early foaling dates, 2-year-old careers of the dams, and their earlier progeny, and sires ' aptitude at producing early-performing horses" among other criteria, according to the sales company.
An Arqana release went on to say that at least 77% of the yearlings cataloged were born prior to March 31, that 74% of the dams that raced started their careers at age 2 and 43% were winners as juveniles, and that of the dams of yearlings in the catalog that have produced winners, 93% have foaled at least one runner at 2 and 61% were represented by a 2-year-old winner.
Arqana said more than 94% of the cataloged yearlings are eligible for French-bred premiums, meaning that any earnings they collect next year will be topped up by a 54% bonus for their owners.
The catalog for the v.2 yearlings sale and SmartCat are now online at www.arqana.com.
Arqana Sale at Deauville, France.
