Regional feel to Barretts sale

Barretts launches its 2018 sale season with its one-day January mixed sale in Pomona, Calif., on Wednesday, the first of five events on a revamped calendar.

This spring, Barretts will offer one sale of 2-year-olds in training at Del Mar on April 4 instead of the two offered in past years, when a select sale was held in March and an open sale in May. Later this year, Barretts will have a sale of racing stock in the paddock at Del Mar on July 25, a select yearling sale at Del Mar on Aug. 28, and a fall sale of yearlings and horses of racing age in Pomona on Oct. 16.

The 2-year-old sale in April is expected to have more than 120 horses and is positioned a week after the Fasig-Tipton sale at Gulfstream Park. Barretts general manager Kim Lloyd said he expects strong support from consignors for the April sale since they can focus on one event at Del Mar.

“It should provide a deeper and larger catalog,” he said. “It’s well timed for the consignors to get ready. It’s easy for local consignors.

“I think it’s a better deal for everybody. It saves expense for everyone to get ready for one sale and not two.”

Wednesday’s sale has a catalog of 188 2-year-olds, broodmares, racing prospects, a stallion, and yearlings. Kings River Ranch is holding a dispersal of 16 racing prospects.

The sale has a distinct regional feel, with support expected from consignors and buyers from California and other western states.

“We’re hoping to get horses sold and keep business booming for local folks and breeders,” Lloyd said. “It jump-starts their year and pays the way for the expense of doing business.”

The sale comes a week after a successful Keeneland January sale that had increases in gross and average prices compared to 2017.

“Everything has been on the up and up in the sale business,” Lloyd said. “The most important thing is to get horses sold.”

At the 2017 Barretts January mixed sale, 125 horses were sold for $995,800, an average of $7,966, according to Barretts data. The figures were lower than in 2016, when 143 horses sold for $1,188,000, an average of $8,308.

The leading hip last January was Cautious Giant, a 6-yearold gelding purchased for $55,000. He was later claimed for $62,500 at Santa Anita in March and for $16,000 at Gulfstream Park in September. Last month, Cautious Giant won the Claiming Crown Rapid Transit Stakes at seven furlongs at Gulfstream Park for his third win of the year.

In addition to the horse auction Wednesday, there are benefits on behalf of people affected by the wildfire that struck the San Luis Rey Downs training center in Bonsall, Calif.

A silent auction of racing memorabilia will be conducted in the restaurant adjacent to the sale pavilion, a sale of artwork will be held after the sale, and an auction of six no-guarantee stallion seasons to Can the Man, Danzing Candy, Sierra Sunset, Smiling Tiger, Stay Thirsty, Stanford, and Vronsky will be held midway through the sale. Stallion seasons will be offered via silent auction to Boat Trip, Metaboss, Richard’s Kid, Sierra Sunset, Tom’s Tribute, and Ultimate Eagle.

Proceeds will go to the California Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Foundation, which has administered funding for fire victims.

Barretts announced on Thursday through a statement released by the California Horse Racing Board that 10 percent of its commissions from Wednesday’s sale will be donated to the CTHF.