Go for Gin Colt Heads Fasig-Tipton Session

A Go for Gin colt brought the top price of $315,000 during the second session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale on Tuesday in Maryland. Produced from the unraced Topsider mare Crone's Nest, who is a half-sister to champion Go for Wand, the colt was purchased by John Terranova II. The trainer said he was acting on the behalf of California client Keith Taylor, who is a relative newcomer to the Thoroughbred business.

"He looked like he had all the right stuff," said Terranova of the colt. "He showed a lot of class, plus he had a lot of pedigree, which was a bonus."

The son of Go for Gin was consigned by Walnut Green on the behalf of British bloodstock agent Anthony Stroud, who purchased the colt as a weanling for $28,000 at the 1999 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

In all, six yearlings sold for $100,000 or more apiece on the second day of the three-day sale. That brought the auction's total of six-figure horses to 16, which surpassed the total of 15 for the entire sale in 1999.

The second-highest price this year during the second session was the $220,000 paid by New Jersey bloodstock agent Buzz Chace to acquire a Marquetry--Done With Pleasure colt for Ernie Paragallo. The colt was consigned by Charlton, acting as agent for Audley Farm.

The 179 horses sold on Tuesday grossed $3,872,000 and averaged $21,631. Those figures were up from last year's second session results by 6.5%, 29.5%, and 21.6%, respectively. The buy-back rate was 25.7%, with 62 of the 241 yearlings offered failing to find new homes. The buy-back rate for the same session in 1999 was 26.3%.

Through two sessions in 2000, 376 horses have been sold for a gross of $8,167,300 and an average of $21,722. The buy-back rate was 23.7%, with 117 of the 493 yearlings offered having failed to bring prices that exceeded the reserves set by their consignors. At the same point in 1999, 456 horses had been sold for a gross of $6,618,600 and an average of $19,582. The buy-back rate stood at 25.9%.