Opener down in Texas sale

A $130,000 filly by Orientate, a freshman sire and 2003's champion sprinter, remained the top lot as Fasig-Tipton's Texas summer yearling sale in Grand Prairie, Texas, neared the end of its second and final session Tuesday.

The auction, which featured a larger catalog this year than in 2004, saw declines at Monday's opening session. The opener sold 170 lots, up from last year's 132, for total revenue of $1,914,200. That gross edged last year's $1,849,900 aggregate, but the average and median prices both declined in 2005. The average price fell 20 percent, from $14,014 to $11,260, and the median dropped 35 percent, from $7,750 to $5,000.

The opening session took place on the same day that Hurricane Katrina devastated neighboring Louisiana, traditionally a buyer base for the Texas yearling sales.

Monday's top seller, the Orientate filly out of stakes-placed Via Dei Portici, was purchased by Terry Blanton from JEH Stallion Station, which acted as agent for James E. Helzer. The filly is a half-sister to stakes winner Blue Springs.

On Tuesday at 4:30 p.m., the second session's highest price was $50,000, paid by Leprechaun Racing, agent, for Hip No. 308, a Pure Prize filly out of the stakes-winning Private Terms mare Lovely Tasha. Legacy Bloodstock, agent, consigned the filly on behalf of Diamond G Ranch.