Iowa fall sale sees healthy returns

The 2017 Iowa Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association fall mixed sale closed Sunday with strong gains in both gross and average sale price, topped by a $55,000 Birdstone colt.

The auction, which took place on the Iowa State Fairgrounds in Des Moines, Iowa, moved 52 horses for revenues of $485,000, up 49 percent from last year’s gross of $326,100 from 50 horses sold. Sunday’s average sale price also rose 49 percent to $9,700 from $6,522, while the buyback rate closed at 16 percent compared with 23 percent in 2016.

Eight horses sold for $20,000 or more on Sunday, improving on the three to do so last year. The number of horses sold for $10,000 or more grew to 17 from 14.

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Larry Cascio bought sale-topper Zap Me If You Can, a yearling Birdstone colt, for $55,000.

The bay colt is the second foal out of the winning Ghostzapper mare Lady Ban Shee, whose first foal is unplaced in two starts. He is from the family of South African champion Icona and Grade 2 winner Oprah Winney.

Zap Me If You Can was bred in Iowa and consigned at the auction by Iowa State University. He is the most expensive foal out of Lady Ban Shee to sell at public auction, surpassing the Kela filly Kela’n It, who brought $25,000 at last year’s Iowa sale.

Iowa State University was the day’s leading consignor by gross, with 12 horses bringing $163,500. Cascio was the day’s leading buyer based on the lone purchase of the sale-topper.

To view the full results from Sunday’s auction, click here.