The Texas Summer Yearling Sale Aug. 26 at Lone Star Park saw the largest catalog of horses since the Texas Thoroughbred Association took over operation of the auction in 2016.
This year's yearling session had 234 head go through the ring with 181 selling for a total of $2,892,600, up from last year. The average came in at $15,981, and the median $7,500, both down from last year's smaller catalog of 187. Last year's total sales were $2,685,200 with an average of $18,910 and a median of $13,000.
"We expected the average and median to slip with a bigger catalog this year, so overall we are pleased with the results," said sales director Foster Bridewell. "We also had two six-figure horses last year to help boost the numbers as well. We had a big crowd on hand today, and the middle and higher-end market were strong, and our total sales were up."
The high seller was Hip 130, a Louisiana-bred colt by young stallion Aurelius Maximus that went for $95,000. The April 17 foal sold to Terry Stephens from the consignment of Scott Mallory, agent.
Aurelius Maximus, the leading second-crop sire in the Southwest region, is represented by one of the top horses to come out of the Texas Summer Yearling Sale in recent years in Secret Faith. The 3-year-old Louisiana-bred filly, who sold two years ago for $75,000 to Jayde Gelner from the Red River Farms consignment, is now a seven-time stakes winner with earnings approaching $500,000.
The sale-topping colt this year was out of the stakes-placed Too Much Bling mare Too Much to Bear, who has produced two winners, including $99,790-earner Mo Bling.
The high-selling filly was Hip 188, an Arkansas-bred filly by grade 1 winner Yaupon . She is the first foal out of Cara's Dreamer, a multiple stakes-placed mare by The Factor who earned $259,820. The filly sold to OCL (Abul-Keer Okab) from the consignment of Colin Brennan Bloodstock at Highlander Training Center, agent.
Following the yearling session, a short mixed session was held, topped by the Texas-bred gelding Bobby Brinkley, a 7-year-old son of Shanghai Bobby with earnings of more than $325,000, selling for $10,000.
SBM, agent, was the leading buyer with three purchases totaling $175,000. Colin Brennan Bloodstock at Highland Training Center, agent, was the leading consignor, selling 51 from his draft of 64 for $964,100.
This press release has been edited for content and style by BloodHorse Staff.
