Average price drops at Canadian premier yearling sale but median rises 12 percent

ETOBICOKE, Ontario – A $90,000 colt by leading Ontario sire Old Forester headlined the 2020 Canadian premier yearling sale at the Woodbine sales pavilion Wednesday.

John Di Scola bought the sale-topper from breeder Dave Whitford, who consigned him with Bernard McCormack’s Cara Bloodstock. The colt is out of the 12-year-old Smarty Jones mare Holidaysatthefarm, who finished second in the Florida Oaks.

A total of 142 yearlings sold for $2,795,300, an average of $19,685, while 55 were listed as not sold. The average was down 8.6 percent from last year, but the median increased by 12 percent. In 2019, 157 sold for $3,381,400, an average of $21,538, and 88 were not sold (last year’s sale statistics were inflated by a $240,000 sale-topping Silver Max filly bought by Frank Stronach from his Adena Springs North).

Given the current environment, Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Ontario division president Peter Berringer was encouraged by the sale median.

“With no individual yearlings selling for over $100,000, and with the delay of the beginning of racing and the lifestyle changes due to COVID-19 pandemic, the CTHS was pleased to see the sale median increase by 12 percent from $13,000 to $14,500,” Berringer said.

Two yearlings brought $82,000, including Langstaff Road, a son of Langfuhr bought by Derek Chin. The other was a Mr Speaker filly purchased by Jim Menzies.

The late Gustav Schickedanz bred both $82,000 purchases, and he also bred the fourth-highest price at the sale, an $80,000 Silent Name filly. All three were consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, as agent.

Rounding out the top five was a $72,000 Midnight Lute colt, who was bought by Thomas B. Uniacke from Huntington Stud Farm, as agent.