Wednesday’s Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale at Lone Star Park recorded the highest gross, average and median since the Texas Thoroughbred Association and Lone Star took over operation of the auction in 2016.
A total of 89 horses sold from 104 offered for total sales of $2,907,700, a 66% increase from the 2019 auction total of $1,751,400 (the 2020 sale was cancelled due to COVID-19). The average price this year was $32,671, a jump of 39.9% from the 2019 average of $23,352, and the median increased by 37.9% to $20,000 from $14,500. The buyback rate was 14.4%, compared to 31.8% in 2019.
“This was one of the best sales we’ve ever had at Lone Star Park, including the prior years with Fasig-Tipton,” said Tim Boyce, sales director. “We had a big crowd in the sales pavilion and lots of action with online bidding, so that speaks well about the demand for Texas-breds, Louisiana-breds, Oklahoma-breds and racehorses in general in this region. The increased purses and incentives in Texas have made the Southwest an even more desirable place to race than it already was.”
Hip 85, named The Reese Beast, brought a sale-topping bid of $240,000 from Austin Gustafson, agent. Consigned by Asmussen Horse Center, agent, the Virginia-bred Tiznow filly is out of the winning and stakes-producing Jump Start mare Delta Weekend. She galloped at the under tack show held Monday at Lone Star.
Two horses sold for $150,000 as the second-highest price of the sale, and both were Louisiana-breds consigned by Pike Racing, agent. Hip 36, a Louisiana-bred colt by Overanalyze, went to Highlander Training Center after working an eighth-mile in :10 2/5. The colt is a half brother to multiple Louisiana stakes winner Mirabeau. The fastest horse from the under tack show, hip 57 with a clocking of :10 flat, also brought $150,000 and sold to Wayne Sanders and Larry Hirsch. Named Wupkar, the filly is out of the Songandaprayer mare Anne Margaret, who has produced two stakes-placed runners.
Benchmark Training Center, agent, as the leading consignor by total sales at $622,700. Pike Racing was the leading consignor by average, with four sales for an average of $105,750.
For complete sale results, go to www.ttasales.com.