The gross (over $22 million) and average (over $183,000) were both down marginally from last year’s record opener, but nearly 100 yearlings sold for $100,000 or more and the median was $170,000. Both are all-time bests.

story by Dave Briggs, quotes by James Platz and Dave Briggs

Last year’s off-the-charts opening session of the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale was just too tough to beat.

Monday night at Fasig-Tipton, 121 yearlings went through the ring, grossing $22,222,000, averaging $183,653 and posting a record median of $170,000. Ninety-seven yearlings sold for $100,000 or more.

The gross was down 3.7 per cent from last year’s all-time opener record of $23,067,000. This year’s average was down 2.9 per cent from 2022’s $189,078.

But both the median and number of yearlings selling for $100,000 or more were up from a year ago. This year’s median was up 6 per cent from the $160,000 set a year ago. Ninety-seven yearlings sold for $100,000 or more, up 9 per cent from the 89 sold a year ago.

This year’s gross was up 20 per cent from the 2021 total of $18,540,000 and the average was up 14 per cent from the 2021 average of $161,217. In 2021, 69 yearlings sold for $100,000 or more.

The session concluded just before 11 p.m.

Lexington sale co-manager David Reid said he was “thrilled for all parties.

“I think bringing in the diversity of the two new pacing sires and coming off last year where there was a couple of first-crop sires that maybe were just a little underperforming this year… to come in here and be able to come close to that, within $700,000 of the gross [is incredible]. The median was up. The number of $100,000 horses was up… and the diversity. It was very healthy.”

Co-manager Bruce Brinkerhoff said, “it was an outstanding night. We had very active participation all evening from a deep group of buyers and we’re very happy with the first night. It’s the second highest first night average in history. So, we’re very happy to be close to last year’s average and our consignors brought the greatest set of horses to sell and we still have the next four days and nights with a tremendous set of horses to sell. A very deep set of horses to sell. We are very encouraged with the opening night.”

SALE TOPPER FETCHES $800,000

SRF Stable (Lennart Agren and Jan Johnson) and Jeff Snyder teamed up to buy the session topper Hip #48 Kadena for $800,000, consigned by Hunterton Farm. The daughter of first-crop sire Gimpanzee is the fourth foal out of Mission Brief and will be the third straight one trained by Marcus Melander.

“I’ve spent $2 million total on those three that I bought,” Melander said. “We started with Jaya Bae that we bought for $725,000, then Vic Zelenskyy last year [for $550,00]. They are great-looking horses. Vic Zelenskyy is just 2 and he’s a little bit big and immature, but he’ll race next year.

“[Kadena is] just a gorgeous filly, so of course I have high hopes for her.”

Melander also trained Kadena’s sire, Gimpanzee.

“He was a great horse and he means a lot to me,” Melander said. “He never threw in a bad race in his career. He was always there, showing up, winning on all-size tracks. Three-time Breeders Crown champion – he was just a great horse, so obviously that’s even more fun that she is by him.

“I’m privileged to have owners that can spend this kind of money. If this horse would have gone for $300,000, I would have been happy for them not to have to spend that much, but she has value as a broodmare after she’s done racing, so that’s why you pay these prices for these fillies because you have so much value after they are done racing. Like I said, I’m just fortunate that I have owners that will spend this kind of money and I’m just very humble about that.”

Hunterton and partners not only bred Mission Brief, they have retained her as a broodmare. Hunterton’s Steve Stewart said Mission Brief is, “the gift that keeps on giving… Going into the sale, we thought that she was a very, very nice filly. We knew that there’s not many Gimpanzees and people like to buy first crops.

“The mare is just amazing. She’s sold yearlings for $400,000, $725,000, $550,000 and now $800,000. That has got to be some kind of record.”

HARRIS, POLLOCK STAR BUYERS OF THE NIGHT

The next horse that sold after Kadena — Hip #49 Treacheryinthedark — fetched $700,000. It was the second highest price of the night. Trainer Andrew Harris purchased the daughter of Captaintreacherous out of Rainbowinthedark from Preferred Equine.

“It is Seven Color’s sister and we’re a little partial to her,” Harris said. “That one I paid more than I wanted to.”

Reid said he was thrilled to sell Treacheryinthedark. It was the most money Preferred has ever fetched for a pacing filly yearling.

