In all, 143 horses were sold for a gross of $4,304,200 and an average price of $30,099. Compared to last year's first session, the number sold was up by 19.2 percent, the gross was up by 11.3 percent, and the average was down by 6.6 percent. In 2000, the 120 horses sold grossed $3,866,200 and averaged $32,218.This year's buy-back rate was 31.6 percent, with 66 of the 209 horses offered failing to find new homes. Last year's buy-back rate was 33.3 percent.The second and final session of the auction is scheduled for Tuesday, beginning at 10 a.m. (EDT).
Boston Twist, a filly from the first crop of Boston Harbor, brought the top price of $190,000 Monday during the first session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic sale of 2-year-olds in training in Timonium, Md. Consigned by Leprechaun Racing, she was purchased by Ciaran Dunne, agent for William Schettine.Produced from the 14-year-old winning Premiership mare Chou Chou, Boston Twist is a half-sister to added-money winner Keep It Strait (by Country Pine), who finished third in the Jersey Derby (gr. II), Forerunner Stakes (gr. III), and Tropical Park Derby (gr. III). Boston Twist was purchased by Leprechaun Racing for $150,000 at the 2000 Keeneland July select yearling sale. She was a $275,000 buy-back earlier this year at the Fasig-Tipton Florida select sale of 2-year-olds in training at Calder Race Course. Boston Twist worked a quarter mile in 22 3/5 seconds during the May 17 session of the auction's under tack show.Dunne also purchased the Monday's second-highest-priced juvenile, a $185,000 Carson City filly named Miss City Halo, for Schettine. The filly was produced from the 9-year-old Halo mare Glimmering Halo, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Kohen Witha K. (by Kings Lake). Miss City Halo was consigned by Robert Scanlon, agent for Katie Rich Stable. She was purchased by Lawrence P. Doyle for $27,000 at the 2000 Keeneland September yearling sale. During the May 17 session of the under tack show, Miss City Halo worked an eighth of a mile in 10 4/5 seconds, equaling the fastest time that day for the distance.