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Monday, November 10, 2014

Part III Of Harrisburg Yearling Sale Review


This is part III (final) of the review of the yearling portion of the sale in Harrisburg.

Roll With Joe sold 34 yearlings from his first crop at Harrisburg for an average of $33,706. Two topped $100,000, while three other colts and one filly sold for at least $50,000. Half of them failed to exceed a $25,000 sale price. Seventeen averaged more than $35,000 in Lexington, with a pair of colts selling for more than $100,000. His big brother Bettor’s Delight has used up his eligibility in the NYSS and RWJ will be expected to fill the huge void created by his departure. The buyers obviously have their doubts.

Shadow Play, who after dominating the OSS freshman class with his first crop, fell to seventh with the colts and eleventh with the fillies this year, had an awful sale in Harrisburg. Only 15 were available, but they averaged a penny pinching $15,400. Thirteen of them, including all nine fillies, failed to sell for more than $25,000. Last year a dozen averaged $32,333 at this sale. Nine recently averaged $36,778 in Lexington. There were a couple of substantial purchases there as a half-sister to Gallant Yankee brought $92,000 and a half-brother to Bigtime Hero sold for $85,000.

Somebeachsomewhere led all pacing stallions as he averaged a shade under $62,000 for 54 sold.  Last year he sold 15 fewer but his average was 24% higher. And at Lexington this year he sold 30 for an $89,000 average, which was 30% higher than it was in Harrisburg. The first foal out of So Perfect—a colt—brought $300,000 and a full-brother to Maxi Bon sold for $240,000.  Five other colts and two fillies also topped $100,000. 46% sold for $50,000 or more; last year in Harrisburg that was 64% and the year before it was 63%. 20% of those sold in Harrisburg brought $25,000 or less. The breakdown for the smaller group sold in Lexington was much better; 40% of them brought $100,000 or more and 73% sold for at least $50,000.

Sportswriter, who dominated the OSS with his first crop, sold 13 for an average of $37,038. Last year he sold 22 more at this sale for an average that was 37% lower. 41% failed to top $15,000 in 2013; that figure was 31% this year. One cracked $100,000 this year—a filly—and four, or 31%, sold for at least $50,000. As was the case with just about every sire, the results were much better in Lexington, where a dozen averaged almost $60,000, with three topping $100,000 and 42% bringing at least $50,000.

Well Said sold 51 for an average of $32,431. This is the Western Hanover stallion’s third crop to come before the buyers. Last year in Harrisburg five more sold for an average that was 29% higher. At that time the Cancellieres paid $300,000 for a half-brother to Bettor Sweet and Jeffrey Snyder dropped $240,000 on a half-brother to Pirouette Hanover, while this year one of each sold for $100,000 even and another colt sold for $130,000, so the help at the top was missing. This is a poor high end showing for a premium priced stallion putting forth a very large offering. Sixteen, or 31%, sold for $50,000 or more. Just about half failed to bring more than $25,000. These aren’t very good numbers for a $15,000 stallion. Twenty-three averaged more than $43,000 at the Lexington Selected Sale; three topped $100,000 and eight sold for at least $50,000. No star power on the track. They grind out good money, but Well Said needs some star attractions.

Western Ideal, the sire of Artspeak, sold 39 for an average of $36,744. That’s 18 more than last year at an average that is 26% higher. It’s more than double what it was two years ago when 27 averaged about $11,000 at this sale. This crop is PA eligible; he finally lost the dreaded New Jersey tag. Two colts and a filly topped $100,000, while 10, or 25%, sold for at least $50,000. 44% failed to bring more than $25,000. Not as crowded at the bottom as it has been in recent years, but still less than desirable. Western Ideal sold 16 for a $47,000 average in Lexington, up 25% from last year when five fewer were sold. The sire of Rocknroll and Always A Virgin was standing for $25,000 six or seven years ago. He’s been at $7,500 for the last couple of years. (All of the fees quoted are from 2014. A few have already been altered for 2015, but adjustments are generally made about this time.)

Western Terror, who was a disaster in Lexington, where a sorry looking troupe of 41 sold for an average a shade over $15,000, was one of the few to do better at Harrisburg. Twenty-four averaged more than $33,000. A filly out of a sister to Shanghai Lil and Bolt The Duer sold for $200,000 to the owner of the latter. And a brother to Urgent Action brought $100,000. That gave the average a boost. Still, 70% of them failed to sell for more than $25,000, so Western Terror was a success relative to his dismal Lexington performance. Last year in Harrisburg only four sold for an average of $7,375. The sire of Drop The Ball, Economy Terror and Western Silk stands in Pennsylvania for a steep fee of $7,500.

Yankee Cruiser, the sire of Sweet Lou and Yankee Bounty, sold 30 at Harrisburg for a meager average of $17,383. This is similar to last year when 13 sold for an average of $16,846. This year 24 of the 30 failed to bring more than $25,000 while it was 12 of 13 last year. None of them sold for $50,000. Like Dragon Again, Yankee Cruiser is now in Ohio; he’s $500 cheaper at $4,500. And as is the case with Dragon, that Ohio eligibility can’t come fast enough.

Twenty-year-old Yankee Glide’s fee dropped from $15,000 to $12,500 in 2014, but, according to the Harrisburg results, he’s still no bargain. The colts and fillies that raise a stallion’s profile haven’t been there for him the last couple of years, and the older ones have also failed to step up. Sixteen averaged $27,406. A colt brought $120,000, but none of the others topped $50,000. Three quarters of them failed to bring more than $25,000. These aren’t numbers appropriate to a stallion standing for $12,500. Last year 15 averaged $37,733. On the other hand, In Lexington 28 averaged $42,679 with a full brother to Guccio selling for $200,000 and a full sister to All Laid Out bringing $140,000. Eight sold for $50,000 or more and a dozen failed to top $25,000. Nothing to brag about, but much better than what transpired in Harrisburg.

Joe FitzGerald

 

 

 

 

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