Increases across the board at Tattersalls session

There were gains across the board Tuesday at the Tattersalls December mare sale in Newmarket, England, where Diary, dam of European champion sprinter Total Gallery and carrying a Galileo foal, brought more than $2 million.

A buoyant second session lifted the sale to an improved performance over last year's equivalent day. Tuesday's session sold 163 horses for about $31,755,880, an average of about $194,821, and an $84,425 median. Compared year-to-year in the auction currency of guineas, those figures were up 26 percent in gross, 23 percent in average, and 59 percent in median.

The session-topping (and sale-leading) price in the local auction currency was 1.3 million guineas, or about $2,143,050.

Pearl Bloodstock, a Qatari group led by Sheikh Fahad al-Thani, bought Diary, by Green Desert, in its latest purchase to generate headlines this year. The same syndicate privately purchased Total Gallery in October and also stands Group 1 winner Makfi, another private purchase this year, at Tweenhills Stud. The Castlebridge Consignment sold Diary, who also is the dam of Group 1-placed Lady Darshaan.

Lady Darshaan, a 3-year-old by High Chaparral, also sold Tuesday to Newsells Stud and John Warren Bloodstock for 600,000 guineas, about $989,100.

Diary's 2010 colt by Tamayuz topped the final day of the Tattersalls December sale on November 27 when Blandford Bloodstock paid Coleman Stud 200,000 guineas, about $329,700, for him.

One other mare brought seven figures. That was First, whose 1.1 million-guinea price was equivalent to $1,823,350. Agent Charlie Gordon-Watson bought her from the Bloomsbury Stud dispersal. The 12-year-old Highest Honor mare is dam of Law Lord and Perfect Stride. Her 2010 Singspiel colt topped the December foal sale at $527,520 from buyer Coolmore.

American celebrity chef Bobby Flay went to 700,000 guineas, about $1,153,950, for the 3-year-old Storm Cat filly Countess Lemonade. Stakes-placed in France, she will now run in the United States, said Flay's agent, James Delahooke.

The December mare sale was to continue in Newmarket through Dec. 2.