Barretts has cataloged 124 horses for its March select sale of 2-year-olds in training. The number is down 35.1% from last year’s total of 191.
The auction is scheduled for March 10 at Fairplex in Southern California.
Kim Lloyd, Barretts’ vice president of sales, said the bad economy contributed to the decline, making Florida-based pinhookers more reluctant to send their horses to California when they could keep their expenses down by selling in the Sunshine State. Barretts traditionally gets the bulk of its horses for its March auction from Florida, where many pinhookers are based.
In addition, Wendy Talarico, the communications and public relations manager at Fairplex, said Barretts was the victim of a scheduling squeeze in which three 2009 select juvenile auctions will be conducted over three consecutive weeks. The Barretts sale is positioned between the March 3 Fasig-Tipton Florida auction and the Ocala Breeders’ Sales Co. March auction that will be held March 17 and 18. According to Talarico, the crunch made it difficult for Florida-based sellers to participate in the Barretts auction.
Last year, the Barretts March sale suffered downturns from the previous year of 32.8% in its gross revenue ($12,996,000), 19% in its average price ($178,027), and 25.4% in its median price ($110,000).
This year’s Barretts March catalog can be viewed on the auction firm’s Web site (www.barretts.com).