After seeing increases in gross and average at its breeding stock sale earlier this week, Arqana posted losses across the board Wednesday at its December yearling auction in France.

The one-day auction sold 160 yearlings for about $1,320,000, resulting in an average price of $8,250 and a $5,280 median. Compared year to year in the auction currency of euros, the aggregate was down 20 percent, average fell 15 percent, and median was off by 11 percent. The buyback rate increased from last year’s 34 percent to 40 percent.

Daily Racing Form's Glenye Cain Oakford was at a chilly Keeneland Racecourse in Lexington, Ky., on Monday night as Zenyatta arrived from California. She paraded for her fans before heading to Lane's End Farm to begin her breeding career. Owners Ann and Jerry Moss, trainer John Shirreffs, groom Mario Espinoza, and jockey Mike Smith were all on hand.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Fasig-Tipton Midlantic’s December mixed sale posted significant gains in gross and average Monday night, aided by a $130,000 sale-topper in the 3-year-old stakes winner Baltimore Belle.

The Timonium, Md., auction median stayed level at $2,000 on a day that also saw a 43-percent buyback rate. The session sold 158 horses for $968,100, up 25 percent from last year’s total for 169 horses. The 2010 average price of $6,127 was 33 percent higher than last year’s $4,593. BUt 120 horses failed to reach their reserves.

The 4-year-old stakes-winner Holly’s Way brought $35,000 to lead early selling Monday at the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic mixed sale in Timonium, Md.

Cataloged as a racing or broodmare prospect, Holly’s Way sold to James Miller. Beau Lane and Richard Beattie consigned the Pennsylvania-bred Seattle Fitz filly, who is out of the placed Dance Brightly mare Cream Rises. Holly’s Way won last season’s $100,000 Malvern Rose Stakes at Presque Isle Downs to earn her black type credentials. That brought her career earnings to $195,243 from 5 wins and 4 seconds in 15 lifetime starts so far.

Aided by a $1 million sale-leader, France’s Arqana breeding stock sale continued a strong run for quality European mares started earlier this month at the Tattersalls December sale in Newmarket, England.

The New York Thoroughbred Breeders has elected five members to its 11-member board of directors.

The farm owners filling the five positions are Lois Engel of Pucker Ridge Farm in Warrensburg, Thomas Gallo III of Blue Stone Farm in Cambridge, Vivien Malloy of Edition Farm in Waccabu, John McMahon of Old Saratoga Thoroughbreds near Saratoga Springs, and Dr. Chris Purdy of Ivy League Farm in Ithaca. They will serve from Jan. 1, 2011, through Dec. 31, 2012.

Kantharos, who won all three of his starts this year at 2 by a combined margin of 28 1/2 lengths, will start his stud career at Vinery's Florida division. He will stand for $5,000.

The juvenile Lion Heart colt, raced by Stone Street Stables, retired in August with fractured sesamoids in his left foreleg. He injured himself galloping out after a five-furlong workout 15 days after he won the Grade 2 Saratoga Special Stakes by 7 1/4 lengths.

Kantharos also won the Grade 3 Bashford Manor by 9 1/2 two months after taking his debut at Churchill by 11 3/4.

INGLEWOOD, Calif. – Cee’s Tizzy, a former leading sire in California and the sire of two-time Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Tiznow, has been pensioned, Harris Farms manager Dave McGlothlin said on Thursday.

“His fertility had been decreasing in the last two years,” McGlothlin said. “He was bred to four mares this year. He looks good and feels like a million dollars. He was willing to make the trips to the breeding shed, but he was not getting the mares in foal.”

Cee’s Tizzy is 23.

William O’Neill, owner of Circle O Farm in Kentucky with his wife, Arlene, died Thursday at his home in Paris, Ky. O’Neill, a former Kentucky Thoroughbred Farm Manager of the Year, was 85.

Ramsey Farm in Nicholasville, Ky., will reduce its stud fee for champion Kitten’s Joy sharply in 2011. A 9-year-old El Prado horse, he will stand for $25,000, down from his 2010 fee of $40,000.

Kitten’s Joy, 2004’s champion turf male, is a top 10 second-crop sire. His leading earner is 2010 Grade 2 winner Dean’s Kitten, and his other stakes performers this year include graded-placed William’s Kitten, Cozy Kitten, and Holiday for Kitten.