Median price up at Fasig-Tipton

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Five $100,000-plus horses lightened the mood Tuesday at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's October yearling sale. The Tuesday session, the second of three days' selling, produced a 25-percent increase in median even as gross and average fell.

Tuesday's session sold 188 yearlings for $2,760,100, down 12 percent from last year's gross for 205 yearlings. The average price slipped slightly, falling 4 percent to $14,681. But median rose by 25 percent to $7,500, up from $6,000 at the equivalent session last season. Among horses who went through the ring, buy-backs improved, falling from last year's figure of 31 percent to 23 percent on Tuesday.

The session-topper was Hip No. 556, a $150,000 Tapit colt that Glen Hill Farm purchased from Equus Farm (Jerry Cummins and Paul Adams), agent. The gray or roan colt is out of Frans Lass, by Shanekite, making him a half-brother to stakes-placed French Lass.

Glen Hill Farm accounted for three of the five purchases for $100,000 or more, including the session topper. The farm also bought Hip No. 570, a $135,000 Indian Charlie-Girl in Velvet filly that Peter and Gina Kirwan's Glenmalure agency consigned and Hip No. 382, a $100,000 Kitten's Joy-Cardinalli colt that Ramsey Farm, agent, consigned.

The sale was to continue through Wednesday.