Barretts hosted its final auction Tuesday with the 2018 Fall Sale at the Fairplex Park in Pomona, CA. A total of 139 horses sold for $1,419,700 during the single-session auction.
“I felt the sale itself was pretty weak,” said Barretts General Manager Kim Lloyd. “The stronger out August Sale got, the weaker this sale got. Our select sale has gotten stronger every year and in turn this sale weakened every year. The horses perceived as less desirable are very hard to sell and we found that to be true [Tuesday].”
The sale was topped by stakes winner and Grade I-placed La Nez (Storm Creek) (Hip 313), who sold to bloodstock agent David Meah for $75,000. Dam of SP sophomore Tapit Today (Tapit), the 11-year-old mare is in foal to new California stallion Danzing Candy, a multiple graded-stakes winner and 'TDN Rising Star.'
“She was a great runner herself and we're big believers in new California Danzing Candy,” Meah said. “The 2-year-old is on the worktab at Belmont and looks to be nearing a race. In today's market, the price seemed to be fair.”
The top-priced yearling was Hip 210, a California-bred colt by Justin Phillip out of Country Whirl (Country Light), who summoned $57,000 from Nick Cosato. He was offered by Stormy Hull's Critter Creek Farm on behalf of Robin Mason's Carnation Racing Stable.
There were a pair of yearling fillies to hit $55,000 in Hip 188 and Hip 15. Purchased by trainer Peter Eurton and agent Larry Zap, Hip 188 is from the final crop of California stalwart Unusual Heat and out of the Runaway Groom mare Bel Air Belle. She was consigned to the sale by Harris Farms.
Hip 15, a daughter of Slew's Tiznow and the Mr. Greeley mare Grand Advice, was picked up by Tony Metaxas. The California-bred was consigned by Adrian Gonzalez's Checkmate Thoroughbreds.
This is the final auction for Barretts, which conducted its first sale in 1990. The Stronach Group and Fasig-Tipton will host a pair of auctions in 2019, a 2-year-old sale in June and a yearling sale in September.
When asked for his feelings on hosting his final sale, Lloyd said, “It was kind of an odd day, having it for the last time, but it's done and now it is gone. It is a shame to lose such a wonderful facility. Fasig will come in and do a fine job next year.”
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