New York-bred sale shows gains

Fasig-Tipton's New York-bred sale of yearlings concluded its second and final session in Saratoga on Monday with gains in gross, average, and median prices over the 2003 sale.

At the two-day sale, 112 horses sold for $5,596,500, for an average of $49,969, an increase of 20 percent over the 2003 average of $41,567.

The median jumped 27 percent to $40,500 from $32,000.

Last year at the two-day sale, 127 head sold for $5,279,000.

This year's buyback rate of 38 percent for 70 unsold yearlings was on par with last year's figure of 37 percent for 74 horses who failed to meet their reserve.

The sales topper, a filly by Straight Man, went through the ring on the first evening of the sale. Trainer Linda Rice signed the sale's slip for $180,000 for the filly, who was consigned by Harry L. Landry.

The highest-priced colt at the sale was sold to Robert Harris, agent. The Tale of the Cat yearling, consigned by Tom Gallo, was bought for $175,000. The colt's dam, Holdyoursuspicions, is a full sister to Grade 1 winner Meadowlake and a half-sister to graded stakes winner Leo Castelli.

A total of 13 yearlings brought six-figure final bids at the sale.