F-T sale sees higher prices, buy-backs near 50%

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Fasig-Tiptons New York-bred preferred yearling auction ended Sunday night in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., with an improvement on its opening-night buy-back rate and a gain in overall average and median prices. But buy-backs also were up from last year's figure, rising from 41 percent to 47 percent for the two-night sale.

A $165,000 Chapel Royal colt led Sundays second session. James J. Barry was the buyer from Paramount Sales, agent. The colt is out of the El Gran Senor mare Devoted and is a half-brother to the stakes-placed filly Clarksburg Queen.

At Saturdays opener, the auction rang up a 19 percent increase in average and a 41 percent jump in median, but buy-backs soared to 53 percent. After Sunday nights session, the auction had sold 100 yearlings for $5,439,000, down 7 percent from last years total for 113 yearlings. But the two-day average price remained in the plus column at $54,390, up 5 percent from last year. So did median price, which finished at $45,000, up 18 percent from last years number.

Buy-backs also climbed significantly but improved over the opening-night figure.

The sale topper, sold on Saturday night, was a $250,000 Exchange Rate-Star One One colt that West Point Thoroughbreds bought from McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds. The colt is a half-brother to stakes winner North Beach Condo.