Tribal Rule yearlings headline solid Washington sale

The Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association summer yearling and mixed sale concluded on Tuesday with increased sales figures and a lower buyback rate in its flagship yearling portion.

According to figures released by WTBOA, the one-day sale moved 81 horses during the yearling portion for revenues of $1,297,000, marking a 7 percent improvement compared with the 2013 edition, when 78 horses brought $1,212,600. The average sale price rose 3 percent, from $15,546 to $16,012, while the median spiked 11 percent, rising from $9,500 to $10,500.

The yearling buyback rate of 18 percent bettered year’s rate, when 23 percent of the yearlings offered did not meet their reserves.

Yearlings by the late California sire Tribal Rule brought the three highest prices on Tuesday. The sale-topper was a Tribal Rule filly out of the stakes-placed Slewdledo mare Bella Campana, purchased by trainer Mark Glatt for $57,000.

The filly, bred in Washington by Mary Lou and Terry Griffin and consigned by their Griffin Place operation, is a relative to Grade 1 winners Rings a Chime and Country Star.

Todd and Shawn Hansen went to $52,000 to purchase the sale’s second-highest priced yearling, another Tribal Rule filly.

Named Nine Point Nine, the bay filly is out of the winning Cahill Road mare Cielo Dulce, who has also produced stakes winner Sweet Saga. Bred in California by Stormy Hull and Ginger Samples, Nine Point Nine is from the family of Grade 1 winner and young stallion Graydar, Grade 1 winner Ron the Greek, Group 1 winner Mujahid, and Grade 2 winner Musket Man.

Nine Point Nine was consigned by Hull and Samples’ Critter Creek Farm.

During the mixed portion of the sale, a total of 28 horses brought revenues of $25,300, nearly doubling the number of horses sold in any edition of the mixed session since 2011. However, the gross marked a 39 percent decrease from last year’s final total of $41,200.

The average sale price took an 85 percent dive, from $5,886 to $904, while the median remained steady at $500.

While gross and average sales were down by a considerable margin during the mixed portion, it is worth noting that last year’s returns were an anomaly over the last four years, with an average price just a few hundred dollars higher during the 2011 and 2012 sales instead of a few thousand last year.

The mixed session was led by the broodmare Jenjor, a winning Yes It’s True mare who sold along with her weanling colt by Atta Boy Roy to Greg Tracy for $6,500.

Jenjor sold in foal to Washington stallion Nationhood. The mare won 2 of 16 starts during her racing career for $25,523. She was bred in California by Betty and Larry Mabee and was consigned by Blue Ribbon Farm, as agent for Patricia Murphy.

For preliminary results from WTBOA, click here.