California yearling sales start in Pleasanton

Tuesday’s Northern California yearling sale at Pleasanton, Calif., is the first yearling sale of the year in California, and follows a 2009 sale that showed growth for consignors.

Last year, 110 horses sold for a gross of $566,000, an increase of 12 percent over 2008. The sale averaged $5,145, an increase of 8 percent. The 2009 average was lower than the record of $8,192 set in 2006, but reversed two years of decline.

Tuesday’s sale features 155 horses, nearly all of whom are California-breds. The sale begins at noon at the Alameda County Fairgrounds. The one-day sale features sizeable consignments from Harris Farms, Sam Hendricks, Oak Hill Farm, River Edge Farm, Colleen Turpin-Boyce, and Woodbridge Farm.

Last year, the sale-topper was a Benchmark colt sold for $32,000. Later named Lucky Mr. K, he won a maiden special weight race at Hollywood Park earlier this summer and was eighth in the Graduation Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 4 after a wide trip. At the 2009 sale, three other horses sold for $25,000 or more.

Inspection of the yearlings for Tuesday’s sale is scheduled for Sunday and Monday from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and again on the morning of the sale. The sale features the first crops of Don’tsellmeshort, Istan, Jet West, and Under Caution, and second crops of Lucky Pulpit, Pomeroy, and Uncle Denny.

Don’tsellmeshort was the champion 2-year-old colt in California in 2003, and has four colts and five fillies in the sale.

The California Cup Yearling Sale at Barretts in Pomona, Calif., will be Oct. 12-13.