UP, UP, UP!

UP, UP, UP

Auction 3735 – There was a big turn around in the auction revenues this week as people decided to spend their money.  Only three categories showed a downturn.  Fewer horses, including two year-olds were listed as RNAs, which isn’t a bad thing and the leading buyer took home a few less horses.  That’s not a bad thing either.  Fourteen horses sold for more than a million dollars and that certainly helped the average.  Spending the most money this week was senior editor of the BTB, Snowchief, who after spending the summer breeding horses, must have decided it was easier to buy some.  There were 17 old guys and five of them went for more than a $1.00 including Quick Fame who sold for over two million.  Here are this week’s auction stats.   

Auction Stats

Horses Entered – 502 (last week – 442) +

Horses Sold For More Than $1.00 – 195 (last week – 131) +  

Horses Not Sold or RNA (Reserve Not Attained) – 34 (last week -38) –

Horses Sold For $1.00 – 118 (last week – 107) +  

Two Year-olds – Entered – 130 (last week 89) +  

Two Year-olds – Sold – 125 (last week – 79) +

Two year-olds – Not Sold or RNA – 5 (last week – 10) –

Total Sales – $38,312,763 (last week $13,229,054) +

Average Sale Price – $122,405 (last week – $55,584) +

Leading Buyer – Computer Stable – 155 (last week – 166) – 

Sale Topper – # 131737 Bard Of Avon – $3,080,101.00

The Millionaires:

Of the top five selling horses that were not stable transfers, the most expensive horse was Bard Of Avon, a big strapping chestnut colt by Shakespeare out of the Seeking The Gold mare Simply Saratoga, a winner of two of her 15 starts. The two year-old colt has two seconds from five starts and was consigned by Texasace as hip # 131737.  Snowchief had the final bid of $3,080,101.

Reserve honors went to hip # 172864 Down With Humor.  Chops27 was the seller of record of this nice looking, unraced, two year-old, bay colt by Sharp Humor.  Down With Humor is the second foal of the one time winner, Shenandoah Downs by Machiavellian.  Her first foal is a winner.  Nextbonus signed the ticket under his Tigerman stable for $2,751,215.

In his quest to find more horses with the Machiavellian breeding line, Nextbonus also bought the 9YO brown mare, Quick Fame for $2,220,001.00 under the Aces1201 banner.  By Machiavellian, Quick Fame is out of a Cozzene mare and has won two of nine starts.  She looked like she might be a nice one until an injury put her out to pasture for three years.  When she came back, it was with a considerable class drop and even though she has been in the money in six of her nine starts she comes with a starter tag of $13,500.  Stcairport was the consignor of record.

 Topicount came out from wherever she has been hiding and picked up a good looking 4 YO dark bay colt by Ghostzapper out of an Alydar mare for $2,200,001.  Consigned by Fairhaven6, hip # 131739, No Alibi is a solid allowance horse that has won seven of his 21 starts.  Topicount seems to have a way with these kind of horses and don’t be surprised to see this colt in stakes company soon.

Hip number #142815 may be 0/3 but this 2YO pretty bay filly with the white blaze has breeding to die for.  Lady Voretten is one of the last Sadler’s Wells, and she is out of a Seeking The Gold mare.  Vor consigned Lady Voretten and Naracing paid $2,000,001.00 to take her home.  If she never wins a race she will still be a valuable addition as a broodmare.

Auction Seen:  I arrived really late as I had been on a two day mini vacation to the Grand Canyon.  I hadn’t been to the canyon in 50 years (I don’t think the canyon itself had changed a bit – surely not as much as I) and it was fun to see it again.  I am much more appreciative of just what magic Nature can work now, than I was the last time I went.  I went with my three cousins and on our second day we traveled down to Sedona and Oak Creek Canyon, two of the most beautiful spots anywhere.  We stayed one night in a mom and pop motel that had no TV, no radio and no phone or cell service.  It did have a fireplace in the room and we used it as the wind was howling.  The motel was down in the bottom of Oak Creek Canyon and I must say, it was the best night’s sleep I have had in eons.  All in all, the trip was not near long enough, however, it was long enough to make me miss most of the auction and for that I apologize.

Most everyone was leaving when I finally arrived.  There was a great group at the bar talking over their sales or purchases.  I saw Karie with Steelydan and Idiotproof.  A bunch of old tars were sitting around the fireplace telling sea stories, I guess.  Maybe it was horses, I really didn’t have a chance to visit and find out.  Seadogs was there, as was Saltcrawkg, Gunman, Navytales and Ratt49.  “Loose lips sink ships,” I say smiling, as I hurried by. 

Queenab was showing pictures of the Westpoint class of ’09 to Oddsipe and Oldones.  Thunder and Goldendays were at odds over something important and Goody waved as he was walking out with Winnett and Briel.  Hawk and Ozioziozi were talking with Export and Easytrip while having a cold one before the races.  And that was about all the people that were left by the time I arrived so I just picked up the auction results and headed out to the races with Snowchief and Texasace who offered me a ride.  Can’t beat that!

Good Luck with all your auction purchases.