October 01, 1996|By Tom Keyser | Tom Keyser,SUN STAFF
Prominent California horse owners Jan, Mace and Samantha Siegel bought the highest-priced yearling at yesterday's Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Eastern Fall Yearling Sale at the Timonium Sales Pavilion at the state fairgrounds.
The Siegels paid $170,000 for a Kentucky-bred bay filly by Wild Again out of Sweetly Decorated, by Well Decorated. The filly was sold by Muirfield East as agent. At the 1993 fall yearling sale at Timonium, the Siegels paid $25,000 for their outstanding filly, the Maryland-bred Urbane, winner of more than $1 million and two Grade I stakes.
Three other yearlings sold yesterday for more than $100,000: a Virginia-bred bay colt by Devil's Bag out of Dame Mysterieuse, by Bold Forbes, went for $140,000 to Buzz Chace for New Jersey owner Al Carpenito; the Maryland-bred bay colt Famous Decision by Quest for Fame out of Her Decision, by Judger, went for $120,000 to F. Eugene Dixon of Philadelphia; and the Kentucky-bred dark bay colt Roberta's Colony by Pleasant Colony out of Run Roberta, by Roberto, went for $120,000 to Ed Novak's New Farm in New Jersey.
In addition to bidding successfully for the four top-priced yearlings, out-of-state buyers also spent freely for lesser-priced yearlings, many of them Maryland-bred.
"These guys jump on a plane to spend two days here buying horses," said Josh Pons, president of the Maryland Horse Breeders Association.
"That means the breeding game in Maryland is being respected nationwide."
Buyers from Florida to Canada -- including Maryland -- paid $3,598,600 for 142 yearlings in yesterday's selected portion of the two-day sale.
That averages out to $25,342 per yearling, compared to $23,674 in last fall's yearling sale at Timonium.
"This continues a trend of recent years," said Boyd T. Browning Jr., secretary-treasurer of Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Inc., based in Elkton.
"The good horses sold very, very well. The bottom end was a bit weaker, and the mid-level horses remained stable."
The trend is nationwide. At the 11-day September yearling sale at Keeneland, Ky., prices for high-quality yearlings increased from last year and prices for lesser yearlings generally declined.
The average paid for a yearling at Keeneland was $46,742, nearly twice yesterday's average at Timonium.
The sale concludes today. About 240 yearlings temporarily stabled in Timonium stalls will be sold at auction beginning about 10: 30 a.m.
Pub Date: 10/01/96
