Multiple stakes-winning trotting mare Southwind Tesla fetched the highest price at the 2019 January Select Mixed Sale at the Meadowlands on Monday (January 21).
A familiar face on the Woodbine Entertainment circuit over the past three seasons, five-year-old Southwind Tesla (Chapter Seven - Southwind Sauna) compiled a 7-6-7 record from 39 lifetime starts and banked more than $240,000 for trainer and co-owner Rene Dion. At three, Southwind Tesla took her mark of 1:54 in winning a division of the Casual Breeze at Mohawk.
Consigned in the January Select Mixed Sale by Preferred Equine, Southwind Tesla was eventually collared for a session-high $152,000. Mario Zuanetti's Atlantic Trot Inc. signed the sales slip as agent on behalf of Hickory Lane Farm. The plan is to breed the mare to Tactical Landing, according to Zuanetti.
“I like her, excellent pedigree,” Zuanetti said. “The cross is great, Chapter Seven, so I think she will have a great-looking foal.”
While two of the higher-profile entries in the Magnificent Mares section -- O'Brien Award winner Bettors Up and stakes winner Seviyorum -- were both withdrawn from the sale, a number of recognizable performers surpassed six-figure sale totals.
Maroma Beach, a Graduate Series leg winner in 2018 for trainer Ron Burke with a mark of 1:50 and more than $171,000 in earnings, was purchased by Adriano Sorella of Milton, Ont. for $140,000.
“There’s only so many good ones in the sale, right?” Sorella said. “Racehorses are hard to find right now, so you’ve got to spend the money.
“We buy a lot of babies and those are easy to buy, but every year you’ve got to support your stable and you’re going to need these types of horses.”
Sorella said Richard Moreau would train Maroma Beach.
“I aim to race at Mohawk and he’s a nice, big-sized horse,” Sorella said. “You kind of need a nice, big-sized horse to get around the track there. He’s been a nice horse, who was good in the Burke barn.
“I asked Richard ahead of time, I said, ‘Give me your three best horses at this sale’ and he gave me two. This was on the top of his list, so I said, ‘Alright.’ If we’re going to buy two horses and spend $60,000 on one and $70,000 on another, we may as well just get this one and whatever it costs, it costs.”
Babes Dig Me, a four-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere that competed in many of the major sophomore stakes in 2018, was purchased by Rich Banca of Franklin Lakes, N.J. for $120,000. Babes Dig Me took a mark of 1:52.2h with a win in his Messenger elim for trainer Tony Alagna, and boasted a best beaten time of 1:47.4 with his third-place finish behind stablemate Stay Hungry in the Cane Pace.
Also from the Alagna barn, Captain Deo was purchased by William Hartt of Carmel, Me. for $115,000. The regally-bred four-year-old son of Somebeachsomewhere - Worldly Beauty won four races as a sophomore, with a mark of 1:50.2 taken at The Meadowlands and a best beaten time of 1:47.4 over that same surface.
Sub-1:50 record performer Clouseau Hanover got his fair share of attention in light of his recent strong performances for trainer Ron Burke in the Preferred ranks at The Meadowlands. Thomas Pollack of Venetia, Penn. plunked down $112,000 to secure the five-year-old gelded son of Western Ideal.
The final horse to fetch a six-figure price tag during the Monday sale just reached that number as The Wayfaring Man was purchased by Allard Racing of Quebec for $100,000. Now seven, the former WEG circuit regular recently concluded his second straight $100,000 season for trainer and co-owner Burke while competing at tracks in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
For complete sale results, click the following link: 2019 January Select Mixed Sale Results.
(With quotes from USTA)