The Tattersalls December Mares Sale, Europe's leading breeding stock sale, got underway at Park Paddocks in Newmarket, England on Monday. The sales company reported the average was up 5% to 33,502 guineas on the corresponding day last year and the median rose 11% to 21,000 guineas, with the day's trade grossing 6,398,900 guineas.
The average rose 29% and the median price was up 49% during the four days of foal sales conducted by Tattesalls Ltd. at the company's paddocks in Newmarket, England. The foal portion of the sale preceded the sale of broodmares and horses in training that began Monday. Tattersalls reported 608 lots sold for 14,677,400 guineas, with the average increasing 29% to a record 24,140 guineas and the median up 49% to 12,500 guineas. A total of 26 foals made 100,000 guineas or more compared with 21 last year.
The California Thoroughbred Breeders Association will hold a stallion season auction Dec. 12 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. (PST) with all proceeds to benefit the CTBA's political action committee.
Trade was strong on the opening day of the Tattersalls December, which featured the last yearlings to be sold at auction this year. The session saw a total of 2,120,300 guineas spent at an average of 14,724 guineas, an increase of 7%. The drop in the gross value can be attributed to Tattersalls new policy encouraging Vendors to declare their buy-backs.
Without a doubt, last year's Keeneland November breeding stock sale was a blockbuster. It established world auction records for gross revenue and number of horses sold. It posted increases in nearly every statistical category, closing out a decade in which prosperity made a rousing return to the Thoroughbred marketplace. While the good times did not stop rolling in 2000, it was apparent by the end of the latest November extravaganza at Keeneland that they were not rolling quite as fast.
Keeneland's 14-day November breeding stock sale ended Saturday with a record average and the second-highest dollar volume in the history of the auction. Keeneland sold 3,266 horses for $301,994,800 during this year's event. Last year, Keeneland sold 3,461 horses for $317,666,000. both records for thoroughbred auctions worldwide.
Equine Spectrum plans to conduct a "mock auction" on Dec. 1 to give buyers, sellers, and agents an opportunity to test the online system in a simulated environment, according to Tom Biederman, Equine Spectrum executive director.
One horse sold through Keeneland's second online auction associated with the ongoing November breeding stock sale.
Horseman Brian Sweeney, whose many positions in racing included a stint as executive vice president and general manager of the California Thoroughbred Breeders' Association, died Nov. 14 of an apparent heart attack at the San Gabriel Country Club in California.
Weanlings sired by Cape Town and Distorted Humor were each sold for $110,000 to top Tuesday's session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. The Cape Town colt, produced from the Sunny's Halo mare Sunday Morning, was purchased by Walnut Green Bloodstock from the consignment of Lakland LLC, agent.
The first online RNA auction for November started without any horses selling. Keeneland's next Internet auction is Wednesday with two more to follow.
A single no-guarantee season to leading sire Storm Cat brought $500,000 to top the Stallion Access auction at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's Newtown Paddocks Nov. 10. The top price was $100,000 above the scheduled fee of $400,000 next year for the stallion, who stands at W.T. Young's Overbrook Farm near Lexington.
Oklahoman John C. Oxley paid $975,000 for a Tale of the Cat weanling filly to top Friday's session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
Topped by the $4.2 million bid from Shadwell Estate Company for Magical Allure, a grade I winning General Meeting mare in foal to Storm Cat, the number of horses selling for seven figures continued to rise during Tuesday's session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. With 11 horses selling for $1-million or more Tuesday, the seven figure transactions totaled 39 during the first two days of the sale. During the 1999 record- breaking sale, 29 horses brought final bids in excess of $1-million.
Jewel Princess, a champion daughter of Key to the Mint, was purchased by Coolmore Stud's John Magnier for $4.9 million to top Monday's second session of Keeneland's November Breeding Stock Sale. Monday's gross receipts represented a record for any single session in Keeneland sale history as 24 horses brought final bids in excess of seven figures.
Beautiful Bid, the dam of champion Beautiful Pleasure and multiple grade I winner and sire Mecke, was purchased by Gaines-Gentry Thoroughbreds for $2.6 million to top Sunday's November Selected Sale conducted by Fasig-Tipton Kentucky.
Agent Buzz Chace paid $500,000 for a no-guarantee 2001 breeding nomination to the leading sire Storm Cat as the top-priced offering among 10 seasons sold as part of the first session of Keeneland's November Breeding Stock sale.
Four mares each brought final bids in excess of seven figures and an A.P. Indy weanling colt was sold for $800,000 as the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale began on a solid note Sunday.
A lawsuit involving the purchase and sale of the colt Saints Cup was settled out of court Friday shortly before attorneys for both sides made closing arguments and the case was sent to the jury.
