London Classic posts strong increases in gross and average
by James Platz
The London Classic Yearling Sale enjoyed a record-setting two-day event Tuesday (Oct. 14) and Wednesday (Oct. 15) at the J-AAR Expo Centre at Western Fair District. A group of 289 yearlings grossed nearly $8.86 million, a new standard for the sale, while averaging $30,651. During last year’s event, 246 babies grossed just over $7 million and averaged $28,516.
“This is our second highest average since we’ve taken over, and a record gross by almost $2 million,” said sale manager Greg Blanchard. “I was optimistic or hopeful that we could hit the $8 million mark. I kind of had that in my mind, being we had a larger volume of horses this year, and we had a lot of quality. So, we certainly exceeded that goal, and quite happy to see that the buyers supported the sale in a big way.”
Blanchard noted the increases were keyed by investments by breeders in upgrading broodmares and then selling the offspring in the province instead of stateside.
“The quality of the catalog was, I thought, noticeably better this year,” he said. “Some local consignors that may have taken some of their Ontario-breds to Lexington or Harrisburg opted to stay here this year with those. So, there was a noticeable difference in quality.”
The sale also offered considerable sire power with the second crops of hot young Ontario sires Cattlewash and Bulldog Hanover, as well as the first crop of Breeders Crown champion King Of The North.
“Seeing the impact of new stallions like Cattlewash and Bulldog Hanover this past year, and the number that we had entered, I thought we could see some good prices,” Blanchard said. “And King Of The North, I had a feeling as a first crop stallion selling here that he would be well supported, and he certainly was. He was the leading trot sire on average.”
A group of 25 progeny by King Of The North sold at the London Classic averaging $50,542. A pair from the son of Walner reached six figures, with filly Panache Seelster, Hip #66, from the Seelster Farms consignment, bringing $120,000. Colt King Sullivan, Hip #183, consigned by Dean and Ashley Wilson, brought $150,000 in the Wednesday session.
A yearling from the second crop of Cattlewash topped the two-day event. Hip #202 Roca, brought $190,000 to lead all bids. From the powerful Wilson consignment, the filly was purchased by Power Racing Stable Inc. Out of Rocknroll Hanover mare Rockumentary, the filly is a sibling to a pair of $300,000 winners.
A total of 33 were offered from the son of Somebeachsomewhere, averaging $51,212. That average was slightly less than what the group from Bulldog Hanover brought. The 24-yearling selection from Bulldog’s second crop averaged $51,708, with a pair selling for over six figures. Hip #62 Code Name Jack, a colt from the Wilson consignment, brought $135,000 on Tuesday, followed by Hip #81 Valor Seelster, a $110,000 purchase for the sire’s trainer, Jack Darling.
“The superstar stallions that we have in the province right now really give a boost,” Blanchard said. “And within those consignments, the ones that are matched with proven producing mares certainly brought the numbers you would expect.”
Drilling down into the sales numbers, the averages across gaits and sexes was fairly consistent. Pacing colts (72 sold) averaged $34,792 followed by trotting fillies (62 sold) at $34,148 and trotting colts (68 sold), which averaged $31,418. With 88 cataloged, pacing fillies trailed the rest, averaging $24,465.
“I think there was a lot of balance throughout the two days of the sale,” Blanchard said. “I get asked a lot if we feed one day with the better-quality horses, and the answer is no. This year it worked out that there was a lot of depth both days, and the growth on both days was pretty comparable.”
Twinbrook Limited led all consignors by average, selling eight babies for $58,000 on average. The Embro-based nursery was followed by Century Springs Farm Inc. ($47,000 for seven yearlings), Seelster Farms ($42,897 for 30 yearlings), Dean and Ashley Wilson ($41,694 for 49 yearlings) and Sharin Standardbreds ($41,000 for three yearlings).
The Wilson consignment topped all in gross sales with $2.04 million sold. Preferred Equine Marketing was next, with a 52-yearling consignment that grossed $1.59 million. Seelster Farms’ offering of 30 babies brought a combined $1.24 million.
“The broodmare band in Ontario has improved a lot in recent years,” the sale manager said. “It’s a competitive business, and these breeders are working every year to try and upgrade the broodmare bands. There were some exciting first foal offerings from some mares that were really good mares on the racetrack that have been acquired in the last couple of years, and hopefully they click, and we’re going to see their offspring in future sales here. And it’s just a sign of the times. The big breeders, if you’re going to compete, you have to be constantly looking to upgrade broodmare bands, and they’ve done it, I think, here in Ontario.”
Blanchard said the sale results speak to the strength of the Ontario program, and a sign of optimism for breeders in the province.
“I think it validates how strong the Ontario program is,” Blanchard said. “People North America-wide have known that, but I think in recent years they’ve been reminded that the best horses in Ontario can make a lot of money racing here, but they’ve proven that they can win on the Grand Circuit as well. When you look at Bulldog Hanover, who’s joined the stallion ranks, he’s a great example. A couple of years ago, we remember what he did on the racetrack, and each year there’s more of them. Beau Jangles this year, on the pacing side, as an example. He’s never left the province.
“He’s raced in Ontario’s sires stakes and Grand Circuit events like the Metro, and he’s got a million dollars on his card. He’s one of the favorites going into the Breeders Crown. It’s a great program.”
