Horsepeople flocked to the Champions Center in Springfield, Ohio on Tuesday (May 14) seeking racehorses and breeding stock among nearly 400 catalogued horses. The sale was virtually tied with last year as the best Blooded Horse Spring Sale in its 56-year history with a lot of happy sellers, and buyers that were grateful to get horses to stock their stables.
The Burke Racing Stable brought an especially strong consignment that included five of the top 10 sellers. Leading the way at $65,000 was consistent Preferred pacer Arthur Pendragon. Mark Wright of Frankfort, Ky. had the winning bid on the handsome son of Dragon Again. Next in line was solid conditioned pacer Cheese Melt, fresh off a 1:51.2 win at Northfield Park. Fred Linz of Indiana signed the ticket for the four-year-old son of Betterthancheddar for $62,000. Other heavy hitters in the Burke consignment were conditioned pacers Reagans Avenger and Aleppo Hanover, purchased by Rick Bucci for $42,000 and $32,000 respectively, along with Fordham Sixty Two, who was picked up for $35,000 by Allard Racing. The consistent young trotter Lion King AS from the Ruddick Stables also went to Allard Racing on a $37,000 bid.
A potential story in the making was the purchase of Indiana Sires Stakes-eligible Mr Bigly by 15-year-old Breana Carsey (of Ohio champion MJB Gotta Have Faith fame) and her dad Brian for $47,000. The precocious son of Always A Virgin came from an Emerald Highlands Farm consignment that also featured the competitive four-year-old mare McPansy purchased by A Piece Of Racing for $40,000.
The Summer Blooded Horse Sale will be held Aug. 27-28. This sale includes a black-type yearling session in addition to several hundred racehorses. The black-type yearling session closes July 1. Mixed entries will be taken until full. Visit www.bloodedhorse.com to enter or order a catalogue.
(Blooded Horse Sales)