The fact that
this past weekend’s Canadian Yearling Sale at Flamboro Downs produced averages
half of what they were last year has sent shock waves through the industry.
Winbak of
Canada has six pacing stallions that stand for between $3,000 and $5,000:
Allamerican Native and Armbro Deuce for $3,000, Classic Card Shark and Vintage Master
for $3,500, Royal Mattjesty for $4,500 and Shadow Play for $5,000. Beyond that,
Badlands Hanover is $6,000 and Bettor’s Delight $14,000. And on the trotting
side, they have the Muscles stallion, Mutineer, for $3,000 and old standby,
Angus Hall, for $10,000.
Zeroing in
on the yearlings sold at the CYS by Winbak stallions—not necessarily by that
farm—we can clearly see the devastation wrought in one season. Last year at
this two-day sale, 21 Angus Hall yearlings brought $601,000, or an average of
close to $29,000. One filly sold for $97,000 and a colt went for $95,000. Nine
sold for $25,000 or more. Contrast that with this year, where 11 Angus Hall
yearlings brought $76,400, for an average of $6,945. So Angus Hall lost $22,000
in his average in one year. He did not have a particularly good year in the OSS
program, but…..
What about
Badlands Hanover? We’ve been hearing plenty about him. His book has been full
for three years running. This year’s freshmen are his first OSS group. Tarpon
Hanover and Love Canal got our attention early in the OSS season. What about
Slight Touch and No Secret. Eight Badlands yearlings sold for an average price
of a shade over $5,200. What? The top price paid was $9,500 for a colt.
Well, what
about new kid on the block, Shadow Play? He won the Jug, Adios and USPC. He
earned a million and a half dollars. This was an anticipated debut. Nine of
them brought $104,400, for an average of $11,600. A colt went for $15,500 and a
filly for $2,000. Suffice it to say, no one was knocked off their feet.
Six Royal
Mattjesty’s went for an average of $5,900; a pair of Armbro Deuce colts averaged
$3,150; Classic Card Shark sold one for $4,200; six Mutineers went for a $2,800
average.
These are
just some of the details of the disaster.
How about a
stallion that has been very successful in the OSS program and also produced GC
colts and fillies: Kadabra. Bee A Magician beat the vaunted To Dream On the
other night in the Peaceful Way. Knows Nothing has been an important player in
the OSS and open realms. Daylon Magician came back and wowed us with some fast
miles. If a stallion could hold up under this sudden difficulty, it would be
Kadabra. Last year at this sale, 19 Kadabras took in $530,700 for an average of
almost $30,000. His high was a $115,000 filly. Eleven Kadabras sold for $25,000
or more. Over the weekend a dozen Kadabras—four colts and eight fillies—brought
in $153,700, or an average of $12,800. There was no $100,000 filly this year, a
colt and filly for $23,000 a piece was the best he could do.
Mach Three
is another very successful OSS stallion. Eighteen Mach Threes—nine and
nine—brought in $676,000 at the Canadian Yearling Sale last year, for an
average of more than $37,500. This time around the thirteen Mach Threes—six
colts and seven fillies—sold for an average of $13,800. The high in 2011 was a
$140,000 filly, while a $44,000 filly topped the list this year.
The Jeremes
Jets were turning heads when they first appeared at the 2010 sales. They didn’t
do a whole lot on the track that first year but the buyers didn’t give up entirely
on them. Last year 25 Jeremes Jets brought in about $500,000 for an average of
almost $20,000. They weren’t going for 105, 90, 55 or 60 as was the case in
2010, but they made a respectable showing. This year reality’s hammer pounded
JJ on the head as seven of his yearlings sold for a disheartening average of
$4,500. The top seller was a filly who went for $10,000.
Apparently
members of the OLG are determined to remove Americans from the racing equation,
fearing that too many hard earned Canadian dollars are moving south. Dewey was
moved up to Westwind Farm in January, 2010 due to political paralysis on gaming
issues in Kentucky; I suppose Walnut Ltd. could take him back. Bettor’s Delight
was just relocated to Winbak from Blue Chip several months ago; I guess he
could go home. Winbak could take Badlands back to the states and Brittany could
recall Vintage Master. Dewey’s $20,000 fee and Bettor’s Delight’s fee of $14,000
probably won’t mesh very well with the new slim and trim Ontario Sires Stakes
envisioned by the government anyway.
Maybe
barring any horse owned wholly or in part by Americans from participating in
stakes races held in Ontario is the way to go. After all, that would mean more
money for the local voters. If that policy were in effect Saturday night, there
would have been a short field in the Canadian Trotting Classic, as Knows
Nothing and Prestidigitator would be the only two to qualify. And the latter is
owned by Quebecers, so they might not want him either.
Last year
there were some major adjustments made in stud fees:
-
Rocknroll dropped to $15,000
- SBSW went from twenty to fifteen.
- Western Terror from fifteen to ten.
- Muscles went from twenty to ten.
- Glidemaster from fifteen to $7,500
- Dragon Again from $7,500 to $6,000
- Four Starzzz Shark from six to four
- Tell All five to three
- Master Glide three to $1,500
What is
going to happen this year? Will filling the KYSS races merit Dewey hanging on
to that big number, in Canada no less? What about Donato? His sophomore crop
consists of Check Me Out and the gang that couldn’t trot straight. Twenty?
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