Lexington Sale smashes record for gross with one session still to come tonight at Fasig-Tipon

Friday’s fourth sale session, the total gross soared to record heights of just over $37 million, surpassing the record gross for the entire sale set last year at just over $36.4 million.

by Dave Briggs

Despite a fourth sale session that was off from the fourth session a year ago, and the fact there is still one more sale session to come tonight, the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale has already set a record for total gross at $37,005,000.

Thanks to 159 yearlings grossing $3,698,000 combined on Friday night at the Fasig-Tipton sales pavilion, the sale gross has already exceeded last year’s record gross of $36,410,000 and is already up 14.7 per cent from the 2016 total sale gross of $32,262,000.

This year’s record gross was achieved mainly from the first two gangbusters sessions. The opening session was up 21.3 per cent in gross and 10.6 per cent in average compared to the opening session in 2017. The second session was up 12.4 in gross and 8.9 per cent in average compared to the second session in 2017. Through two sessions, the 2018 sale grossed $26,551,000 (up 16.6 per cent over the first two days of 2017). The average of $100,192 was up 10.4 per cent from the 2017 two-day average of $90,757.

After three sale sessions, the total gross was already some $3 million ahead of last year’s sale.

However, Thursday’s third sale session was down 12.4 per cent from the third sale session in 2017. Friday’s fourth session was off 21.5 per cent in average from the $29,629 achieved a year ago.

Through four sale sessions, the total sale average of $63,148 is down 0.84 per cent from a year ago when the average was $63,680 through four nights.

With 117 horses set to sell tonight, the all-time gross record will be shattered by a wide margin. Last year, the final session saw 87 horses gross $2,341,000 in total. With 30 more horses selling in the final session this year compared to last, the total gross will be up substantially over 2017.

In 2016, 573 yearlings were sold at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale for a gross of $32,262,000 and a then-record average of $56,304 that smashed the previous average record of $45,220 set in 2015.

Friday’s session saw one more horse surpass $100,000 to bring the total of $100,000+ yearlings through four sessions to 120, 17 more than the total number of yearlings that fetched six figures for the complete 2017 sale.

Friday’s session-topper was Newyorknewyork Deo, a Chapter Seven colt out of Doris Deo that brought $110,000 from Andy Miller Stable, Inc. of Millstone Township, NJ. The colt was sold by Preferred Equine on behalf of breeders Deo Volente Farms LLC and T L P Stable of Kearny, NJ.

The second-highest priced yearling sold Friday was DD’s Redemption, an Andover Hall colt out of Deedee’s Destiny purchased by Bjorn Noren, agent, of Jobstown, NJ for $75,000. DD’s Redemption was bred by Red Well Stables LLC of New Holland, PA and sold by Spring Haven Farm.

Pat Lachance of Millstone, NJ tied for the third highest priced yearling sold Friday, a Bettor’s Delight colt out of Dreamingofwichita named Walk It Talk It bred and sold by Kentuckiana Farms that fetched $70,000.

Rose Run Victoria, a He’s Watching filly out of Victoria Gallery almost fetched $70,000. Mark Harder of Freehold, NJ signed the ticket for the filly bred by Rose Run Farm of Sugarcreek, OH. The filly was sold by Spring Haven Farm.

Reid’s Preferred Equine still holds a wide lead over other consignors with more than $8.76 million in total sales from 130 yearlings. Hunterton Sales Agency is next with nearly $5,3 million and Kentuckiana Farms is third with more than $4.63 million in sales.

By average, with three or more sold, Peninsula Farm Inc. leads with $138,250 for 16 horses sold, followed by Cane Run Farm ($87,286, seven sold) and All American Farm has jumped into third ($84,375 for eight sold).

The top four buyers remain the same, but in slightly different order. Burke Racing Stable has spent $1,216,000, total, on 13 yearlings, followed by Ken Jacobs ($1,192,000 for six yearlings), Bryan Montgomery, agent ($995,000 for six) and Dana Parham ($840,000 for six).

Stallions Muscle Hill and Somebeachsomewhere continue to top the sire list as in previous years. Muscle Hill is averaging $121,000 through three nights with 48 sold. Somebeachsomewhere is second on the list (for stallions with three or more offspring sold) with an average of $106,269 for 26 sold. Chapter Seven is next with an average of $89,346 for 26 sold and Father Patrick is fourth with an average of $88,574 for 47 sold. Captaintreacherous is averaging $86,931 for 58 sold.