Hot start for Midlantic sale

Fasig-Tipton Midlantic's two-day December mixed auction in Timonium, Md., got off to a rousing start Sunday with increases across the board.

Sunday's opening session grossed $1,092,300 for 165 horses. That was up 33 percent from last year's first-day total when 188 sold. The average price jumped 51 percent, from $4,378 last year to $6,620. Median rose 32 percent to $3,500.

The second and final session on Monday had produced a $150,000 sale-leader by 5 p.m. The Castleton Group, headed by Lexington's Castleton Lyons Farm, paid that for a weanling Malibu Moon filly out of Perfectly. Litz Bloodstock Services, agent, sold the filly - a full sister to Grade 2 winner Perfect Moon - on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Hugh O'Donovan.

The filly's sire undoubtedly added to the appeal for Castleton; Malibu Moon was moved from Maryland to Castleton for the 2004 season.

At the Sunday session, a trio of $52,000 lots led the day's selling. A 3-year-old Indian Charlie filly named Jazz Lady was the first to bring that price. Sold by the Walnut Green agency, the filly is a stakes-winning half-sister to multiple stakes winner Bruanna. Josham Farms, agent, bought Jazz Lady, who sold as a broodmare prospect.

Tony Everard, agent, bought the next $52,000 lot, the 3-year-old Broad Brush mare Picasso's Girl, in foal to Malibu Moon. Bill Reightler, agent, sold Picasso's Girl, who is a daughter of the Grade 3 winner True Affair.

The third to go for that price was the 11-year-old Known Fact mare Hooked, whom Marshall Silverman, agent, sold to Robert H. Harris. Hooked is a winning half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner winner Lemhi Go, among other black-type performers. She sold in foal to Broken Vow.