First Barretts May Sale at Del Mare Ruled a Success

by Brian DiDonato

Thursday evening's Barretts May Two-Year-Old in Training Sale, the first since the sales company announced a permanent move from Fairplex in Pomona, CA to the Del Mar Fairgrounds, featured solid trade and a strong turnout as 92 juveniles changed hands for $4,199,000 in gross receipts. The sales average was $45,641, up 5.4% from last year's figure of $43,307. The $30,000 median was unchanged from 12 months ago, while the 24.6% RNA rate was slightly higher than the 23.1% buy-back rate recorded in 2014. A pair of older horses of racing age sold Thursday for a combined $17,000, but were not included in the statistics above. 

“We were very pleased with the turnout,” offered Barretts general manager Kim LLoyd. “Before the sale, there were concerns about how it would go over here with the attendance and people driving down, but we were overwhelmed with the participation by our buyers. It was the biggest crowd we've had in years, including anything we've done in Pomona. So, we're very thrilled with the turnout and the buying base was strong, too–the results speak for themselves.” 
In addition to a venue change, the 2015 May sale was pushed back two weeks from last year, when it occurred during GI Preakness S. week. 

“We were very happy with the timing of the sale–it worked out just fine,” Lloyd said. “In a new venue, we're working with the 22nd Agricultural District as the landlord of the Fairgrounds here, and they have a lot of events that have been here for a long, long time. So, we're kind of having to settle our schedule in between some events, but it turned out well. Going forward, we'll see how the dates shake out in the future.” 

Topping the one-day event was a colt by freshman sire J P's Gusto (Successful Appeal) who breezed Tuesday in :21 1/5 and was offered by Ciaran Dunne's Wavertree Stables, Inc., Agent III as hip 65. Bloodstock agent Dennis O'Neill scooped up the $35,000 OBSAUG yearling and $72,000 OBSAPR juvenile for $230,000. 

“When we bought him, we thought he was a very special horse,” said Dunne, who was selling on behalf of a group of partners operating as Avalanche Racing. “We gave good money for him [at OBS April]… One of the reasons that we keyed in on him was that he breezed later in the day at one of the late sessions at OBS and into a headwind. He worked really well–:21 4/5–but he didn't have what you'd call the most ideal of conditions. So, we thought he was a horse who didn't have to improve–all we had to do was get him under better circumstances and we thought he could move forward. Also, J P's Gusto ran out here, so we thought that might have a little bit of bearing.”

J P's Gusto, who now stands at Journeyman Stud in Ocala, won four stakes races as a juvenile in Southern California in 2010, including the GI Del Mar Futurity. 

Dunne's operation also sold the sale's second-priciest lot, a Kitten's Joy colt who was secured by Daniel Kramer for $225,000 (hip 138). A $125,000 OBS August yearling, the chestnut was a $185,000 purchase by trainer Peter Miller on behalf of Rockingham Ranch earlier this year at OBS March. He covered a furlong in :21 2/5 at the under-tack preview. 
“We might have been a hair disappointed in him,” Dunne admitted. “He's a really, really nice horse. He worked fabulously well and galloped out like a monster. He's a big, strong horse by as hot a stallion as you can get. I thought that horse could have possibly brought more because you have to think that sprinting on the dirt is probably not what he's made to do. I was a little disappointed that people didn't land on him more… I think the people who bought him got themselves a real bargain.” 

Asked to comment on the overall market, Dunne said, “It's the same as always. They queued up on what they perceived to be the good horses, but it was very difficult to move anything else… It's all or nothing, and that can be a little frustrating at times.” 

Of the new setting, he said, “Overall, I was very happy with the sale and the setting. We showed probably more than we have at any Barretts sale in quite a while. I was a little nervous coming down here that they'd be able to get the people out, but they did. They had a great turnout at the breeze show. Wednesday we were very, very busy at the barn and there was enough vetting to support a little bit of confidence that the sale was going to go well. And then, the people showed up on sale day. All the way around, I think it was a success.” 

For complete results, visit barretts.com. The next Barretts sale on the calendar will be the Paddock Sale of Horses in Training at Del Mar racetrack July 25.