Barretts concluded its two-day October yearling sale in Southern California with an overall average price of $16,881, an increase of 19.5% from 2010. A California-bred daughter of Marino Marini topped the Oct. 12 session, selling for $70,000.
The second session was not nearly as strong as the first session Oct. 11, when the average climbed 47.2%. The 95 head sold in the second session grossed $1,030,700 for an average of $10,849, down 7.6% from last year.
“Good horses sold very well today,” said William Baker, vice president and controller of Barretts. “But there didn’t appear to be a lot of depth to the market.”
The sale’s overall gross rose, with 154 selling for $2,599,700. That reflected a 15% increase over 2010. The median increased to $9,750 from $9,000 last year. Buy-backs also rose, to 30.3%, compared to 19.2% in 2010.
Trainer Mike Machowsky bought the $70,000 Marino Marini session-topper. Havens Bloodstock Agency consigned the California-bred filly, which is out of Kiss Me Not (by Deputy Minister).
“She was beautiful, very elegant,” said Machowsky. “If she had been by Bernardini and sold at Keeneland, she’d have brought $750,000. I saw her for the first time Sunday (Oct. 9) and thought she was the best horse I saw at the sale.”
Nick Cosato, a partner in Oak Leaf (gr. I) Stakes winner Weemissfrankie, will own 25% of the filly. Machowsky said he wasn’t immediately sure of the complete partnership. Don Blahut, who owns Del Mar Mile Handicap (gr. IIT) winner Caracortado with Machowsky, may go in on her.
Machowsky also purchased Winninrulz for $42,000 during the second session. Consigned by Yakutis Enterprises, the colt is by Tribal Rule out of the stakes-placed Fit to Fight mare Aurora Winners.
Another son of Tribal Rule was the top-priced colt and the second-highest price of the session at $62,000. Out of the Moscow Ballet mare Work the Room, whose dam is multiple graded winner Work the Crowd, the colt was consigned by Jack and Barb Hatch’s Green Acre Stables.
Dan Northrup of Salt Lake City bought the $62,000 colt as a pinhookig prospect in the name of Sunset Stable.
“The Tribal Rules are really hot, and this is a super individual,” said Northrup, who sells at the Barretts March and May juvenile sales in the name of Callaway Thoroughbreds. “He’ll be one of our stars. He’s going to be a runner.”
Sunset Stable led all buyers at the Barretts October yearling sale, getting five yearlings for $167,000. Havens was the leading consignor, selling 29 for $430,400.
Two horses brought $100,000 each during the first session to top the sale overall. One was a California-bred son of Unusual Heat, the state’s leading sire, and the other was a Kentucky-bred son of Afleet Alex.
