The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December mixed sale, like many other auctions lately, suffered significant downturns in business. Compared to 2007, the gross plunged 43.1% Dec. 8 in Timonium, Md. However, the average price and median price experienced less severe losses, dropping 12.3% and 14.3%, respectively.
“Based on recent American and European sales, it was hard to have high expectations,” said Fasig-Tipton official Mason Grasty, who is retiring at the end of this year after working for the company since 1982. He served part of that time as the Midlantic division’s executive vice president and general manager, and he is listed as a Midlantic director in the mixed sale's catalog.
“There was demand for Pennsylvania-breds, but there weren’t as many pinhookers as normal looking for weanlings to buy,” Grasty added.
Fasig-Tipton reported that 186 horses were sold for a gross of $1,169,400. The average was $6,287, and the median was $3,000. Last year, when the auction ran for two days, the 287 horses that sold grossed $2,056,500 and averaged $7,166. The median was $3,500.
The buy-back rate declined from 39.5% in 2007 to 36.9% this year.
Colonial Ball, a broodmare, brought the highest price for an individual horse, selling for $65,000. Denise Dommel purchased the 12-year-old daughter of Pleasant Colony from Green Willow Farms, agent.
Produced from the 22-year-old stakes-winning Dance Bid mare Dance for Lucy, Colonial Ball won twice and finished third in the 2001 Autumn Leaves Handicap at Mountaineer. She is the dam of the winners Fashion Air (by High Yield) and Champagne Castle (by Johannesburg). In foal to Henny Hughes, Colonial Ball was sold to dissolve a partnership.
The most expensive weanling was a son of Eurosilverthat brought $50,000. Tonya Jurgens, representing Ponder Hill, purchased the chestnut colt from Sally Thomas, agent.
David Bienstock, Charles Winner, and Alistair Roden bred the weanling in Kentucky. He is the second live foal produced from the 9-year-old winning Known Fact mare Homoginize, who is a half-sister to stakes winner Salty Punch (by Salt Lake).
