Franks Estate to Offer 200 Mares in February

Alta Franks, the widow of John Franks, has begun the reorganization of her husband's Thoroughbred holdings. Mrs. Franks plans a reduction, but not a complete dispersal, beginning with the sale of about 200 broodmares at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale Feb. 8-9 in Lexington.

"There will be close to 200 mares at that sale, and that sounds like a dispersal, but it's not, it's just a reduction," said John Sikura, who is working with Franks and will consign the horses to the auction in the name of his Hill 'n' Dale Farm. "There's well above 300 mares in the (total) inventory, which does not include race fillies, yearlings, 2-year-olds in training, and all of the race horses."

Included in the dispersal are graded stakes winners Erica's Dream and Wood So. Among those not currently scheduled for sale are millionaire Silent Eskimo, grade I winner Halo America, and Twosies Answer, the dam of champion 2-year-old Answer Lively.

"This will give us the ability to reduce the number of horses to then further evaluate and focus on the remaining mares," said Sikura. "Our emphasis will be very similar in every division--to reduce the numbers to get to a group of focal point horses."

"It was the intention of my husband to reduce his horse population to manageable numbers while continuing to succeed both on the racetrack and as a breeder," said Franks in a release. "We are committed to operating a most successful racing and breeding program while keeping manageable constraints on our numbers. It is undecided at this point how many horses we intend to keep and leave open all possibilities."