Harness: Lexington Selected Yearling Sale ends up by 24.5% year-over-year

Capped off by a 30% increase on the final night, the 2016 Lexington Selected Yearling Sale finished up by 24.5% over the 2015 edition.

The night's top seller was HIP 597 Romantic Interest, who was purchased for $110,000 by Irwin Samelman. Part of the Preferred Equine, Inc. consignment, Romantic Interest is by Always A Virgin and is the seventh foal out of the Cambest mare My Best Girl. That makes Romantic Interest a half-brother to Ohmybelle (Ponder, $284,834) and Bob Ben And John (Sportswriter, $168,215). The dam is also a half-sister to Calypso Beat (Nihilator, $828,361).

For the five nights, 573 horses were sold for a total of $32,262,000 and an average of $56,304. In 2015, it was 642 head sold for $29,031,000 and an average of $45,220.

Muscle Hill finished as the leading sire, with 52 yearlings sold for $5.94 million. Somebeachsomewhere ($4.82 million - 39 head), Cantab Hall ($3.38 million - 50 yearlings), Credit Winner ($2.27 million - 38 yearlings) and Bettor's Delight ($1.61 million - 29 head) rounded out the top five. Somebeachsomewhere had the highest average yearling price at $123,615, followed by Muscle Hill ($114,385), Always A Virgin ($110,000 - for the final night sale topper), Kadabra ($82,091 - 11 yearlings), and Cantab Hall ($67,680).

Jimmy Takter was the sale's leading buyer, shelling out $2.09 million for 12 yearlings. Robert Lindstrom, the agent for SRF Stable (Lennart Agren), was second at $1.08 million for seven head, then it was Burke Racing Stable ($942,000 - 14 yearlings), Ake Svanstedt ($817,000 - 11 yearlings), and Martinez Equine ($800,000 for sale topper Tactical Landing).

The sale circuit will now focus on the Standardbred Horse Sale in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, with the yearling portion of that sale starting on November 7.