Burge said in February the CTBA would need to collect $115,000 in revenue from a yearling auction to cover its expenses. The entry fee for the sale is $300, and the minimum commission is $500.The CTBA conducts the Del Mar yearling sale each August in Southern California. It has held auctions in Northern California in the past, but not since 1993.
The California Thoroughbred Breeders Association's board of directors on Wednesday approved a plan for the organization to conduct a yearling sale in Northern California later this year if at least 150 horses are entered. The auction is scheduled for Sept. 28 at the Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton.During a meeting this past February, a number of Northern California breeders asked the CTBA to operate a yearling sale in their region. American Equine Sales, which had conducted the Wine Country yearling sale in August in Pleasanton, went bankrupt last year, leaving a void in the Northern California auction business.CTBA executive vice president and general manager Doug Burge appointed a task force to look into the matter. The group surveyed Northern California farms and found "a lot of support for a sale among breeders," Burge said. "The interest has been strong, and our phones have been ringing off the hook. We have commitments for close to 150 yearlings already, and we could end up with more (than 150)."
