While the $1,575,000 bid by Todd Pletcher on the daughter of Medaglia d’Oro and Wait a While exceeded last year’s high bid of $1.2 million, the overall sales numbers at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion were down compared to 2011, in part due to a slow start Monday. Gross sales over the two-day period declined 2.7 percent compared to 2011, from $32,892,000 last year to $32,000,000 for 2012.
Monday sales at Fasig-Tipton totaled $13,590,000 over 52 horses sold, as compared to the $16,155,000 spent across 49 yearlings in 2011. But wallets opened up dramatically Tuesday evening, with 55 Thoroughbreds selling for a combined $18,410,000, as compared to $16,737,000 over 54 horses last year.
The average sale price for 2012 declined 6.3 percent to $299,065, compared to 2011, while the median price dropped 10 percent to $225,000.
While 103 horses were sold in 2011, 107 horses were bought in 2012, translating into a 3.9 percent increase. The buy-back rate also increased from 22 percent to 34 percent. A total of 55 horses went unsold, compared to 29 unsold Thoroughbreds in 2011.
The biggest spender at the 2012 sales was none other than manager John Ferguson, who put down $3,325,000 for eight yearlings. Though Ferguson was the biggest buyer at the sales, the number pales in comparison to 2011, when Ferguson purchased 13 horses for $8,530,000.
The next highest bidder was Sheikh Hamdan of Shadwell Estate Co. (brother of Sheikh Mohammed), who spent $1.5 million across three yearlings.
Following Pletcher’s $1,575,000 purchase of the gray/roan filly, the next highest-selling yearling went for $1.2 million to Ferguson on a Thoroughbred sired by Street Cry. Stonestreet and George Bolton were listed as the buyer of the third-highest selling horse of the sales, a $1.1 million purchase on a horse sired by Empire Maker.
Pletcher, Ferguson, and Stonestreet and George Bolton were the only buyers to spend seven-figures at the sales.
Fasig-Tipton will begin their New York-bred selected yearling sales in Saratoga Springs Saturday, August 11 – Sunday, August 12.
