Average, median dip at California winter mixed sale

Prices fell sharply in major categories at Tuesday’s California winter mixed sale at Fairplex in Pomona compared to 2022, but remained above figures from the 2021 auction.

At the one-day sale, 90 horses sold for $821,400, an average of $9,127, according to statistics published by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, which conducted the auction.

At the 2022 auction, 113 horses sold for $1,306,500, an average of $11,562. The median price at Tuesday’s sale was $5,000 compared to $5,450 last year.

The 2021 auction saw 73 horses sell for $575,100 for an average of $7,878 and a median price of $3,200.

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At Tuesday’s sale, there were 30 horses withdrawn and 38 listed as not sold.

The sale was led by Poster Girl, a 10-year-old British-bred mare purchased for $70,000 by Cedros Bloodstock from the consignment of Checkmate Thoroughbreds, agent.

Poster Girl was sold in foal to Halladay, whose first foals arrive this year. On the track, Poster Girl won 4 of 34 starts and earned $200,192. She was third in the Grade 3 Sen. Ken Maddy Stakes on the hillside turf course at Santa Anita in November 2018 and raced until the early autumn of 2020.

Poster Girl, who is by Excellent Art, has a yearling filly by More Than Ready.

Poster Girl was the only horse to sell for $50,000 or more.

A yearling filly by Clubhouse Ride was purchased for $43,000 by agent Nick Hines on behalf of prominent California owner Michael Nentwig from the consignment of Easterbrook Livestock Management, agent.

The yearling filly, named Rachael’s Ride, is out of Slalom, by Bodemeister, and is a half-sister to Big Sandy, a maiden after four starts, and Orissa, the winner of a $25,000 claimer for maidens and a starter allowance at Pleasanton last summer.

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