Fasig-Tipton July Catalogue Largest Ever

The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July select yearling sale will have its largest catalogue ever. There will 679 horses in the book, said Boyd Browning, the company's executive vice president and chief operating officer, on Monday. The total shatters the previous mark of 602 that was set in 2002, and it is up 37.2% from last year's figure of 495.

This year's edition of the auction is scheduled for July 18 and 19 at Fasig-Tipton's Newtown Paddocks in Lexington.

"Our consignors exposed us to more quality horses this year," said Browning, when asked the reasons for the big increase in numbers. "The sale has built momentum, and it has a solid buyer base. It also has a proven record of success at the racetrack with its horses."

The increase also could be a sign that the negative effects of mare reproductive loss syndrome that swept through Central Kentucky earlier this decade have ended.

Last year, the Fasig-Tipton July auction enjoyed across-the-board success. Its gross revenue soared 36.9% from 2003 to its second-highest level ever of $38,620,000. The average increased 22.8% to establish a sale record of $114,260 for the 338 horses sold. The median rose 19.4% to $80,000, its highest level since The Blood-Horse began calculating the figure in the mid-1980s. The buy-back rate fell from 28.7% in 2003 to 25.2% in 2004.