Fasig-Tipton opening day down

A Chief Seattle filly fetched $270,000 Tuesday at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sales second session, becoming the auctions most expensive horse as of 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

Buzz Chace, agent, bought the filly from Paul Suttons Oakleigh Farm agency. The filly is out of the stakes-winning De Niro mare Kwik as a Wink.

The sale entered its second of three days off opening-day losses Monday. Despite a larger catalog, the opener saw declines of 8 percent and 18 percent, respectively, in gross receipts and average price. The session sold 216 yearlings for $3,017,800, down from last years $3,267,700 total for 192 lots. The average Monday was $13,971, a decline from 2005s figure of $17,019, and the median fell 20 percent, from $8,750 to $7,000.

Mondays buy-back rate was 31 percent, down from 32 percent last year.