Record Price Established Closing Day of Fasig-Tipton Sale

A record price for a broodmare or racing prospect offered at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale was established Feb. 13 at the sale company's Newtown Paddocks near Lexington, Ky., when Somethinaboutlaura was sold for $375,000.

The record price helped the sale company exceed last year's two-day gross but the average and median both dropped. For the two-day sale, Fasig-Tipton reported 444 head sold for a gross of $7,772,700, to average $17,506. The median was $5,000 with 186 hips failing to sell. Last year the sale grossed $6,966,700 for 377 head sold. The average was $18,479 and the median $6,200. Ninety-six head failed to sell.

For the sale's second session consisting of broodmares, broodmare and racing prospects, horses of racing age, and stallions and stallion prospects, Fasig-Tipton reported 237 head sold to gross $5,436,000. The average was $22,937 and the median $6,000. Eighty-three hips failed to sell. Last year 183 hips sold grossed $4,640,700, to average $25,359. The median was $8,500 with 47 heads not selling.

"Overall, it was a good, solid sale," said Walt Robertson, president of Fasig-Tipton. "Youth is a great thing. The young mares sold exceptionally well, and the yearlings offered on day one sold fine. We are pleased."

Stakes winner Somethinaboutlaura was consigned to the sale as the property of Texas-based Turf Express by Paramount Sales, agent.

There was a bit of confusion associated with the sale of the 4-year-old daughter of Dance Floor. According to Boyd Browning, Fasig-Tipton executive vice president and chief operating officer, Turf Express president Mark Cornett bid past the reserve price and was the last bidder when the hammer fell at $390,000. Soon afterward, the immediate underbidder, John Stuart of Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services reached an agreement to purchase the filly for $375,000. The $375,000 price was reported on the sale company's results sheets.

Bred in California by Lilley Ranch, Somethinaboutlaura was produced from the It's Freezing mare Crystals of Ice and is from the family of stakes winner and sire Wild Rush and grade III stakes winner Summer Raven.

Racing for Turf Express, Bob Beck, and Luigi Mastrocinque, Somethinaboutlaura won the Foster City Handicap at Bay Meadows Feb. 2 and finished third in the El Encino Stakes (gr. II) Jan. 15.

For her career, Somethinaboutlaura has earned $174,830 from a career record of 10-6-0-1.