Equine Sales Co. of Louisiana auction drops off from last year's big numbers

The fifth edition of the Equine Sales Co. of Louisiana 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age sale saw its gross and average returns take a step backward on Monday, topped by a $77,000 Midnight Lute filly.

The auction, held in Opelousas, La., finished with 42 horses – 40 juveniles and 2 racing-age offerings – sold for revenues of $733,400, down 12 percent from last year’s sale, when 41 horses brought $832,300. Monday’s average for the 40 2-year-olds declined 11 percent, to $18,168 from $20,308, while the median for the juveniles went unchanged at $12,000.

The two horses of racing age sold on Monday for a combined $6,700.

The overall buyback rate finished at 31 percent compared with 32 percent last year.

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“Last year’s 2-year-old sale was our best ever, and we knew it would be hard to match those results, but I’m pleased that we came pretty close,” said sales director Foster Bridewell.

After achieving a record price last year when a Flat Out filly brought $110,000, no horses exceeded the six-figure threshold on Monday. Three horses sold for $50,000 or more, tying the previous sale, while the number of transactions at $25,000 or more fell to 11 from 12.

Carl Moore bought the sale-topping Midnight Lute filly, named Nite Jean.

The gray or roan filly is out of the winning Macho Uno mare St. Jean, whose first foal to race is a winner. Bred in Louisiana by J. Adcock and Hume Wornall, Nite Jean is from the family of Grade 1 winner Palace, Grade 2 winner French Park, and Grade 3 winner Genre.

Nite Jean breezed an eighth of a mile in 10 1/5 seconds during the pre-sale under-tack show at the Copper Crowne Training Center, adjacent to the sale grounds.

Pike Racing consigned the filly, as agent. She was offered at last year’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale, but she finished under her reserve with a final bid of $19,000.

Monday’s transaction made Nite Jean the most expensive foal out of St. Jean to sell at public auction, surpassing the Paddy O’Prado filly Paddy Jean, who brought $25,000 at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic 2-year-olds in training sale.