There are 686 yearlings catalogued for the auction, which starts at 10 a.m. (ED) each day at Timonium.Last year, 456 horses were sold for a gross of $8,325,500, an average price of $18,258, and a median price of $9,500. Compared to 2003, the number sold and gross revenue declined 13.8% and 5.3%, respectively. However, the average increased 9.9% and the median stayed the same.
Even though it follows right on the heels of the highest-grossing yearling auction ever -- Keeneland September -- Fasig-Tipton officials are anticipating plenty of action at their Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale Monday and Tuesday in Maryland."There's been a lot of pre-sale interest, and we expect to see a continuation of the strong market," said Boyd Browning, Fasig-Tipton's vice president and chief operating officer. "A lot of buyers haven't filled all their orders."In addition, the sale has enjoyed a wave of positive publicity recently from the outstanding performances of its graduates. Lion Heart, prior to his retirement from racing, scored in the Haskell Invitational Handicap (gr. I); Declan's Moon won the Del Mar Futurity (gr. II), and Love of Money captured the Pennsylvania Derby (gr. II).