Del Mar paddock sale topped by $200,000 Lifestyle filly

DEL MAR, Calif. – Led by a 2-year-old filly maiden race winner who sold for $200,000, 26 horses of racing age sold for an average of $48,980 at Sunday’s first-ever paddock sale at Del Mar.

The filly, by the Indian Charlie stallion Lifestyle, was purchased by Mersad Metanovic Bloodstock from the consignment of SGV Thoroughbreds.

Named Fightin Mean Mad, she won a maiden special weight race at Arlington Park on June 20 by 3 3/4 lengths in her career debut, earning a Beyer Speed Figure of 83.

Fightin Mean Mad raced for Richard Ravin and trainer Larry Rivelli on June 20. They jointly bred the filly.

Metanovic said that Jerry Durant of Texas will be a partner in Fightin Mean Mad, who will be pointed for the $150,000 Sorrento Stakes for 2-year-old fillies at Del Mar on Aug. 8.

Fightin Mean Mad was one of four horses that sold for six figures. Mega Dream, the winner of the Great Lady M Stakes at Betfair Hollywood Park in May, was listed as sold for $300,000 to Metanovic, but he owned the filly with Durant and Barry Arnason going into the sale. Metanovic said that Mega Dream will continue to race for the partnership.

Among other notable purchases, Metanovic bought Nechez Dawn for $125,000. Trained by Rivelli, Nechez Dawn, a 3-year-old filly by Indian Charlie, has won 2 of 3 starts, which came at Gulfstream Park and Arlington Park.

Hot and Pleasing, an unraced 2-year-old filly by Unusual Heat, sold for $110,000 to Deron Pearson.

There were 45 horses cataloged. The gross was $1,275,400, with nine horses withdrawn and 10 listed as not sold.

The first horse through the ring, a retired racehorse named True Swither, was sold for $12,000 to California owner Jim Ford. Revenue from the sale of True Swither was shared by two horse charities – Remember Me Rescue of Texas and California Retirement Management Account.

The sale was held after the races in the track’s paddock and was a joint effort between the track and the Barretts sales company of Pomona, Calif.