Tattersalls Summer Mixed Sale up 4.4 per cent in average

The average of $25,414 is also believed to be a record for this sale. Crawford Farms bought the two highest-priced horses sold — Celebrity Eventsy for $95,000 and Celebrity Lovin for $80,000.

by Dave Briggs

The Tattersalls Summer Mixed Sale, held Sunday in the paddock at the Meadowlands Racetrack, saw the average increase 4.4 per cent from $24,334 in 2018 to $25,415 this year, which is the highest since 2009 and likely a record for this sale. It is the third straight year the average has climbed.

That said, this year 48 fewer horses were sold. In all, 82 horses fetched $2,084,000 combined. The average was up 4.9 per cent from the 2017 sale average of $24,218 and up 60 per cent from the 2016 average of $15,846.

“Overall, the sale was very successful,” said sale manager David Reid. “Despite selling fewer horses, the horses that were here today all sold respectably and the customers that were here were spirited buyers. Overall, I think buyers and sellers were happy and we’re all excited to see the new connections have racing luck, as we always do. This is a racehorse sale, there’s a lot of horses ready to drop in the box. Once again, it just shows you the market for racehorses is quite strong. Demand is outpacing supply a little bit, but overall we had a good day and I’m very happy with the results.”

The sale’s leading buyer, Crawford Farms of Vernon, NY, purchased two highest priced horses sold, Celebrity Eventsy and Celebrity Lovin, for $95,000 and $80,000, respectively.

“Eventsy is a super nice mare with multiple Grand Circuit victories throughout her career. I love the fact that she was a Hambletonian Oaks elim winner and was third in the final,” said Al Crawford. “Lovin has a super nice Chapter Seven filly that has won in 1:55.2. So, I love what we got her for. We have five shares of Chapter 7 so it’s nice to find mares that have already crossed well with him.”

Reid’s Preferred Equine Marketing sold the two Celebrity horses. Bob Boni’s Northwood Bloodstock sold the third highest horse to change hands — Somebeachsomewhere—Bittorsweet Terror gelding JK Wildfire was sold for $64,000 to Reginald Hazzard of Millsboro, DE.

Last year’s leading buyer, Richard Banca of Franklin Lakes, NJ, was the second top buyer this year. He spent $142,000, total, on five horses.

“Obviously, he’s had luck at this sale and it’s worked well for his program,” Reid said.

The third leading buyer was relatively new player Jeff Peller of Milton, ON, who spent $86,000, total, on two horses. Fourth on the list was Carmen Auciello of Stouffville, ON, who spent $83,000 in all to buy two horses.

Preferred, the sale’s leading consignor with 62 horses sold, grossed $1.59 million with an average of $25,653. Northwood Bloodstock was the second leading consignor and sold 19 horses for a gross of $433,500, along with an average of $22,816.

“Everything we promoted before the sale came to light and we just want to thank everybody for attending and we want to thank all the sellers for consigning and the buyers for buying and we wish them nothing but luck,” Reid said.

“It was a good weekend and the sale followed a great night of racing at the Meadowlands. A lot of people came in for the races and they had a good handle. They handled over $4 million and for us to gross over $2 million today it was a good weekend for horse racing in New Jersey and we’re just happy to be part of it.”