Craig Trust Boosts Barretts January Sale

A yearling daughter of Candy Ride   and a 2-year-old daughter of Holy Bull topped the first session of Barretts' two-day winter mixed sale Jan. 25 at $40,000 each. The Candy Ride filly was part of a major reduction of the Craig Family Trust offered at the sale.

The sale’s first session outgrossed the entire sale in 2009, which was held over one day only. This year, 148 sold for $1,233,600 and averaged $8,335. In 2009, 202 grossed $1,232,400 and averaged $6,101.

“The Craig trust brought a lot of people here,” said William S. Baker, vice president and controller of Barretts. “We had buyers from Argentina, Ireland, Korea, and the Philippines. Candy Ride brought a lot of interest from all over the world.”

The Craig Trust led all consignors at the first session, conducted at Fairplex’s Hinds Pavilion in Pomona, Calif. Grant Hofmans as agent for the Craig Trust cataloged 43 horses over the two days of the sale, many of them by Sid and Jenny Craig’s Pacific Classic (gr. I) winner Candy Ride. The Craig Trust sold 24 for an average of $15,621 at the first session, leading all consignors.

“We probably had a little better quality of racehorses at this year’s sale,” said Baker. “Buyers were very interested in anything with current form.”

Walnut Hill Stables bought the session-topping Candy Ride filly from the Craig Trust. The California-bred yearling is out of the Deputy Minister mare Chapeau. H & E Ranch consigned the other session topper, named Holy Script. Trainer Mike Harrington bought the 2-year-old, who is by Holy Bull out of the stakes-placed Marquetry mare Marquise Miss.

“We’ve had a lot of interest from prospective buyers at both our yearling sale in October and at this sale,” said Baker. “The new Cal-bred bonus has helped quite a bit.”

The bonus, put in place last fall, awards $20,000 in Southern California and $10,000 in Northern California to Cal-bred maiden special winners.

The sale continues with its second session Jan. 26, beginning at 11 a.m. PST.