Germany’s premier yearling sale -- held by BBAG at Baden-Baden over two days -- ended Sept. 4 with substantial declines despite a much expanded catalogue.
A total of 324 yearlings went through the ring with 242 selling for 7,315,500 euros (approximately $10,584,943). Their average price was 30,229 euros ($43,739), and their median price was 28,469 euros ($41,192). Last year, the 203 horses sold grossed 8,021,000 euros and averaged 39,512 euros. Their median was 36,358 euros.
The top end of the market was dominated by money from outside of Germany with Britain’s Blandford Bloodstock and Russian vodka distiller Rashit Shaykhutdinov making the headlines.
Tom Goff of Blandford Bloodstock, in association with Paul Webber, was the top buyer with nine yearlings purchased for 1,063,000 euros ($1,538,076) while Jurgen Albrecht, acting for the Russian, purchased four for 480,000 euros ($694,522).
Gestut Karlshof’s Samum filly, a full sister to the group II German Oaks (Ger-I) third Baila Me, made the most on the second day, 250,000 euros ($361,730), when bought by Blandford Bloodstock. Blandford paid nearly as much, 240,000 euros ($347,261), for a daughter of Dubawi from the family of Epsom Oaks (Eng-I) heroine Love Divine.
In addition, Blandford bought Gestut Brummerhof’s Nayef colt from the family of Kahyasi for 200,000 euros ($289,384) on behalf of Shadwell plus the same vendor’s Monsun colt, bred from a half-sister to the dam of the champion Quijano, for 150,000 euros ($217,038) and Gestut Auenquelle’s Big Shuffle colt for 100,000 euros ($144,692).
Former trainer Albrecht went to 220,000 euros ($318,322) for Gestut Karlshof’s son of Samum out of the group III-winning Winged Love mare Kapitol, which makes the colt a full brother to this year’s German Derby victor Kamsin. He also purchased Gestut Fahrhof’s daughter of Monsun for 180,000 euros ($260,446). She is out of the listed placed Hernando mare La Hermana.
The top lot of the sale -- a Monsun colt -- went through the ring the previous evening for 480,000 euros ($694,522).
"Vendors at the top level were pleased,” said BBAG managing director Carola Ortlieb. ”Very pleasing also was the strong foreign interest with especially England and Russia being very active this year. We all hope that we have now reached the very bottom and things will improve from now."