Geri Colt Tops Barretts Sale

Geri McGuire, a chestnut colt from the first crop of Geri, brought the top price of $215,000 on Tuesday at the Barretts May sale of 2-year-olds in training in Southern California. Ed and Natalie Friendly purchased Geri McGuire, who was consigned by the Havens Bloodstock Agency, agent.

The sale topper is the first foal produced from the 6-year-old unraced Arazi mare Araza, who is a half-sister to French champion Wixon (by Fioravanti), winner of the 1992 Prix du Petit Couvert (gr. III). Geri McGuire worked an eighth of a mile in 9.9 seconds during the auction's under tack show on May 11, sharing the honors for the fastest time for that distance with Lit de Hushi, a daughter of Lit de Justice.

In all, 164 horses were sold at Barretts for a gross of $4,460,400, an average price of $27,198, and a median price of $20,000. Compared to a year ago, the number sold and the gross were down by 1.2% and 10.2%, respectively. The average was down by 9.1%, but the median was up by 5.3%.

This year's buy-back rate was 28.1%, with 64 of the 228 horses offered failing to find new homes. The buy-back rate in 2000 was 30.8%.