Fasig-Tipton reported that 121 horses were sold at the Newtown Paddocks in Lexington for a gross of $531,400, an average of $4,392, and a median of $3,000. Last year, the 197 horses sold grossed $1,182,400 and averaged $6,002. The median was $3,500.However, the buy-back rate provided one piece of good news. It was 28.8%, down from 33.7% in 2000.
Lovely Ghost, a 6-year-old mare who is in foal to Louis Quatorze, a leading first-crop sire, brought the top price of $50,000. Jack D. Thomas bought her from the Blake Agency, agent for Bona Terra Farm. By Silver Ghost, Lovely Ghost is out of the stakes-placed Graustark mare My Lovely, who is a half-sister to stakes winner Wind Shear (by Fappiano) and is a member of the family that produced champion sprinter Eillo. Lovely Ghost is a full sister to stakes-placed O'Rey Fantasma and a half-sister to stakes-placed Conduit Street (by Afleet).
