Fasig-Tipton Calder Catalogue Has 301 Juveniles

Fasig-Tipton has catalogued 301 horses for its Florida select sale of 2-year-olds in training, which is scheduled for Feb. 24 at Calder Race Course. The number is down 6.2% from last year's total of 321.

"We usually have 300 to 325 horses; it varies a little depending on who bought what to pinhook," said Boyd Browning, Fasig-Tipton's executive vice president and chief operating officer. "We consider this year's number virtually similar to the number a year ago. MRLS (mare reproductive loss syndrome) reduced the number of early foals (born in 2002), so it may have had some effect on the numbers at this year's early 2-year-old sales.

"We're very pleased with our catalogue," he continued. "We have tremendous sire power, and we like the (physical) quality of our horses very much."

Horses catalogued include the progeny of A.P. Indy, Storm Cat, and Seattle Slew. Also listed in the book are a half-sister to multiple grade I winner Peace Rules named Fashion Cat (by Forest Wildcat) and a Deputy Minister colt that is a half-brother to grade I winner Harmony Lodge and grade II winner Graeme Hall.

One high profile horse has been scratched, a Fusaichi Pegasus -- Party Cited colt that sold f or $725,000 as a weanling at the 2002 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

At last year's Fasig-Tipton Calder auction, 139 horses were sold for a gross of $29,077,000, an average price of $209,187, and a median price of $150,000. The gross and average both were down only 1.4% from 2002 while the median fell 14.3%. Graduates of the sale included grade I winner Lion Heart, multiple grade II winner Be Gentle, grade III winner A.P. Adventure, and stakes winner Victory U. S. A., who finished second in the Frizette Stakes (gr. I) and third in both the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I) and Del Mar Debutante Stakes (gr. I).

The catalogue for this year's sale can be viewed at www.fasigtipton.com.