Fasig-Tipton buy-backs steady

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's October yearling sale, which offered a substantially smaller catalog this year, maintained a low buy-back rate despite financial declines.

The two-day sale, which faced competition for the first time this year from Keeneland's new October yearling auction Oct. 15-16, offered 220 fewer horses. The two-day auction ending Tuesday at Fasig-Tipton's New Town Paddocks facility sold 323 lots for total receipts of $4,144,800. The average price declined 5 percent, dipping from $13,483 to $12,832, but the median rose slightly from $6,200 to $6,500. The buy-back rate was a moderate 23 percent, up one percent from last year but significantly lower than the mid- to high-30 percent range at many other regional markets this year.

Progeny by the recently deceased champion Unbridled, who was euthanized last week after a bout with severe colic, dominated the two sessions. The sale-topper, sold on the first afternoon, was a $360,000 Unbridled colt out of Debit My Account, a stakes-winning daughter of Classic Account. Trainer Niall O'Callaghan, agent, bought the colt from the consignment of Viking Stud (Rick Littrell), agent.

Tuesday's session-topper, and the auction's highest-priced filly, was a daughter of Unbridled and the stakes-winning Blushing John mare Miss Nance. Three Chim-neys, agent, consigned the filly, and Buzz Chace, agent, signed the ticket.