Tattersalls sale has strong gains

The Tattersalls December foal sale in Newmarket, England, ended its third of four days Friday with impressive gains, despite a generally cool Thoroughbred economy this fall.

Friday's session sold 161 weanlings for about $17,137,171, up 55 percent from last year's gross for 126 weanlings. The average price, approximately $106,442, jumped 21 percent, and the median, about $68,880, gained 14 percent. The buy-back rate also improved, falling from 31 percent last year to 20 percent in 2009.

The session-topper was a 400,000-guinea Galileo colt that Coolmore Stud representative Demi O'Byrne bought from Jockey Hall Stud. Coolmore stands Galileo. The session-topping price is the equivalent of about $688,800.

The bay colt is out of Group 1 winner Ask for the Moon, by Dr Fong. Eight-year-old Ask the Moon, now carrying a Holy Roman Emperor foal, has no runners yet. She will be offered at the upcoming Tattersalls December mare sale's Tuesday session.

The foal sale was to continue through Saturday. The mare auction was to run Nov. 30 to Dec. 3.