Preferred Equine Marketing announced Thursday that it will soon be offering online sales through a new division of the company, to be called “Preferred Equine Online.”

The sales platform, nearing completion, will be available at preferredequineonline.com.

“Preferred Equine Online is the latest product in our business model,” said Preferred owner David Reid.

“I’ve toyed with the idea of an online auction for years, and we’re not the first on the block to have one. But our experience, along with our strong base of customers, gives us the resources and the quality of horses that no other online sale has at its disposal.”

In addition to running Preferred Equine Marketing — the world’s largest standardbred sales agency — Reid is manager of the Tattersalls Mixed Sales at the Meadowlands and co-manager of the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale.

With that in mind, he says there will be no live “in person” sale conflicts, as Preferred’s online sales will be integrated with the traditional sales calendar. Their first online sale date will be in the near future.

The Preferred Equine Online auctions will include the full spectrum of the marketplace — racehorses, broodmares, stallion shares, yearlings and weanlings. The listings will include “live” pedigrees and past performances, photos and walking videos.

Preferred Equine Online will also have a marketplace featuring horses for sale. “This will maximize our client’s ability to strike while the iron is hot… a racehorse coming off a lifetime best win or a mare whose pedigree got ramped up with an important stakes winner.”

Reid said there should be further opportunities with Preferred Equine Online as new technology and applications are developed.

“First off, we’ll weave these sales into our existing social media platforms for expanded reach and promotion that will result in an increase in bloodstock trade across the industry.

“In-person mixed sales like Tattersalls at the Meadowlands aren’t going to be displaced. As a sales agency, we’re just trying to look ahead and make it easy to move horses and create commerce throughout the year. Preferred Equine Online will accomplish that.”

— Preferred Equine Marketing