Harness: Big night for first-crop sire Downbytheseaside at Lexington Selected Yearling Sale

First-crop sire Downbytheseaside gave the closing session of the 2020 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale a major boost as five of his offspring sold for six figures, resulting in substantially higher numbers in gross and average from the last night of the sale in 2019.

HIP 836 Sea Lionness was the top seller on Friday night, going to Gregory Luther for $200,000. Consigned by Spring Haven Farm as agent, Sea Lionness is out of Lionness Hanover, making this Downbytheseaside filly a half-sister to Art Major mare Roaring To Go ($431,999) and McArdle mare Queen Of The Pride ($774,231). Luther also shelled out $100,000 to acquire HIP 721 Noa Blu, another daughter of Downbytheseaside. Consigned by Crawford Farms, Noa Blu is the second foal out of Catharsis, a Well Said half-sister to $2.9 million earner Mach It So.

The highest-priced Downbytheseaside colt was HIP 794 Bythemissal, who went to agent Josh Green for $135,000. Bythemissal, consigned by Preferred Equine, Inc. as agent, is the first foal out of the Western Terror mare Dismissal ($106,615, 1:51), and the second dam is Her Mattjesty ($391,889).

The two other Downbytheseasides to crack six figures were colts in HIP 730 Coastal Front and HIP 737 Gulf Shores. Coastal Front, consigned by Winbak Farm, went to agent Don Robinson and is out of the Western Ideal mare She's Poison, who has thrown the likes of Poisonous ($269,605) and Arsenic ($222,874), and Gulf Shores was taken by Brian Brown for $100,000. Selling from the Diamond Creek Farm (agent) consignment, Gulf Shores is out of Western Drag and is from the family of Worldly Beauty and Art Major.

For just the last night of the sale, the year-over-year gross soared to $4,943,000 for 168 sold from $2,765,000 for 129 sold in 2019 and the average hiked up to $29,423 from $23,016. Overall, the sale did achieve the second-highest gross ever at $41,552,000 for 816 yearlings sold, but was down from last year's record of $46,480,000 for 762 horses sold. The average also tumbled from $60,997 last year and $56,652 in 2018 to $50,922.

Muscle Hill led the sires list in both gross ($6,493,000 for 49 sold) and average ($132,510). On the total side, he was followed by Walner ($4,852,000 / 55 sold), Chapter Seven ($3,297,000 /39 sold), Captaintreacherous ($2,853,000 / 29 sold), and Always B Miki ($2,565,000 / 52). Coming in behind Muscle Hill in averages were Captaintreacherous ($98,379), Somebeachsomewhere ($91,400 / five sold), Walner ($88,218), and Chapter Seven ($84,538).

Trotters were the hot group at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, with 234 of them bringing a sum of $13,784,000. 213 trotting fillies fetched $10,624,000, 185 pacing colts went for $8,760,000, and 184 pacing fillies sold for $8,384,000.

Preferred Equine, Inc. topped the consignors with their 144 offerings going for a total of $8,153,000. Hunterton Sales Agency, Inc. ($6,094,000 / 108 sold), Kentuckiana Farms ($5,999,000 /96 sold), Winbak Farm ($2,589,000 / 93 sold), and Crawford Farms ($2,417,000 / 53 sold) completed the top five. Concord Stud Farm, which sold 14 yearlings on the first two days, led in average at $124,357. Blue Chip Farms, LLC. ($73,000 / 12 sold), Brittany Farms LLC. ($72,611 / 18 sold), All American Harnessbreds ($69,929 / 14 sold), and Diamond Creek Farm ($69,696 / 23 sold) rounded out the top five consignors by average.

The top buyer was agent Nancy Takter, as she purchased 14 yearlings for a total of $1,628,000. Ake Svanstedt ($1,482,000 / 12 bought), Andy Miller Stable Inc. ($1,315,000 / five bought), Burke Racing Stable LLC. ($1,163,000 / 15 bought), and Marcus Melander, agent for Courant Inc. ($995,000 / three bought) followed in that order.

On Saturday, the mixed sale portion of the event will be held, with HIPs 901-1002 offered. It will start at 7 p.m.