“To sell the highest-priced pacing filly ever sold is something that we always like to do,” Reid said. “Coming in, we knew she was going to sell well tonight. The stars had to line up, but from the time we saw her this spring, until when she walked in here, she just showed well and she was very popular.

“To see the health of the market for a pacing filly — there were multiple bidders over $500,000 — I think that’s a great sign for the industry from the breeding end.”

Harris purchased the filly for Bill Pollock of Allentown, NJ. On opening night, Pollock purchased nine yearlings for a total of $3.2 million to lead all buyers.

“Obviously, Andrew Harris and Mr. Pollock came in here strong and determined and he was very successful in his purchases,” Reid said.

“I had nine on my list,” Harris said. “I told Bill, ‘If we get like six or seven of the nine, that would be great.’ He said, ‘No, we go nine-for-nine.’ I kind of figured early that we were going to come home with all nine.

“[Pollock] understands that building a stable wasn’t going to be a one-year deal. It’s going to take a couple of years to build it up and he’s fully aware that at this level some horses aren’t going to work out and some are. To be a part of this, you’ve got to chase it and that’s what he wants. He wants to be at the top of the game, so to be at the top of the game it’s going to cost some money.”

Jim Avritt, Sr. bred Pollock-purchased Hip #43 Readyforprimetime, a Bettor’s Delight colt out of Prescient Beauty that sold for $500,000. It was the third-highest price of the night. The yearling is a half-brother to Metro winner Captain’s Quarters.

“I try not to get too overly optimistic because you can become easily disappointed,” Avritt, Sr. said. “Several people thought he could bring around a half-a-million, but I didn’t let myself think that high. I thought maybe around $400,000, which is still a lot of money.

“[The family] is like an annuity, it just keeps on giving. I’ve said this time and time again and people probably get tired of hearing it, but thank God for Dominique Semalu. If it wasn’t for her no one would have heard of me in this business. She produced a lot of good raceway horses, a few minor stakes winners, I sold some yearlings out of her for some good prices. I kept most all of her daughters and all of her daughters have turned out to be tremendous producers and I’ve managed to keep the best of them, Precious Beauty, and she’s still giving. She’s 21 years old and still in foal this year. I’ve got three of her daughters, all full sisters, Precocious Beauty, Prescient Beauty and Pristine Beauty.

“And then it’s on down to the next generation, because I’ve got Beauty On The Beach, who is a daughter of Precocious Beauty. She won over half-a-million and I’m racing her 2-year-old Bettor’s Delight filly this year. She’s raced well for me. We have a full brother to that filly in the sale tomorrow night that’s a really nice individual.

HUNTERTON TOP CONSIGNOR

Hunterton led all consignors in both gross sales ($4,465,000 for 19 yearlings) and average with more than three yearlings sold ($235,000).

Kentuckiana was next with gross sales of $3,910,000, followed by Reid’s Preferred Equine with $3,015,000.

Preferred was second by consignor average ($201,000), followed by Cameo Hills ($200,000).

FIRST-CROP SIRES STRONG

The first crops of Gimpanzee, Tall Dark Stranger and Papi Rob Hanover were extremely well received. Gimpanzee was the top trotting sire by average ($260,714 for seven sold). Tall Dark Stranger was fourth overall in gross with $2,750,000 for 19 yearlings (an average of $144,737). Papi Rob Hanover averaged more than Tall Dark Stranger ($150,625 for eight sold).

Veteran pacing sire Bettor’s Delight led all sires in average with $278,333 for three sold.

In terms of gross, Chapter Seven topped them all with $3,870,000 for 19 sold, followed by Captaintreacherous ($3,620,000 for 18 sold) and Muscle Hill ($2,850,000 for 15 sold).

“A lot of sires that had a good night, which I think, here again, broad-based successes is a healthy sign for the industry and I’ll preach that all day long,” Reid said. “A healthy industry is what we all need and hopefully it continues to be a healthy week. There will be some bumps in the road, as there always is, but there’s a lot of quality out there left and there seems to be plenty of people around… the dual-eligibility, it just all adds up.

“The breeders and the consignors brought good product. I’ve been saying all along, it’s a tribute to them and it’s a healthy marketplace and we’re looking forward to the rest of the week, for sure.

“From a sales company point of view, we’re very, very happy.”

Today’s session begins at 1 p.m., followed by 1 p.m. sessions on Wednesday and Thursday and a final Friday session that starts at 7 p.m.