Consignors sent their 2-year-olds in sensible times for the March 18 under-tack preview of the March 21 Barretts selected 2-year-olds in training sale in Southern California. No horse shaded 10 seconds for a furlong breeze as the youngsters negotiated Fairplex Park’s five-eighths track in professional manner.
Thirteen juveniles, including four from the consignment of Callaway Thoroughbreds of Utah, of the 79 who previewed breezed a furlong in :10 flat. Most of the horses previewed an eighth-mile, though six went a quarter-mile and one breezed three-eighths.
“It’s how they go that really sells them,” said Kim Lloyd, vice president of sales for Barretts. “I’ve watched them breeze in the last week as they were getting ready for the sale. They’ve been training here since we opened the track two weeks before the sale.”
A large number of Southern California trainers attended the preview, including Bob Baffert. Grade II winner The Factor , trained by Baffert, came out of the 2010 Barretts May sale. Winner of the Feb. 20 San Vicente Stakes (gr. II) at Santa Anita, The Factor is slated to run next in the Rebel Stakes (gr. II) at Oaklawn Park March 19.
Several Japanese groups were also on hand to watch the horses work during the preview. Japanese owners have historically done well with horses purchased out of the Barretts March sale.
Naohiro Goda of Tokyo is representing four different groups from Japan. The devastating earthquake and tsunami that have plagued that country’s people did not harm the major breeding farms, most of which are located in the north, Goda said.
“Some of the training facilities are having trouble because there is no electricity and a water shortage,” he said.
“Amazingly, our Japanese customers came,” said Lloyd. “Many times they have bought horses here that have gone over to Japan and done very well.”
Of the six that breezed a quarter-mile at the preview, hip 102 recorded the fastest time at :21 1/5. Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables Inc. as agent consigned the colt, a son of Rock Hard Ten—Barbara Orr, by Tale of the Cat .
The Barretts selected 2-year-old sale will be held at the Hinds Pavilion at Fairplex March 21, beginning at 7 p.m.
