LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Feb. 8 death from cancer of international bloodstock agent Joss Collins prompted a flood of memories about his sale-ring exploits.

The second of Florida's five annual 2-year-olds in training sales is scheduled for Calder Race Course on Tuesday, Feb. 24, at 11 a.m., under the banner of Fasig-Tipton Florida, Inc.

Fasig-Tipton has cataloged 301 horses for this sale. Two Sunday under-tack shows are planned for Feb. 15 and 22, both due to begin at 10 a.m.

ARCADIA, Calif. - The California Thoroughbred Breeders Association is considering relaunching a yearling sale in northern California later this year for the first time since 1993.

Discussions were held earlier this week at the organization's annual business meeting in Sacramento. Further meetings with potential consignors are expected in coming weeks, according to CTBA executive vice president Doug Burge.

Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's winter mixed sale, its catalog numbers boosted by about 200 mares from the John Franks estate, ended Monday evening at Newtown Paddocks in Lexington, Ky., with gains in gross and average.

The auction's top price was the $235,000 that Lance Robinson paid for a Grade 3-winning broodmare prospect named Sheila's Prospect. The 6-year-old mare is by Not for Love and sold through the Three Chimneys agency.

LAS VEGAS - With the Kentucky Derby only 11 weeks from this Saturday, the pace is picking up significantly. While the Florida Derby and Louisiana Derby are the major Kentucky Derby prep races at Gulfstream Park and Fair Grounds, respectively, the Fountain of Youth Stakes and the Risen Star Stakes, both at 1 1/16 miles, will be run this weekend and serve as major stepping-stones to the bigger preps ahead.

Risen Star up for grabs

LEXINGTON, Ky. - International bloodstock agent Joss Collins, the man who signed the ticket for a record $13.1 million for the yearling Seattle Dancer in 1985, died Sunday in England. He was 56.

Collins was diagnosed with advanced liver cancer 10 days before his death. He attended the Keeneland January all-ages sale last month but became ill upon returning home in England.

Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's winter mixed sale, bolstered by about 200 horses from the John Franks estate, produced a few six-figure prices as it drew near a close Monday evening.

As of 5:30 p.m., the sale leader, from Sunday's opening session, was the $235,000 broodmare prospect Sheila's Prospect, a 6-year-old Grade 3 winner by Not For Love. Lance Robinson bought the mare from Three Chimneys, agent.

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A $10,000 broodmare nicknamed "Freu" at Claire Reece's Rockwell Farm near Lexington is looking like a million bucks these days. To be precise, she's looking like $1.6 million.

That's the amount her Wild Rush colt brought Tuesday at the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's select 2-year-old sale at Calder. The price was a record for the auction, easily outdoing the $1.2 million that Chapel Royal brought there last year.

Tony Ryan's Castleton Lyons Farm in Lexington, Ky., has purchased what it called "a significant breeding interest" in 2003 juvenile champion Action This Day from the colt's owner, B. Wayne Hughes.

Action This Day, a son of Kris S. who was set to make his 3-year-old debut in Sunday's Sham Stakes at Santa Anita, will stand at Castleton Lyons in 2005. Until then, he will run in Hughes's colors.

ARCADIA, Calif. - Joey Franco, a four-time stakes winner in 2003, has been named California-bred champion older male and champion sprinter and is a leading contender for the horse of the year title, which will be announced Monday in Sacramento.

Joey Franco earned the two divisional championships through voting conducted by the members of the California Thoroughbred Breeders Association.