Barretts has it covered

Broodmares make up nearly half of the 670 horses offered at the Barretts January mixed sale in Pomona, Calif., on Monday and Tuesday, and nearly all of California's established leading stallions are represented as covering stallions to those mares.

Eight of the state's 10 leading stallions in 2004, ranked by progeny earnings, were bred to mares last year who will be offered in the sale.

Roar, who led all state stallions with 2004 progeny earnings of $4,394,808, is represented by two mares: Frisky's Wild Card and Tipiary.

In Excess, who was the leading stallion of 2-year-olds in 2004 and second on the overall list, is represented by five mares, including Storybrook Affair. An 11-year-old, Storybrook Affair is the dam of Shining Nuggets, the winner of the 2000 I'm Smokin Stakes at Del Mar.

There are six mares in the sale who have been bred to Old Topper, California's leading freshman stallion in 2004. The most accomplished racemare from that group is Mom's Day, who was stakes placed at Del Mar and earned $112,628.

The list of covering stallions also includes Bertrando, General Meeting, High Brite, Lit de Justice, Smokester, and Storm Creek, all of whom finished 2004 in the state's overall top 10, as well as Bartok, Cee's Tizzy, Lord Carson, and Swiss Yodeler, who were among the leading 2-year-old stallions in the state in 2004.

The two stallions on the overall list who are not represented in the sale are newcomers Formal Gold and Souvenir Copy. They did not stand in California in 2004.

The two-day sale, which begins daily at 10:30 a.m., has a slightly smaller catalog than the 2004 sale, which offered 714 horses.

The 2004 sale included a dispersal from Lakeview Thoroughbred Farm and a large consignment of horses of racing age owned by The Thoroughbred Corp. The sale averaged $7,848, a drop of 7 percent from 2003.

There are 320 broodmares in this year's sale, as well as yearlings, 2-year-olds, and horses of racing age.

Some of the 2-year-olds represent first crop-stallions such as Brahms, Dominique's Cat, Eishin Masamune, Flame Thrower, and Madraar. There are yearlings by Skimming and Tribal Rule, the oldest foals by those stallions.

One of the more prominent 2-year-olds is a filly by High Brite who is a half-sister to Moscow Burning, the winner of the Grade 2 Sheepshead Bay Handicap at Belmont Park last year. Consigned by Mary Knight, agent, for Miraleste Inc., the filly is an April foal.

Knight said the filly is likely to have a better chance of attracting attention in the January sale as opposed to the March sale or May 2-year-olds in training sale, when buyers are more demanding.

"She's broken and galloping and a beautiful mover," Knight said. "She's a little on the smaller side. For her to be competitive in a later 2-year-old [sale], it would be difficult."

Another prominent juvenile filly in the sale is Hemet Humor, a half-sister to Pt's Grey Eagle. Last October, Pt's Grey Eagle pulled an upset in the Grade 1 Ancient Title Breeders' Cup Handicap at the Oak Tree meeting. Hemet Humor is consigned by David Hofmans, agent for Farrell Jones.

There are two prominent horses of racing age: Mellow Fellow and State Theatre. Mellow Fellow, 10, is a multiple-stakes-winning sprinter, but he has not run since March 2003.

State Theatre, 4, was second in the Grade 2 Arlington Classic at Arlington Park last July. He has not started since September.