Juvenile sells for $85k, topping a positive CTBA mixed sale

Led by a cleverly named 2-year-old colt who sold for $85,000, Tuesday’s California winter mixed sale at Fairplex in Pomona had higher prices compared to the last two winter auctions.

Overall, the one-day sale saw 113 horses sell for $1,298,407, an average of $11,490 and a median of $5,200, according to results published by the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association, which conducted the sale.

By comparison, 73 horses sold for $575,100 in 2021, an average of $7,878 and a median of $3,200. The 2020 sale saw 121 horses sell for $885,400, or an average of $7,317.

Tuesday, there were 34 horses listed as bought back and 16 withdrawn. This year’s sale had a slightly larger catalog than the 2021 auction.

The most expensive hip at Tuesday’s sale was Le Vron James, a juvenile colt by the late stallion Vronsky purchased for $85,000 by the partnership of Dare to Dream Stables, Don Calabria, and John Crawford from the consignment of Checkmate Thoroughbreds. Le Vron James was bred by Harris Farms and Don Valpredo.

Le Vron James is out of Arousing, a 20-year-old mare by Cee’s Tizzy. Her most successful foal to date is Beam of Light, a 5-year-old mare who has won 2 of 11 starts including an allowance race at Presque Isle Downs in Pennsylvania last August.

Arousing is out of Soviet Problem, the brilliant sprint mare from the 1990s who won 15 races and earned $905,546.

This was the second time through an auction for Le Vron James, who was sold for $32,000 to Jeff Ganje last August at the Northern California Yearling Sale in Pleasanton.

Tuesday, four 2-year-olds sold for $50,000 or more, including a colt by Jimmy Creed purchased for $75,000 by John Parker from McCarthy Bloodstock, agent.

This was the fourth year the CTBA held a winter mixed sale, replacing previous wintertime sales held by Barretts Sales, which is no longer in operation.