By Tracy Gantz and Ron Mitchell
Cee’s Elegance, a grade II winner of over $740,000 in foal to Salt Lake, was purchased by California breeders Pam and Martin Wygod for $140,000 to top the Oct. 30 second and final session of the Barretts Equine October mixed sale in Pomona, Calif.
A daughter of Cee’s Tizzy, Cee’s Elegance was a multiple stakes, with her best victory coming in the A Gleam Invitational Handicap (gr. II).
Highlighted by the continuing reduction of horses from Larry and Betty Mabee’s Golden Eagle Farm, the second day concluded with 191 horses sold for $1,383,700 with an average of $7,245, compared to last year when 177 head sold for $1,091,800. The median was unchanged.
For the two combined days, 392 sold for $3,818,200. The average jumped 74.4% to 9,740 and the median rose 22.8% to $3,500. In 2006, 368 sold for $2,054,500 and averaged $5,583 with a median of $2,850. Charge backs increased to 25.9% from 21.7%. This year, there were 14 horses sold at prices above the sales topping price of $47,000 of 2006.
Tenga Cat, bought by Mike Marlow for $250,000 during the Oct. 29 first session, was the sale-topper. The 4-year-old son of Storm Cat out of Tenga, by Mr. Prospector, was bought on behalf of Grant S. Truman. Trained by John Shirreffs for Stan Fulton, Tenga Cat has won two of five starts on the racetrack for earnings of $76,840.
The sale’s two leading consignments were the Stan E. Fulton Dispersal of Horses of Racing Age (Havens Bloodstock, agent), which sold 17 head for $1,322,500 and Phase 2 of the Major Reduction of Golden Eagle Farm which sold 70 head for $1,019,900.
The first session was highlighted by the complete dispersal of horses of racing age owned by Fulton. Five of Fulton’s horses brought six figures, four of those surpassing the previous Barretts record of $125,000 for a horse of racing age during the sale’s opening session.
Andy Havens’ Havens Bloodstock Agency handled the Fulton dispersal, which included $205,000 Midnight Excess, $180,000 Orientate Slew, $170,000 A Dubai, and $100,000 Devil Again.
“I had the colts here at Barretts,” Havens said. “All the fillies will be sold at Keeneland in November. I felt the horses sold right on the money and pretty much sorted out like I thought they would. Fulton’s people were very good to work for. They made sure the horses had X-rays and that there was a lot of information for the buyers.”
The first session grossed $2,434,500 for 201 sold and averaged $12,112. The average represented an increase of 139.8% from the corresponding day in 2006. The 68 horses of racing age averaged $26,813, up 391.89% from 2006. Broodmares averaged $5,502 on 46 head, yearlings $4,011 on 74 head, and weanlings $4,715 on 13 head.
“This is just more evidence that horses of racing age and racing prospects lead the California market,” said Gerald McMahon, Barretts’ president and general manager, following the first session. “We had very good attendance at the sale from Canada, Utah, and Mexico, which is good for this market.”
McMahon said that he thought the recent Southern California wildfires might have had an impact on the sale because many horsemen from affected areas were still recovering. However, no consignments or horses had to withdraw from the sale due to the fires.
