Washington sale holds steady

The Washington Thoroughbred Breeders and Owners Association summer yearling and mixed sale saw a steady renewal Tuesday, led by a $78,000 Harbor the Gold colt.

The auction, hosted at the Morris J. Alhadeff Sales Pavilion at Emerald Downs, sold 89 horses for $1,419,600, down 2 percent from last year’s sale, where 84 horses brought $1,441,900.

The average sale price among all sessions fell 7 percent from $17,165 to $15,951, while the median for the yearling portion, which made up the vast majority of the catalog, was up 55 percent from $10,000 to $15,500.

The buyback rate finished at 29 percent, up from last year’s figure of 23 percent.

Jody Peetz bought the sale-topper, a $78,000 Harbor the Gold colt out of the winning Majesterian mare Dark Diva.

The dark bay or brown colt is a sibling to two winners from as many runners out of the dam and comes from the family of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Mr. Makah and stakes winners Highland Games, Colony Lane, and Larron.

The colt was bred in Washington by Ron Crockett Inc. and Carnation Racing Stables and was consigned at the Washington sale by Griffin Place as agent.