Sheikh Mohammed's bloodstock manager, John Ferguson, had some advice for shoppers during the Keeneland September yearling sale's opening day, which suffered downturns of 16.8% in gross revenue and 7.7% in average price from 2007. "If somebody is thinking of buying a racehorse," he said, "this is a good time to do it because I think there will be value to be had throughout the course of the year. The market is probably a little sticky."
A colt from the first crop of Unforgettable Max sold for $330,000, and the buy-back rate rose to 44.1% during the first session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky July select yearling auction July 14. The average price rose 5.4% and the median stayed steady at $75,000. The sale continues Tuesday.
Mr. Greeley offspring are among yearlings that buyers and consignors believe could sell well.
Birdstone notched his first winner when his son S. S. Stone won at Hollywood Park on June 29 in his initial race.
Steve Asmussen has been notified of a drug overage, Daily Racing Form reported June 25.
Gainesway Thoroughbreds' Ocean Colors, a 2-year-old Orientate filly out of 1988 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Winning Colors, made her racing debut one to remember June 13 at Churchill Downs by scoring a front-running 5 1/4-length victory in the fourth race
Grade I winner Tapit was represented by his first U.S. winner when his son Retap won May 14 at Churchill Downs in his first start.
Cuvee's first winner in the United States came on May 8 at Lone Star Park when his first-crop 2-year-old colt, Border Cuvee, defeated a maiden field in his racing debut.
A half-brother to classics contender Pyro was born March 12 at 10:15 p.m. at the Winchell family's Corinthia near Lexington.
MAHUBAH's CORNER, by Avalyn Hunter
With only 16 starts under his belt as a 6-year-old, Surf Cat is far from the most durable runner in North America. But when he is right, there are few with more sheer talent. Having run down grade I winner Greg's Gold in the San Carlos Handicap (gr. II) Feb. 16, Surf Cat has now recorded his fifth win in a grade II race.
Gross, average, and median all increase in Keeneland November sale's 12th session.
While the financial fireworks might not be as spectacular as they were a year ago at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, consignors and sale company officials still are expecting prices to be solid.
Gainesway Farm has announced the 2008 stud fee for prominent sire Mr. Greeley will be $125,000, up from $75,000 in 2007.
Corinthian, lengthy winner of the Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile, has been retired and will enter stud for a $40,000 fee at the Beck family's Gainesway Farm near Lexington.
A Dynaformer colt whose second dam is Broodmare of the Year Glowing Tribute was sold for $190,000 to top the Oct. 23 session of the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale that concluded with double-digit increases in gross, average, and median prices.
Corinthian, winner of this year's Metropolitan Handicap (gr. I), will enter stud in 2008 at the Beck family's Gainesway Farm near Lexington.
Brian Graves, director of public sales for Gainesway, said the market was good through the Keeneland September yearling sale's first four days, and he looks for it to be strong and more consistent over the weekend and early next week.
Watching the Aug. 18 Alabama (gr. I) on the jumbo monitor on the first floor of the clubhouse at Saratoga, Michael Hernon pumped his fist in the air as Bentley L. Smith's homebred Lady Joanne crossed the wire first in the 1 1/4-mile race for 3-year-old fillies.
Led by the efforts of Eldon Farm Equine, the majority of horses previously sold at auction that passed through the sales ring during the Aug. 7 session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale realized significant gains.
Even with a $2.2-million Mr. Greeley colt, the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling auction experienced downturns.
Team Valor International went to $2.2 million to acquire a Mr. Greeley colt to top the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga select yearling sale that concluded Tuesday with across-the-board declines.
Fewer than half the 17 horses previously sold at auction produced a resale profit after going through the sale ring at the Aug. 6 opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling auction.
Dancing Band, a 4-year-old daughter of Dixieland Band, brought $250,000 to top Monday's concluding session of the Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale at the Lexington pavilion.
Champion Afleet Alex's first reported foal is a colt born Jan. 21 at Bettina Jenney's Derry Meeting Farm near Cochranville, Pa.
