French breeding stock sale showing gains

Aided by a $1 million sale-leader, France’s Arqana breeding stock sale continued a strong run for quality European mares started earlier this month at the Tattersalls December sale in Newmarket, England.

Gross receipts and the average price were both up through Monday’s third of four sessions, and the median was holding steady with last year’s figure at 14,000 euros, about $18,620. The three sessions had sold 498 horses for a combined $20,877,010, a 19 percent increase over last year’s aggregate for 508 horses. The average price of $41,922 was up 20 percent from the 2009 figure at the same point.

A number of the same bidders who had contributed to a bullish mare market at Tattersalls crossed the English Channel for the sale site of Deauville, France, most notably Tetsuya and Katsumi Yoshida. Tetsuya Yoshida, representing Shadai Farm, bought the sale-leader for 800,000 euros Saturday. That was Group 3 winner, and Group 1-placed, Celimene. Trainer Carlos Lerner consigned the 4-year-old Dr. Fong filly.

Katsmui Yoshida nearly equaled that price by paying the auction’s second-highest price of 750,000 euros, about $997,500, for Lune d’Or. A 9-year-old Green Tune mare, she is a Group 1 winner and was offered in foal to Galileo.

Monday’s next-to-last session also saw gains across the board. Two mares brought the session-topping price of $55,860. The Aga Khan Studs’ 6-year-old broodmare Vezara. David Smaga was the buyer. A Grand Lodge-Vereva winner, she was cataloged in foal to the Linamix horse Slickly. Several hours later, the stakes-placed 5-year-old Salontanzerin also brought that bid from Driss Tarik. Salontanzerin is a Black Sam Bellamy full sister to a Group winner, Saphir, and she came to the sale straight from the racetrack.

The sale was to continue through Tuesday.