Gold Tribute colt brings $65,000 at Louisiana sale

A colt by Gold Tribute topped the Equine Sales Co. auction of 2-year-olds in training and horses of racing age in Opelousas, La., on Monday, bringing $65,000 from Jerome Namy. The Louisiana-bred 2-year-old named Cale’s Gold helped lift the auction to gains over the corresponding sale in 2014.

The Equine Sales Co. reported 54 horses sold for $720,700, an increase of 8 percent in gross receipts over last year’s inaugural auction, where 50 horses sold for $668,500. There were 75 horses through the ring this year and 73 in 2014. The buyback rate decreased to 28 percent from 32 percent in 2014. The average, including horses of racing age, was $13,346, which was on par with last year’s $13,370.

The sales-topping 2-year-old was consigned by Boutte Sales as agent. Cale's Gold is out of the winning Lion Heart mare Estella Ella.

The second-highest seller was an unnamed Ready’s Image filly who brought $57,000 from JRita Young Thoroughbreds. She topped the breeze show Sunday, covering one furlong in 10 seconds. Pike Racing consigned the filly, who is out of the multiple stakes-winning mare The Beter Man Can.

The Equine Sales Co. had to move its breeze show from Saturday to Sunday.

“We appreciate the patience of all the consignors and buyers after Mother Nature forced the breeze show to be held on Sunday,” sales director Foster Bridewell said in a release. “We are pleased to show an increase in gross receipts for the second edition of this sale, and we look forward to our yearling sale later this year.”

The Equine Sales Co. consignor-select yearling sale is Sept. 2.