Fasig-Tipton average down 20%

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Recent winner Foreverness brought $120,000 on Tuesday to top Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's sale of 2-year-olds and horses of racing age in Timonium, Md.

John J. Brunetti bought Foreverness, a 3-year-old Island Whirl colt out of the Affirmed mare Dearness. Eisaman Equine consigned New York-bred Foreverness on behalf of owner and breeder Harbor View Farm.

Foreverness has made three starts to date for trainer Carlos Martin, winning in his most recent race, a June 30 maiden special weight at Belmont Park. The colt has a record of 3-1-0-0 and earnings of $27,660.

Overall, the single-session auction saw declines across the board. One hundred and eight lots sold this year for a total of $1,610,600, down 5 percent from last year's sale, when 91 horses sold for gross receipts of $1,701,500. The average price slipped 20 percent this year to $14,913, and the median also fell 20 percent, to $8,000. The buy-back rate - the percentage of horses who failed to reach the reserve prices set by their sellers - climbed sharply to 28 percent, up from last year's 18 percent.