LAS VEGAS - Bianconi was destined to be a good sire. For a son of Danzig, whose international influence was established long ago by his many sons who became superior stallions (Danehill, Green Desert, Polish Precedent, Chief's Crown, Anabaa, etc.), Bianconi went to stud with little fanfare in this country, standing for only $7,500 because he only won one race in England, a Group 2 stakes, as a 3-year-old. But his two victories in Ireland and a second in the Phoenix Sprint Stakes was enough for him to be named a champion at 3 in Ireland.

A Florida-bred colt by Snuck In was the highest-priced yearling to sell as of 5 p.m. Eastern on Wednesday at the second open session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company August yearling sale.

The colt, out of the Deputy Minister mare Full Approval, sold for $70,000 to W.D. North, agent. The colt was consigned by Cookson Thoroughbreds, agent.

The Wednesday session was the second of the sale's three open sessions.

Ipi Tombe, a South African champion and North American graded winner, will sell at the Tattersalls December breeding stock auction in Newmarket, England.

Craig Bandoroff's Denali Stud of Paris, Ky., will consign the mare, currently in foal to Sadler's Wells.

Banderoff said Ipi Tombe's owners - Team Valor, WinStar Farm, and an African group called Sunmark Partners - decided to sell the mare in England largely because she already is boarding at Coolmore Stud in Ireland.

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's August yearling sale continued Tuesday, one day after a record opening day, with a $75,000 Rock and Roll-Wings of the Night colt the leader as of 5 p.m. at the first of three open sessions. Moonshadow Farm, agent, bought the colt from the Shanbally Acres agency.

Robert and Janice McNair's Stonerside operation has put its historic Saratoga training center on the market, according to a report in the Saratogian.

The training center, on Nelson Avenue near the Saratoga racetrack's backstretch, once was the training ground for Greentree Stable. The McNairs purchased it from the Whitney family for $5.5 million in 1999. It had been in the Whitney family since 1930.

The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's August yearling sale got off to a quick start Monday, with a spate of yearlings selling above $100,000.

As of 4:30 p.m., the early session leader was a $180,000 Yes It's True colt that Robert J. Harris, agent, bought from the Summerfield agency.

The colt is out of the Valid Appeal winner Joyatlast, making him a half-brother to stakes winner and $290,000 earner Rocky Robyn and to stakes-placed $106,000 earner Come on Joy.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Champion and filly triple crown winner Sky Beauty has died in Kentucky at age 14.

Sky Beauty, champion older mare in 1994, was euthanized on or about July 2 at Creekview Farm in Paris, Ky., according to Dermot Ryan, general manager of Coolmore Stud's North American division. Coolmore purchased the Blushing Groom mare from Georgia Hofmann's Wycombe House Stud for $2.85 million at the 1999 Keeneland November sale.

Sky Beauty foaled a Storm Cat colt on May 28 but foundered soon afterward.

DEL MAR, Calif. - The Del Mar yearling sale last Monday set records in the categories that promoters and consignors wanted to see - the average and median prices - but also recorded an alarming number of buybacks that left nearly half of the horses unsold.

Of the 110 horses that went through the ring in the makeshift sale venue in the Del Mar paddock, 57 were sold for a record average of $48,228. The median reached a record $33,000.

Don't let the sweltering summer heat fool you. It's not too early to start planning for Maryland Million Day 2004. The 19th running of the event will be held on Oct. 9 at Pimlico.

Condition books recently went in the mail for what has become one of the biggest days on Maryland's racing calendar. A celebration of the Maryland breeding industry - highlighting the state's stallions - Maryland Million Day 2004 will be the richest in its history, as a total of 12 races will be offered worth a combined $1.125 million.

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Pinhookers, buyers seeking yearlings to later sell for a profit, probably outnumbered horsemen who were looking for horses to race at the two-day New York-bred sale last week at Saratoga. But there were several prominent New York trainers who were at the Fasig-Tipton sale, buying horses for clients.

Among the trainers who bought yearlings are Linda Rice, Bruce Levine, Barclay Tagg, Tom Bush, Angel Penna Jr., Mike Hushion, Stanley Hough, and Frank Alexander.