On the heels of a successful regional sale last month in Saratoga Springs, 64 horses foaled in New York are among the 4,367 yearlings in Keeneland's September sale, which begins its 12-day run on Monday.
At Fasig-Tipton's two-day sale of New York-breds in August, 108 yearlings sold for $5,345,500 and an average of $49,495. The sale, which was expanded to two days for the first time, set records for gross, average, and median. Eleven yearlings sold for $100,000 or more.
DEL MAR, Calif. - Bud Johnston can only shake his head in frustration when reminded that the late stallion Bold Badgett is having his best season at stud this year.
Earlier this year, Bold Badgett was euthanized after complications set in following corrective surgery on a leg he initially injured as a yearling. At the time, the 17-year-old Bold Badgett had completed his fifth year at stud at Johnston's Old English Rancho in Sanger, Calif. The success of his foals on California's racetracks was attracting attention, a trend that has continued in recent months.
The August yearling sales in Florida were spun off from the October mixed sales some 20 years ago. For most of this period, other than big ticket items, much of the export traffic went south.
Mexico was a major destination, as were Venezuela, Panama, and a number of Caribbean republics. Most of that export business, except for Puerto Rico, has dried up, but in its place is the growing Italian market.
Jerry Kolybabiuk is a general surgeon by profession, but his knowledge of Thoroughbred pedigrees is also cutting-edge.
Kolybabiuk has five broodmares in production at Freedom Acres Farm in Moorestown, N.J., a mom-and-pop operation that he and his wife, Maria, began developing in the 1980's. Kolybabiuk says he spends about a month planning each mating there.
Within the past three months, Kolybabiuk's efforts have been rewarded as never before, by two homebreds who have racked up three stakes victories.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - In winning the Hopeful Stakes, Sky Mesa did exactly what breeders, owners, and sales companies hope that a colt of his pedigree and physical quality will do. He excelled noticeably against talented opponents and offered hopes of many better things to come.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Xtra Heat, North America's champion 3-year-old filly last year, appears to be headed for Fasig-Tipton Kentucky's November selected mixed sale, at least for now. Trainer John Salzman said Thursday that he and partners Kenny Taylor and Harry Deitchman have nominated Xtra Heat to the Nov. 3 auction as "an insurance policy."
Xtra Heat, a 4-year-old Dixieland Heat filly, is expected to run in the Grade 3 Endine Stakes at Delaware Park on Saturday. Purchased as a 2-year-old for $5,000, Xtra Heat has earned more than $1.9 million to date.
ETOBICOKE, Ontario - A $165,000 colt by West by West topped the select portion of the Fasig-Tipton Sale of Canadian-bred yearlings at Woodbine on Tuesday.
Jeffrey Begg, as agent, bought the sale topper, who is the first foal from the stakes-placed Regal Classic mare Never Can Tell. Woodlands, agent, was the consignor.
AUBURN, Wash. - Boosted by a pair of six-figure purchases, the average price at Tuesday's Washington Thoroughbred Breeders Association's annual summer yearling sale at Emerald Downs rose to $17,172, a gain of 2 percent over last year's average.
Of the 216 yearlings cataloged, 144 sold for gross receipts of $2,472,800. Twelve yearlings were withdrawn before the sale, and 60 failed to attain their reserves, down three from last year.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - Pentelicus, one of Florida's top 10 sires, died on Aug. 29 after developing a digestive tract disorder that led to laminitis.
Pentelicus, who was 18, stood at Mike O'Farrell's Ocala Stud Farms in Ocala, Fla., and was the state's ninth-leading sire by progeny earnings at the time of his death.
O'Farrell said Wednesday that Pentelicus had shown signs of digestive problems and then foundered about a month ago. Laminitis, also known as founder, is a common complication in horses with other ailments.
Ever on the lookout for emerging talent, Godolphin has purchased Group 2 Prix Guillaume d'Ornano winner Highdown from his British owner, Mrs. William Fleming, for an undisclosed price.
The sale of Highdown, a 3-year-old Irish-bred son of Selkirk, came the day after the announcement of the retirement of Godolphin's best American-based horse, Street Cry.