LEXINGTON, Ky. - Topped by a $160,000 yearling Maria's Mon colt at its opening session, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's winter mixed sale concluded Tuesday with mixed results.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Big Spruce, Grade 1 winner and sire of 42 stakes-winners, was euthanized on Dec. 28, 2001, in Lexington because of the infirmities of old age, Graham Beck's Gainesway Farm announced Monday.

The 32-year-old horse had been pensioned from stud duty at Gainesway since 1997.

Big Spruce won three Grade 1 races - the Marlboro Cup, in which he defeated three-time Horse of the Year Forego; the San Luis Rey; and the Governor's Stakes - and earned $673,117 during his racing career.

LAS VEGAS - Mr. Prospector died in 1999 at age 29, and while most stallions are retired from stud long before that age, Mr. Prospector was still going. His last crop of foals, born in 2000, race this year.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Stephen and Tomisue Hilbert will sell Grade 1-winning millionaire Stephen Got Even and 24 other horses at the Fasig-Tipton winter mixed sale on Feb. 11, Lane's End announced Monday.

The Hilberts boarded many of their mares at Lane's End, which will be the consigning agent at the auction in Lexington. Stephen Got Even, a 6-year-old A. P. Indy horse and winner of the 2000 Donn Handicap with a Beyer Speed Figure of 120, had been advertised to stand at Lane's End for $20,000. His first foals will be born this year.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company will restrict the use of three medications, including clenbuterol, at its juvenile auctions. Following that announcement Friday, Fasig-Tipton - which opens its juvenile season at Calder on Feb. 26 - announced that it, too, would restrict use of clenbuterol at auction.

Beginning this year, OBS and Fasig-Tipton will not allow the bronchial dilator clenbuterol, which some believe can enhance racing performance, to be used in 2-year-olds at auction within 72 hours before each auction's under-tack shows.

Florida's Thoroughbred industry will be testing the economic trend in the post-Sept.11 era during the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company annual winter mixed sale on Monday and Tuesday.

Last year, the sale went four days and 1,160 lots were cataloged. This year, 720 lots are listed to sell, and the sale has been cut back accordingly to two days.

Philadelphia Park-based trainers Walter and Cynthia Reese took advantage of breeding incentive programs in two states when they sent out their homebred 2-year-old gelding Pal's Partner to win and place in stakes in Maryland and Pennsylvania in 2001.

Although their mares reside at the Reeses' Timber Creek Farm, 63 acres of prime New Jersey real estate in Robbinsville, just 35 miles northeast of their home track, the Reeses have found many riches within a short distance of their tranquil farm.

McMahon of Saratoga Thoroughbreds will bring an 11-horse consignment to Ocala, Fla., for Monday and Tuesday's Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's winter mixed sale.

Five New York-bred yearlings are part of the consignment, including four by Victory Gallop - two colts and two fillies. McMahon has also consigned a Personal Flag filly to the sale.

Farm owner Joe McMahon said he was encouraged by the response to New York-breds in December at Fasig-Tipton's mixed sale at Timonium in Maryland, and hopes the interest has carried over to 2002.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Phaenna earned another year at the racetrack with her win in the Survive Stakes at Santa Anita earlier this month.

After her owners, Curt and Lila Lanning, seriously considered retiring the multiple stakes winner last year, she stayed in training with Ed Moger and ran so well in the Survive Stakes that plans are in place for a 2002 campaign.

"As long as she wants to run, we'd like to her to run," Lila Lanning said.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Keeneland January sale ended Thursday on a strong note, as the low buyback rate of 18 percent, much better than last year's 28 percent, revealed a key positive point: the market was surprisingly strong for the stock on offer.

Topped by the $3.6 million mare Desert Stormer, whom Live Oak Stud bought from Joanne Nor, the auction sold 936 lots for $34,688,000, down 13 percent from 2001, when a six-day sale of 1,207 lots brought a total of $39,657,700. Average price rose 13 percent to $37,060, and median jumped 21 percent to $12,750.