Gainesway Farm stallion Mr. Greeley, who enjoyed a fine year at this year's major yearling sales, will stand in 2007 for $75,000.
The grade II-winning and classic-placed Sunday Break will stand the 2007 season at Robert Trussell and John T.L. Jones III's Walmac Farm near Lexington, it was announced Friday.
Ten Most Wanted, who stood his first two seasons at Gainesway Farm in Kentucky, is moving to Becky Thomas' Sequel Stallions New York for the 2007 season.
Gainesway Farm reported Wednesday that dual classic winner and stallion Afleet Alex is recovering from surgery performed on Sept. 26 to repair an inguinal hernia.
Johannesburg and Officer, who raced against each other as 2-year-olds, now are battling each other as freshmen sires.
Strategic Mission, who stood his first two years at Gainesway Farm near Lexington before standing the last three in New York, will return to Gainesway for the 2007 breeding season.
Dream Team, a grade I winner and dam of champion sprinter Orientate, died June 7 from complications from foaling a Gone West colt two days earlier at Gainesway Farm (Antony Beck, president) near Lexington.
Officer was represented by his first winner in the United States on May 21 at Churchill Downs when his first-crop 2-year-old colt Run Alex Run defeated a $46,500 maiden special field.
Freshman sire Orientate got his first winner May 4 at Hollywood Park when the filly Lost On Champagne won at first asking.
Gainesway Farm announced that the first three mares have been confirmed in foal to champion Afleet Alex.
Winning Colors, the 1988 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) heroine and the third and last filly to win the race, delivered a filly by Orientate Feb. 10 at the Beck family's Gainesway Farm. The filly is the first reported foal out of Winning Colors since 1999, when she foaled a Broad Brush colt named Dr. Litin.
Pancho Villa, a speedy son of Secretariat, suffered a heart attack and died right before he was getting ready to cover his first mare this breeding season at Dr. Steve Hicks' Cedarcrest Farm near Palestine, Texas.
Grade I winner Tapit's first crop includes a filly born Jan. 20 at Xavier and Sharon Moreau's farm near Ocala, Fla.
Gainesway Farm announced that the first foal sired by grade I winner Cuvee arrived Jan. 5 at Bruce Kline's Foxhills Farm near Lexington.
Luhuk, who shuttled from Argentina to Gainesway Farm (Antony Beck, president) near Lexington the past several seasons, will remain in Argentina.
The first foal sired by 2004 Belmont Stakes (gr. I) winner Birdstone was born Jan. 11 at the Young family's Overbrook Farm near Lexington.
The surging Thoroughbred market continued to generate impressive figures Tuesday during the second session of Keeneland's January sale in Lexington.
Sir Cat, sire of 2005 grade II winners Cativa and Surf Cat, has been sold to stand at Haras Jockey in Chile.
Afleet Alex, who recently arrived at Gainesway Farm, where he will stand for a $40,000 stud fee, is adjusting beautifully to his new life.
Subordination, a millionaire two-time grade I turf winner, has been purchased by Juan Marmorek's Uruguayan Stud Montana Ranch for stallion duty in Uruguay.
Cash is King Stable, Jess Jackson, and Gainesway Farm have announced that dual classic winner Afleet Alex will enter stud for $40,000 at Gainesway near Lexington.
Joyeux Danseur, a grade I winner at Churchill Downs, died in early November while standing at Gary Turkington's Wattle Brae Thoroughbred Stud in Queensland, Australia.
Mt. Livermore, sire of nine millionaires and six champions, has been pensioned at Gainesway Farm near Lexington because of declining fertility.
Texan Jim McIngvale went to $275,000 to acquire a Forestry colt to top Monday's first session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern fall yearling sale in Timonium, Maryland.
Here are some horses that could bring big prices Monday night at Saratoga.
Thirty-five-year-old Stop the Music, the broodmare sire of 2005 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Giacomo, was euthanized July 8 at Gainesway Farm due to infirmities of old age.
