Barretts January: Sale wraps with across-the-board gains

The Barretts January mixed sale concluded on Monday with steady improvements in each of the major economic categories.

The one-day sale, held at the Ralph M. Hinds Pavilion in Pomona, Calif., finished with 224 horses sold for revenues of $1,944,900. That marked a 30 percent improvement compared with the 2013 auction, where 184 horses brought $1,536,100.

The average sale price rose 4 percent, from $8,348 to $8,683, while the median of $5,350 climbed 19 percent compared with $4,500 last year. The buyback rate fell to 17 percent after finishing at 23 percent in 2013.

Topping the sale was a short yearling and an unraced 2-year-old, each dropping the hammer at $70,000.

Patrick Keogh secured a yearling Midnight Lute colt out of the placed Deputy Minister mare Bellastrega. Bred in California by John Perrotta and Edward Mercaldo, the colt is a sibling to two winners from as many foals to race, and he is from the family of Grade 2 winner Chieftan’s Command and stakes winner and Saratoga turf record-setter Fiddlers Patriot.

The winning bid was made by agents Alex Solis II and Jason Litt for Keogh, and the colt was consigned by Sam Hendricks, as agent for the complete dispersal of Edward Mercaldo’s stock.

Also drawing the sale’s highest price was a 2-year-old Majestic Warrior colt, who sold to trainer Carl O’Callaghan, as agent for Super Horse. The dark bay or brown colt, bred in Florida by Carolin Von Rosenberg DVM, is out of the unraced Tale of the Cat mare Not Affiliated, who has produced three winners from four foals to race.

The colt’s family includes Grade 1-placed stakes winner Lets Be Alert. He was consigned by H & E Ranch.

The highest-priced broodmare of the sale was Chalula One, a stakes-winning Bertrando mare, who sold to Marsha J. Naify for $55,000.

Chalula One was victorious in four of 17 starts, highlighted by a win in the Bangles and Beads Stakes at Fairplex, for earnings of $235,000. She sold in foal to Tribal Rule after producing her first foal in 2013, an Unusual Heat filly.

Bred in California by Ralph Edward Todd and Aury Todd, Chalula One is out of the winning Phone Trick mare Call Mama, the dam of three other winners. She is from the family of Arlington Million winner The Tin Man. Chalula One was consigned by River Edge Farm Inc., agent.

For complete results, click here.