Barretts: Across-the-board gains at October yearling sale

Led by California-breds by leading regional stallions such as Lucky Pulpit and Unusual Heat, Tuesday’s Barretts October yearling sale showed across-the-board gains in number of horses sold, gross receipts, average and median compared with the 2013 sale.

According to sale company figures, 163 horses sold for $3,684,700, posting an average of $22,606. The gross sales increased 18 percent compared with the 2013 auction, when 159 horses sold for $3,130,500. The average increased 15 percent from $19,689 in 2013. Tuesday’s median of $15,000 was 15 percent higher than $13,000 last year.

“We felt it was pretty strong,” Barretts general manager Kim Lloyd said. “The top 10 [prices in the sale] were a little stronger.”

The buyback rate was 29 percent on Tuesday. It was 26 percent last year.

Tuesday, two horses sold for $100,000 or more – an Unusual Heat filly for $175,000, and a colt by Belong to Me for $100,000.

The Unusual Heat filly was purchased by Joe Ciaglia. Peter Eurton represented Ciaglia and will train the filly. Eurton said that Ciaglia and Sharon Alesia will be among the partners who will race the filly.

“We’ll sell pieces to people that are close to us,” Eurton said.

In the recent past, Alesia and Ciaglia have owned such runners as Weemissfrankie, a two-time Grade 1 winner in 2011; and Dance with Fate, the winner of the Grade 1 Blue Grass Stakes earlier this year.

Unusual Heat led the state’s stallions in progeny earnings from 2008 to 2013, and is currently ranked third behind the late Tribal Rule and Lucky Pulpit.

The Unusual Heat filly is out of Hotlantic, by Stormy Atlantic, who won 5 of 29 starts and earned $174,511, racing from 2007 to 2010. She won two stakes in 2009 – the Irving Distaff Stakes at Lone Star Park and the Top Corsage Stakes at Louisiana Downs.

Hotlantic was purchased by California breeders John Harris and Don Valpredo for $47,000 at the 2011 Keeneland November breeding stock sale, selling in foal to Street Boss. The resulting foal, the California-bred Long Hot Summer, is unbeaten in two starts, including the Generous Portion Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 27. Long Hot Summer was the sale topper, at $260,000, at the Barretts May sale of 2-year-olds in-training earlier this year.

Harris said at Barretts on Tuesday that Hotlantic has a weanling colt by Acclamation, and was bred to Unusual Heat earlier this year. Tuesday’s sale price met his expectations, he said.

“We were happy,” he said. “That was the range we were looking for.”

Eurton said he was attracted to the filly’s female family.

“I liked her mind and her body,” Eurton said. “You can’t knock the bottom side.”

Eurton said the filly will be broken at Magali Farms in Santa Ynez, Calif., before joining his stable in 2015.

The leading colt at the sale was a Belong to Me colt purchased for $100,000 by Deron Pearson Racing. Jim Cassidy, who trains for Pearson, signed the ticket. The California-bred colt was consigned by John Golightly, agent, and is out of the winning Miss Beekman Place, by Yes It’s True.

Unusual Heat was the sire of three of the six most expensive yearlings, including a colt purchased for $95,000 and a filly for $90,000. Lucky Pulpit had two of the 10 most expensive yearlings, as colts by the California sire sold for $90,000 and $80,000. Lucky Pulpit reached national prominence earlier this year through California Chrome, who won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness Stakes. California Chrome is a contender for the Breeders’ Cup Classic at Santa Anita on Nov. 1.

Pearson led all buyers at Tuesday’s sale, purchasing four horses for $276,000. Ciaglia bought two horses for $230,000.

The leading consignor was Andy Havens, through his Havens Bloodstock Agency, acting as agent. Havens sold 28 horses for $608,200.

Lloyd said support from local buyers was the key to higher business figures. He attributed part of that to a stabilizing racing calendar in Southern California racing following the closure of Hollywood Park last December.

“We’ve seen more confidence in the transitional period of racing,” Lloyd said. “People know we are going forward.”

For hip-by-hip results, click here.

Barretts October yearling sale, final results:

Year	Sold	Gross	Average	Median	Buyback
2014	163 (+3%)	$3,684,700 (+18%)	$22,606 (+15%)	$15,000 (+15%)	29%
2013	159	$3,130,500	$19,689	$13,000	26%