"We are very happy with the outcome of the sale as far as the finances go because that was amazing, but I think that the best part of what happened was to see everybody working together," Clavier said. "It was a wonderful thing to see."
Manhattan Model, a 2-year-old bay Smoke Glacken--All Too Well filly, brought $105,000 and topped the the fourth annual 2-year-olds in training and paddock sale March 13 at Evangeline Downs and Casino in Opelousas, La. She was consigned by Southern Equine Stables, Eric Guillot, agent, and was also purchased by Guillot."She is the highest seller we have ever had," said Charlotte Stemmans Clavier, administrator for the sale. "We were very excited."A total of 109 horses of all ages sold for a gross of $1,178,300, up significantly from the 49 two-year-olds sold for $479,000 in 2005, which included buy-backs. The average of $10,810 was also up from last year's total of $9,776, which also included buy-backs.The sale was renamed in memory of John Franks after his death in 2004. It is now called the John Franks Memorial Sale.The effects of hurricanes Katrina and Rita caused the sale to be held while Delta Downs was holding its meet there."We had the sale at Evangeline Downs while a race meet was going on, so we had to delay the sale by a day," Clavier said. "Everyone worked so well together to make everything happen. It is absolutely amazing."Clavier noted that all of the trainers and owners worked together to make the sale possible. The racetrack offered money to trainers to vacate their stalls for a three day period in order to have a place to stable the sale horses.