The Tattersalls autumn horses in training sale in Newmarket, England, ended Thursday with declines in gross receipts and average price but posted an increase in median price.
The four-day sale sold 903 horses for a gross of about $30,062,331, which was down 11 percent from last season's auction. The average price, about $33,291, fell 8 percent. But the median climbed 13 percent to about $15,498, and the buy-back rate improved from last year's from 21 percent to 15 percent.
The estate of the late Allaire du Pont will disperse her remaining Bohemia Stable mares and weanlings, starting at Keeneland's November breeding stock sale, according to Mark Reid of Walnut Green, which will handle the consignment.
The estate will offer a total of 13 mares and weanlings, led by Bohemia's homebred Grade 1 winner and millionaire, Shine Again. A 12-year-old Wild Again mare, Shine Again is in foal this year to Bernardini. She won the 2001 and 2002 Ballerina Handicaps and placed in 16 other graded stakes.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The last decade's sharply rising stallion prices came to an abrupt halt last year. With yearling prices in a slump, it's much harder to sell colts' breeding rights, let alone for the tens of millions per horse that had become common in the last five years or so.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum's Darley organization has announced it will lower or keep unchanged the fees on 37 of its 40 stallions for the upcoming 2010 breeding season.
One who will get a fee raise is Medaglia d'Oro, who goes from $60,000 to $100,000 for 2010. Darley purchased Medaglia d'Oro from Stonewall Stallions earlier this year, and 2010 will be his first full season at Darley.
Medaglia d'Oro has had an outstanding year in 2009, led by the brilliant performances of his daughter Rachel Alexandra.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's October yearling sale ended a three-day run Wednesday night with increases across the board, despite the severe downturn many other Thoroughbred markets have seen this season.
The auction sold 566 yearlings for $7,895,400, up 6 percent from last year's three-day gross for 553 horses. The average price also increased, rising 3 percent, from $13,512 in 2008 to $13,949. The median gained even more, increasing by 9 percent from $5,500 to $6,000.
The Tattersalls autumn horses in training auction in Newmarket, England, continued to enjoy increases in median at Wednesday's third session.
The median rose for the second consecutive day, climbing Wednesday by 45 percent.
The session ended with 240 horses sold for about $10,914,724, resulting in an average price of about $45,478 and an approximate median of $22,647. Gross receipts fell 10 percent from last year's third-session gross for 254 horses, and the average price fell by 5 percent.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Five $100,000-plus horses lightened the mood Tuesday at Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's October yearling sale. The Tuesday session, the second of three days' selling, produced a 25-percent increase in median even as gross and average fell.
Royal Diamond, a gelded son of King's Best currently on a four-race win streak, topped the Tuesday session at the Tattersalls autumn horses in training auction in Newmarket, England.
Trained by Mark Prescott, who consigned him at Tattersalls, the gelding brought approximately $688,800 from trainer Michael Dods, bidding for Andrew Tinkler. The 3-year-old gelding has won 4 of 9 starts, including a 10-length victory in his most recent start on Oct. 10.
Visionaire, winner of the 2008 King's Bishop Stakes, will enter stud next year at Crestwood Farm in Lexington, Ky. A 4-year-old Grand Slam colt, he will have a $7,500 fee and will remain the property of Team Valor and Vision Racing.
Visionaire, who retired in May because of a knee chip, won 5 of his 12 starts, earning $465,882. He is out of the stakes-placed French Deputy mare Scarlet Tango.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's October yearling sale put up mixed results Monday at its first of three session.
The opening session sold 173 yearlings for total receipts of $1,933,500, resulting in an average price of $11,176 and a $6,000 median. The gross and average fell 11 percent and 6 percent, respectively, but the median climbed 20 percent, from $5,000 to $6,000. Last year's opening day sold 182 horses for $2,173,100 for an average of $11,940 and a median of $5,000. The buy-back rate also improved from 38 percent last season to 34 percent.