Jurors hearing a horse sale lawsuit in a Lexington, Ky. courtroom might have felt like they were in a veterinary science classroom Thursday. After all, much of the day's testimony was devoted to the causes and effects of bowed tendons in horses and the recommended treatment of such injuries.
A Lexington, Ky. jury heard conflicting testimony Wednesday as the principals involved in the purchase of a high-priced 2-year-old colt at auction last year testified in connection with a lawsuit filed by the buyers of the horse.
Agent Buzz Chace purchased a Saint Ballado colt for $750,000 to top Tuesday's second and final session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale.
The average declined as the number of horses offered increased during the opening session of Fasig-Tipton's fall yearling sale. Meanwhile, England's Tattersalls autumn mixed sale began on a strong note.
A commitment to promoting a positive image and generating public awareness for the success of horses that have been sold at 2-year-old in training sales served as focal points during the third open meeting of the National Association of 2-year-old Consignors.
The average and median prices increased as did the buyback rate during Tuesday's second day of the consignor preferred session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2000 Fall Mixed Sale.
Binge, a 7-year-old mare by Wild Again in foal to Tale of the Cat, was purchased by Jim Wells for $125,000 to top the first consignor preferred session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2000 Fall Mixed Sale.
Tattersalls October Sale, traditionally the best barometer to the state of the European yearling market, didn't just surpass previous records -- it obliterated them.
An era ended in Florida on Sunday when more than 70 horses owned by the estate of Fred Hooper were dispersed during the opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Co. fall mixed sale.
A record Tattersalls (England) October yearling sale price of 450,000 guineas was paid Thursday by Anthony Stroud for a Darshaan colt produced from the Shadeed mare Touville.
Agent John Ferguson, acting on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin Racing, paid the top price of 220,000 guineas for each of three yearlings purchased during the second session of Tattersalls' October yearling sale Wednesday.
Flush with success from its recent record-breaking September yearling sale, the Keeneland Association board of directors on Wednesday approved a decrease in its sale commission from 5% to 4.5%.
The October yearling sale conducted in Newmarket, England by Tattersalls began on a strong note Tuesday, with the company reporting 25% gain in average.
With a larger number of horses cataloged and sold, the average price at Barretts Equine Ltd.'s October yearling sale declined.
Sale records were established for the number of horses sold, gross revenue, and average price at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling auction, which ended on Wednesday. In addition, more horses were sold for six-figure prices than ever before.
Clyde Rice will disperse his bloodstock over the next several months, beginning Nov. 5 at the Fasig-Tipton selected mixed sale in Lexington.
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.
Coolmore's John Magnier purchased the session topper at opening day of the Goffs Orby yearling sale Tuesday in Ireland, purchasing a Danzig colt for approximately $2,233,000. The colt was sold by Kilcarn Stud and is the third foal out of Alywow, Canada's Horse of the Year in 1994.
The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale got off to a solid start Monday when 10 horses brought individual prices of $100,000 or more.
The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale got off to a solid start on Monday, with 10 horses bringing individual prices of $100,000 or more. The opening session of the three-day auction also registered slight increases in average and median from a year ago and a significant upswing in gross revenue.
The November breeding stock sale at Keeneland will offer a record 5,111 horses and stallion seasons. The 13-day sale begins Nov. 5 at noon (EST), with the remaining 12 sessions beginning at 10 a.m.
Keeneland's Internet auction sells 13 yearlings for a total $500,200, or an average price of $38,477.
Coolmore Stud's John Magnier outbid Sheikh Mohammed to acquire a Sadler's Wells colt for 2,000,000 guineas (about $3,045,000) to top Wednesday's session of the Tattersalls Houghton Sale in Newmarket, England.
The top two buyers at Keeneland's recently completed September yearling sale are already topping the board at another auction. Demi O'Byrne, who spent $18,750,000 at Keeneland, bought the highest-priced horse at Tuesday's session of Tattersalls Houghton yearling sale.
Keeneland sale continued
In an era when auction records are common, the Keeneland September yearling sale stood out in terms of size and strength.
The 13-day September yearling sale at Keeneland ended Saturday with sales eclipsing the previous records for gross, average price, and number of horses sold.
Six horses that had gone unsold when they went through the ring at Keeneland's 13-day September yearling sale were sold Wednesday night during the sales company's Internet RNA Auction.
With two days remaining in Keeneland's record-breaking September yearling sale, the cumulative average price of $98,149 for the 2,930 horses sold represents a 26.8% increase over the $77,390 average for last year's sale.
A top price of $180,000 was paid by John Oxley for a Defrere colt to top Wednesday's session of the Keeneland September yearling sale.
