John Franks Memorial sale: Wildcat Heir filly tops Louisiana juvenile auction

While a smaller catalog affected gross figures, the average price held steady on Sunday at the John Franks Memorial 2-year-olds in training sale at Evangeline Downs in Opelousas, La.

A total of 87 horses were sold for revenues of $788,200, down 30 percent from last year’s final figure of $1,125,700 from 113 sold. The average sale price held steady, dropping only two-tenths of a percent from $9,078 to $9,060.

“We were pleased with our results,” said Charlotte Stemmans Clavier, president of the sale’s administrator, Stemmans Inc. “The bar was set pretty high after last year’s outstanding sale and despite not having any six-figure headliners we were able to match last year’s average sales price. We felt going in to the sale that this year’s catalog featured many attractive athletes who we graded in the mid-level range and that indeed proved to be the case as no less than 15 of the 87 horses that went thru the sales ring sold for $15,000 or more.”

The top price of the sale came from a Wildcat Heir filly named Sweet Alice Benbow, who brought $43,000 from buyer Lee Young. Consigned by Boutte Sales, agent, the filly is out of the placed Twining mare Sweet Twiney Winey, who is a producer of three winners from as many to race, including stakes-placed winners Market Vendor and Winey Taylor.

Bred in Louisiana, the filly is from the family of Italian Group 2 winner Secret Thing and stakes winners Nothing Sweeter and Something. Sweet Alice Benbow was a $7,500 purchase by Chris and Lynne Boutte at the 2012 Equine Sales of Louisiana September yearling sale, and her sale price on Sunday made her the most expensive foal out of her dam.

The top male of the auction was a $42,000 gelding from the first crop of Louisiana stallion Forefathers, who went to trainer Allen Landry as agent for Rodney Verrett.

The gelding, named Forerun, is the third foal out of the stakes-winning Rubiano mare Daisy for Rubiano. His notable family members include Italian Group 3-placed stakes winner Vattene and stakes winners Hempt’s Lark, Unconscious Doll, and Prince Graustark. He was a $10,000 pinhook for consignors Lee Lange and Hebert Quarter Horses out of the Equine Sales of Louisiana September yearling sale, and is also his dam’s top-priced foal.

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