Heavy Hitters Send Auction Averages Up
Heavy Hitters Send Auction Averages Up
Auction 3847 – I don’t know how all the horse vans, not to mention buyers and sellers, made it in to Kentucky this week as ice, snow and cold weather made travel difficult to say the least. I guess the saying, slightly modified, holds true – if you have a sale – they will come. They came in droves and brought money! We had 17 horses sell for more than a million dollars and while a few could be classified as money laundering, there were some nice horses being offered as some stables were dispersing and others were making room for young stock coming up. Big money barns including Texasace, Liddleski, Fernando, Db and Marre were on the scene and helping out the economy. There was a lot of interest in the dispersals and that may have been the catalyst that sent the auction stats way up. Even the senior citizens sold reasonably well. Of the 54 horses eight and over offered, ten went for more than a dollar and hip number 45335 Western Reef, an 8 YO mare by Gone West out of a Mill Reef mare sold for $1,710,000. She hasn’t run since 2006 but is a two time stakes winner and is lightly raced for her age. She was part of the Grimmy Stables dispersal and was well sold to Driftaway. Here are the week’s auction stats.
Auction Stats:
Total Sales – $52,333,301.00 (last week $16,756,530.00)
Average
Leading Buyer – Computer Stable -262 (last week 280)
Horses Entered – 679 (last week – 748)
Horses Sold For More Than $1.00 – 220 (last week – 246)
Horses Not Sold or RNA (Reserve Not Attained) – 45 (last week -75)
Horses Sold For $1.00 – 152 (last week – 147)
Two Year-olds – Entered – 6 (last week 5)
Two Year-olds – Sold – 6 (last week – 3)
Two year-olds – Not Sold or RNA – 0 (last week – 2)
The Millionaires:
With so many horses selling for big money, I will only mention the top five horses that were not part of a stable transfer. Leading the way this week was #111944 Key To The Car, a 7 YO dark bay mare by AP Indy out of a Key To The Mint mare. She has two wins from three starts, breaking her maiden at first asking by five lengths in January of ’06. She shinbucked in that start and did not return to the races until April when she was asked to run a mile and a quarter off the layoff. It proved too much for her to do and she finished a well beaten sixth of seven. Sent back to the farm, she stayed there until July when she was turned back to a mile and won easily. Texasace paid the Cr division of the Grimy group $5,013,497.00 for this nice individual.
Thomas Mill, hip #168430 was consigned by Cncstables and Marianus signed the ticket when the bidding stopped for $4,100,020. The 3 YO copper chestnut colt is by Dylan Thomas out of a Mill Reef mare and has won one of five starts. He has all his conditions and with his improving speed figures and closing style he might relish the longer races to come.
Texasace sold a blue-blooded underachiever #156819 Tonight Show. Pointblank was the final bidder at $4,000,000 and hopes that a change of scenery will wake this 3YO dark bay colt up. Sired by Storm Cat and out of a Forty Niner mare, the colt won at first asking but hasn’t done much of note since. He is another that has all his conditions left so there are lots of opportunities for improvement.
Pining For Fjords #28202 was another part of the Cr division of the Grimmy dispersal. The 7 YO dark bay mare by
A daughter of Ghostzapper out of a Gone West mare, #169189 Vamos brought $3,200,001 at the hammer fall from top trainer Fernando. The 3 YO bay filly with a big white star has only one win from five starts but if anyone can turn this filly around it is Fernando. Noonstable was the consigner of this good looking lady.
The Auction Seen:
“A major disaster” is what the news media is calling it and I have to agree. Power out to thousands and it is expected to be six weeks before everyone is back on line. On the ride from the airport to the sale barn I saw nothing but down and broken trees, signs telling people “don’t stop ‘here – no power” and I was wondering what shape the auction was in – or if there would even be one. When we pulled up there was one small light bulb over the door – and it was working so I knew we were in good shape.
I was glad to get inside where it was warm and made my way through a large group of Steelers fans to get to the bar. I felt a bit out of place in my Cardinal red but I wasn’t going to be intimidated and I will surely be glad when the big game is over because – I have to admit – I am not much of a football fan. Jaypetty and Markie waved as I went by and I saw Mrac and Jonsnow sitting in the corner – I guess neither is appreciated this time of the year when the high is well below freezing. I walked over to my table by the fireplace with Kirby and Ramona and several other nameless beauties that seem to follow him around.
The Beisbol team was out in force both buying and selling and often just conducting business among them selves, as was team Whisper. Stretch came by to visit in his big white cowboy hat and it is always good to see him. Hoghead was down by the rail showing Bias where Bedlam was on the other side of the ring. Saucyhoss and Glitters came by as did Viento and Yadi – everyone looking for the bargain – and yes, a warm place by the fire too. Jacklad flew in from
I saw quite a few nice horses go through the ring this week. I was particularly taken with #21075 Taels Tails Tales a beautiful 3YO blood bay filly with only two starts and a lot of ways to go. Nogriftn snapped her up for only $2.00. Forged With Steel #138534 was another one that looked to be a bargain. He has only one win but with just eight starts is still learning his way around the racetrack. The 4 YO dark brown colt by Montjeu is out of a four time stakes winner with five colts to race, all are winners and two are stakes winners or stakes/graded placed. Allysally2 stole this one for$34,567.
Well, that’s my auction story for this week. Good luck with all your auction purchases.