A millionaire’s brother Free as a girl offered $150,000 on August 26 to headline the Texas Summer Foal Fair, sponsored by the Texas Thoroughbred Association and held on the grounds of Lone Star Park. A total of 142 yearlings sold for $2,685,200, with an average of $18,910 and a median of $13,000. Forty-five yearlings were reported as unsold. Both the average and median prices increased from last year’s figures.
“We started strong from the start with a $150,000 horse in the first few minutes, and it was great to see the average and median improve from last year,” said Foster Bridewell, sales director. “The horse that topped the sale was a great horse, and we have a lot of quality horses in the sale. This bodes well for our 2-Year-Olds-in-Training Sale in the spring.”
From the Oakridge Farm consignment (Paul Pruett), the Louisiana-bred colt tops the sales. Agree went to Josh Stevens for Mansfield Racing. Classed as a Hip 7, the February 21-born colt is out of the winning mare Flashy Bull Glamorous pricesThere are five winners from assorted foals to the race, led by 5-year-old Free Like a Girl. The Louisiana-bred mare has amassed more than $1.9 million in earnings with 18 wins from 41 starts. Much of her success has come from other Louisiana stallions, earning her the 2022 Louisiana Horse of the Year title, but she has also excelled against other horses this year. She has been on the board in the Apple Blossom Handicap (G1) and La Troienne Stakes, and three days before the sale, she entered the winner’s circle after the $500,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town RacesThat win made her the all-time top money-maker in Louisiana.
The other horse that brought in six figures was Hip 176, a Louisiana-bred colt. Collected out of a race Candy Trip mare. She sold for $100,000 from consignment by Scott Mallory, agent, to SBM, agent for Ken Reimer.
While Louisiana stallions dominate the top selling spots, Texas stallions also attract attention, with two mares born in the Lone Star State and sired by a Texas stallion. Mr. Chairman sold for $60,000 each. The first foal sold was Hip 69, a foal born on March 18 from a productive mare. My Golden Song The mare has produced two winners in three foal races, including a horse that earned $330,561 and was the 2020 Texas Horse of the Year. Editing Consigned by Marjorie Farms, a dealer, she was purchased by Carl. R. Moore Mgmt.
The other Mr Speaker mare, consigned by Highlander Training Centre, agents, as Hip 184 and purchased by Josh Stevens for Mansfield Racing, was the winning mare and produced the Closing Argument Final report sold at the Texas 2-year-old horse auction in 2013.
A small mixed auction was held following the yearling auction, with nine bulls selling for $39,200.
Full results are available at www.ttasales.com.
This press release has been edited for content and style by the BloodHorse team.
