Dehere Mare Tops Barretts Opening Session

Golden Shadows brought a final bid of $40,000 from John B. Cook to top the opening session of the Barretts October Mixed Sale held Monday at the Hinds Pavilion at Fairplex Park in Pomona, Caliornia. The 7-year-old mare, consigned by Golden Eagle Farm, is believed to be in foal to Event of the Year.

The unraced chestnut daughter of Dehere and the Slew o'Gold mare Promise of Gold has produced three foals, including Thrilling Victory (also by Event of the Year), who captured this year's Bay Meadows Oaks and Albany Handicap. Other notable names in the sale topper's female family include the recently pensioned stallion General Meeting and the graded winner Summertime Promise, who is the dam of the deceased standout sire Carson City.

Overall during Monday's opening session of the annual two-day auction, 217 horses passed through the ring as sold for gross receipts of $992,900, a 9% drop from last year's corresponding session when 204 horses brought $1,091,500.

Average was also down by 14% to $4,576 from $5,350 a year ago while the median price of $2,500 remained the same.

The second-highest price on the day was the $38,000 paid for hip no. 341, the 8-year-old Huddle Up mare Mesquite believed to be in foal to In Excess. Harris Farms purchased the unraced dark bay or brown mare from its own consignment, which was acting as agent for the dispersal of the estate of Al Toffel.

During the first session, 41 broodmares sold for $291,200, two stallions went for $5,500, 19 weanlings brought $83,300, 122 yearlings sold for $502,000 and 33 horses of racing age earned bids of $110,900 overall.

The sale concluded Tuesday.