The two-day Fasig Tipton Winter Mixed Sale, February 6 and 7 in Lexington, Kentucky, wrapped up with strong numbers across the board.
Over the course of the two-day sale, 402 horses sold for $14,105,200, the second highest gross in sale history, behind only last year’s record-shattering gross. The average was $35,088, third best in sale history. The median was $15,000, tied for third best historically to the $16,000 record for median set in 2014 and equaled last year. The RNA rate was just 13.9%, the second lowest in the past 10 years.
From a Canadian standpoint there were a handful of buyers including SHIRLEY CAMILLERI, who owns Camhaven Farms in Caledon, ON with husband Tony. The Camilleris have grown their Camhaven into one of the top rehabilitation and training centres in Canada and they added to their small broodmare band this week.
Shirley signed the ticket for the impeccably bred AWESOME ELLE, an 11-year-old Awesome Again mare out of Canadian stakes winner and stakes producer Irish Cherry, for $100,000. The mare is in foal to top stallion Not This Time.
“Camhaven Farm/Malta Manors is taking a strong stance and trying to bring quality broodmares and young stock back to Canada,” said Shirley. “Awesome Elle is coming to Canada to foal.”
Camilleri said she has three other mares set to foal at Camhaven in foal to Knicks Go, Classic Empire and Shaman Ghost. She has two mares in Kentucky.
Awesome Elle, a winner, is a full sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Spun Sugar and Grade 1 winner Daaher. Her first three foals to race are winners.
Other Canadian buyers included:
NICK NOSOWENKO, who purchased the racing or broodmare prospect Brief, an unraced 4-year-old Quality Road filly, for $3,000;
Owner and trainer TONY GATTELLARO paid $2,500 for the broodmare prospect Map, a 3-year-old filly by Practical Joke;
STUART SIMON bought a short yearling by his former trainee Yorkton for $10,000. The Kentucky-bred filly is from the first crop of Yorkton, a multiple graded stakes winner by Speightstown.
DALE DESRUISSEAUX, who has been busy buying and selling this winter, purchased the unraced 3-year-old colt Legislator, a Kentucky-bred by Speightster for $15,000.
On the selling front, Ontario-bred stakes winner MISS SPEEDY, a daughter of Souper Speedy, sold for $120,000 to Newtown Racing as a racing or broodmare prospect. The full results are here.