LEXINGTON, Ky. - The slump in bloodstock prices has contributed to a jump in liens and payment-default lawsuits as banks, service providers, and sales companies try to collect on bills that breeders and buyers are finding harder to pay.
Keeneland vice president Harvie Wilkinson estimated that the Lexington auction house in the last two years has seen a 35 to 40 percent increase in lien notifications on horses entered in its auctions.
A $150,000 Whywhywhy-Vermilion Sea filly led selling Wednesday at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company spring 2-year-old sale in Ocala, Fla., on the second consecutive day of gains at the auction.
Wednesday's third session sold 174 juveniles for $4,751,000, edging up from last year's total of $7,744,500 for 189 horses. Average price and median both increased by 9 percent to $27,305 and $18,500, respectively. But buybacks also moved up slightly, from 27 percent last season to 28 percent.
Raven's Pass, winner of the 2008 Breeders' Cup Classic, is taking a six-week hiatus from stud duty at Darley's Kildangan Stud in Ireland after undergoing colic surgery Tuesday night, according to a Darley announcement. His first foals were born this year.
* In other Darley news, Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum has pensioned Quest for Fame from stud duty in Australia, according to the Racing Post.
Dual classic winner Big Brown will make his Australian debut at Vinery with a stud fee of about $36,500 ($40,000 Australian). Earlier this year, Vinery Australia bought what it termed "a significant shareholding" in the 2008 Kentucky Derby and Preakness winner, who stands during the Northern Hemisphere season at Three Chimneys Farm in Midway, Ky.
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's spring 2-year-old sale in Ocala, Fla., reeled off more six-figure horses Wednesday at its third session, where sellers hoped the auction could continue gains from Tuesday's second session.
Wednesday's session-leader at 3:30 p.m. Eastern was Hip No. 632, a $150,000 Whywhywhy-Vermilion Sea filly that Silverton Hill purchased. Michael Yates's Shadybrook agency sold the chestnut filly, a half-sister to stakes-placed Big Lou.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - A day after its opening session posted mixed results, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company spring 2-year-old sale in Ocala, Fla., saw gains in gross, average, and median. Twenty-nine horses sold for $50,000 or more. The most expensive of those was Hip No. 508, a Pico Central-Strawberrydaiquiri filly that Harvey Clarke bought for $200,000.
Steve Shaninian, agent, signed the ticket on Clarke's behalf. The chestnut filly is out of a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Wimbledon. Eddie Woods, agent, was the consignor.
Freud, New York's leading sire for the last two years, will shuttle for the first time this year when he takes up residence in Argentina for the Southern Hemisphere breeding season.
A 12-year-old Storm Cat stallion, Freud will stand at Alberto and Renata Stein's La Leyenda in Argentina's Las Pampas area. In 2009, the farm stood Exchange Rate, Stormello, and Flag Down. Exchange Rate will stand at La Leyenda again in 2010, and The farm also will stand Offlee Wild during the Southern Hemisphere season.
A day after its opening session posted mixed results, the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company spring juvenile sale in Ocala, Fla., saw a spate of six-figure horses.
Tuesday's highest price at 3:30 p.m. was $160,000. Two horses had brought that amount by that point.
The first was Hip No. 346, a Congrats filly that Blinkers On Racing Stable bought. Ocala Stud sold the bay daughter of Roger's Sue. The filly is a half-sister to the winners Lovely Golda and Spy Park. The filly worked a quarter-mile in 20.80 seconds in last week's under-tack preview.
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company spring juvenile sale in Ocala, Fla., ended its first session Monday with a decrease in average price and an increase median.
Jo Ann and Alex Lieblong, who campaign Grade 1 winner Telling, bought Monday's session-topper. The $260,000 Pleasantly Perfect colt is out of Minister Thatcher, by Deputy Minister. Parrish Farms, agent, consigned the chestnut full brother to the winning 4-year-old Minister Perfect. He also is a half-brother to 5-year-old winner Sanlorenzo.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Carter Thornton, the 92-year-old owner of Threave Main Stud in Paris, Ky., and father of Kentucky breeders Meg Buckley and Tim Thornton, died Sunday.
Thornton and his wife, Peggy, operated Threave Main for five decades and produced such homebred stakes winners as Plumb Grey, Little Tudor, and Prim Lady, whom Thornton also trained.
Threave Main also was home to such notable stakes performers as Linkage, Dance Spell, and Under the Rug, raced by Christiana Stables. Threave Main also sold a trio of Kentucky Derby winners: Canonero II, Hoop Jr., and Galladion.