LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Team Valor syndicate, headed by Barry Irwin, and the prominent South African trainer Mike de Kock have parted company after a successful association through such runners as Irridescence, Ipi Tombe, and Crimson Palace.
A statement on de Kock's website said the split "resulted from a disagreement concerning the proceeds of the recent sale of Team Valor's mare Irridescence to Green Lantern Stable after she had finished second in the Group 1 Beverly D. in Chicago."
Fasig-Tipton's Texas yearling sale set a record for top price in its second and final session Tuesday at Lone Star Park. The new mark is $330,000, paid by Robert and Mary Harris, agent, for a Pleasant Tap colt out of Tensie's Pro.
The underbidder was Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum's representative, John Ferguson.
A filly by the unraced Storm Cat stallion Rainmaker brought a bid of $77,000 to lead the first session of the Fasig-Tipton Texas sale at Lone Star Park on Monday. Leprechaun Racing purchased the filly from first-time consignor Judy Curry. The auction, to which 417 yearlings were cataloged, was to run through Tuesday.
During the first session, 121 yearlings sold for an average price of $11,005. There were 77 horses who did not sell. Last year, 138 horses sold during the first session of the sale, for an average price of $12,059. There were 69 horses who did not sell.
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's August open yearling sale ended Friday evening in Ocala, Fla., with a final session-topping $75,000 City Place colt and results that compared favorably with last season's bullish auction.
At the close of business Friday, OBS had sold 778 yearlings for $9,047,400, down from last year's sale-record $9,127,500 for 819 horses. But the four open sessions' average price gained 4 percent, climbing from $11,114 to $11,629, and the median increased 8 percent, from $6,500 to $7,000.
he Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's August yearling sale in Ocala, Fla., was still producing some big prices as it entered its third of four open sessions on Thursday.
Hip No. 971, an Alphabet Soup colt out of the winning Gone West mare B Gone Blues, sold for $185,000 to W R C Thoroughbreds. Francis and Barbara Vanlangendock's Summerfield agency consigned the colt.
The colt was Thursday's highest price as of 5 p.m. at the auction.
The Wednesday open yearling session posted mixed results.
SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y. - Hal Handel, the seasoned racetrack executive who has spent his career at racetracks in the mid-Atlantic, has been hired as the chief operating officer of the New York Racing Association and will begin his new job on Sept. 10, NYRA announced Thursday.
The 2007 Alberta Thoroughbred summer yearling sale will be conducted on Tuesday, Aug. 28, beginning at 11:00 a.m. at the Northlands Sportex in Edmonton, Alberta, with 156 yearlings on offer.
Some individuals of note at the sale, which is conducted by the local division of the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society, include:
* A colt by Alfaari out of One Hundred Plus, the dam of multiple stakes winners Teagues Fight and Speedy Gone Sally.
The Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's August yearling sale began its open sessions Tuesday with slight declines in gross receipts and average price, reflecting continuing conservatism among yearling buyers this season.
On Wednesday, that conservatism briefly gave way to exuberance when bidding for Hip No. 580, a Macho Uno colt out of Grade 1-placed Secret of Mecca, brought $150,000 from Marquez Brothers Stables. Beth Bayer, agent, sold the colt, who was still leading the second of four open sessions at 5 p.m. Wednesday.