Craig Trust Reduction Grosses Nearly $700k

Gentlemen's Crown, a daughter of Gentlemen in foal to Candy Ride  , topped the Barretts winter mixed sale at $65,000. Selling on the day’s second session, Jan. 26, the mare was part of the Craig Family Trust reduction.

During the second session, 125 sold for $753,400, an average of $6,027. The entire sale saw 275 gross $2,013,000 and average $7,320. In 2009, when the sale was conducted on one day, 202 sold for $1,232,400 and averaged $6,101. The overall average rose 19.98% from 2009, while the 2010 median of $3,200 declined 11.11%.

“I think the Craig reduction did what we thought it would—it brought people here,” said William S. Baker, vice president and controller of Barretts. “We had a lot of new buyers here that have never been here before. We probably had five or six groups from Argentina.”

Trainers Kenny McPeek and Chip Woolley were among the purchasers at the sale. Buyers also came from Ireland, Canada, and the Philippines.

Kitty Taylor of Warrendale Bloodstock bought Gentlemen’s Crown for Hargus and Sandra Sexton’s Oakcrest Farm in Versailles, Ky. The Sextons bred stakes winner Gayego.

“They couldn’t get to Candy Ride this year,” said Taylor, “and when I said I was coming out here, they said to take a look and call them if I found one I liked.”

Gentlemen’s Crown is not only in foal to Pacific Classic (gr. I) winner Candy Ride, she is a half-sister to Chocolate Candy, a son of Candy Ride who won the El Camino Real Derby (gr. III), and to stakes-placed Crowning Storm. Gentlemen’s Crown’s dam, the Seattle Slew mare Crownette, won the Santa Ysabel Stakes.

Grant Hofmans acted as agent for the Craig Family Trust consignment. The Craig Trust led all consignors at the sale, selling 39 for a gross of $697,600 and an average of $17,887. Nearly all of the horses of racing age and 2-year-olds in the consignments were by Candy Ride, as were all of the yearlings.

The sale’s second-highest price also came from the Craig Trust during the second session. Herman Sarkowsky paid $60,000 for Pride of Pegasus, a daughter of Fusaichi Pegasus   out of the multiple grade I-winning Alzao mare Alpride. Pride of Pegasus is also in foal to Candy Ride.

Lane’s End Bloodstock paid $40,000 for a California-bred yearling son of Tale of the Cat   out of the stakes-placed Desert King mare La Maitresse. Consigned by Harris Farms Inc. as agent, the colt was the third-highest price at the second session.