Barretts moves horses of racing age paddock sale to October

Barretts has moved its paddock sale of horses of racing age at Del Mar, scheduled for July 25, to run with its yearling sale at Fairplex Park in Pomona, Calif., on Oct. 16, the sale company announced Thursday.

Kim Lloyd, Barretts general manager, said the decision was based on cost. He said the July 25 event had 39 entries as of Thursday. The paddock sale was launched in 2012.

Barretts has two more sales this year, including a select yearling sale Aug. 28 at Del Mar.

In 2017, the paddock sale sold 13 horses for $686,000, an average of $52,769 and a median of $33,000. There were nine horses listed as not sold and 20 withdrawn. A 2-year-old colt by Animal Kingdom was the most expensive horse, selling for $180,000.

In 2016, the paddock sale sold eight horses for $302,000, an average of $37,750 and a median of $22,500.

The sale set records in 2014 when 19 horses were sold for $2,147,000, an average of $113,000. Heir Kitty, winner of the Grade 1 La Brea Stakes for 3-year-old fillies at Santa Anita in 2013, led that sale. She was sold for $750,000 and exported to Japan as a broodmare prospect.