Juvenile Sales Scene Moves West to Barretts

"Location, location, location" may be a real estate and restaurant mantra, but it also applies to horse sales.

After several juvenile sales this year in Florida, buyers on the West Coast will get the chance to shop closer to home when Barretts conducts its select 2-year-old sale March 29 at Del Mar, the second year at that location.

A son of The Factor   purchased by Narvick International topped the 2016 edition, which saw 43 horses change hands for gross receipts of $5,356,000, an average price of $124,558, and a $100,000 median. The 21 that did not sell represented 33.8% of the 62 through the ring.

Becky Thomas and Willy North are among Florida consignors sending horses to California for the Barretts sale. Both have done so for years, though North is now selling under his own Starting Point Thoroughbreds banner.

Through agent Eddie Woods (who also has a consignment at this year's sale), North sold Danon Legend and Best Macho, now stakes winners in Japan, at previous March sales.

"We've been trying to pick the right horses for the right sales," said North. "You want to target the buyers and what they are looking for in California."

Thomas noted that in California, the Barretts sale attracts a large group of end-user owners. "People who are actually owners just walk in off the street," she said, citing the late Bob Lewis and Jess Jackson as prominent owners who made some of their earliest purchases at Barretts.

"I'm going to support a West Coast operation," Thomas said. "I think you're going to see some really good sales and some really good horses that come out of it."

Kim Lloyd, general manager of Barretts, is optimistic about the sale because of the quality group of horses assembled.

"I've watched them train all winter," Lloyd said. "Then to see them out here as they are getting ready to preview, it's just amazing how much they've grown up, how well they're doing, and how ready they are."

The Barretts catalog is smaller than the 2-year-old sales in Florida, with 134 cataloged in the original book and two supplemental additions. The sire power is strong, as evidenced by Thomas' group of horses by Midshipman  , Archarcharch  , and Orb   and North's juveniles sired by Scat Daddy and Malibu Moon  .

Thomas' Archarcharch filly is out of the D'wildcat mare Wild Forest Cat and is a full sister to Toews On Ice. A $340,000 buy-back at the 2015 March sale from the Brocklebank Training and Sales consignment, Toews On Ice won three stakes at three different California tracks in 2015, including the Bob Hope Stakes (G3), and last year's William Walker Stakes at Churchill Downs. He also owns the track record for six furlongs at Los Alamitos Race Course (1:07.79).

North's Malibu Moon colt is out of a mare who performed well in California. Indian Breeze, a daughter of Indian Charlie, captured the 2005 Landaluce Stakes at Hollywood Park and finished third in the 2007 Green Flash Handicap at Del Mar.

Ciaran Dunne, another Florida consignor who regularly patronizes Barretts, supplemented a son of Tapit   to the March sale. Now named Fiftyshadesoftapit, the son of the After Market mare Lady of Fifty was a $625,000 buy-back at last year's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling sale. Lady of Fifty spent her entire racing career in California, winning the 2013 Clement L. Hirsch Stakes (G1) and five other stakes.

In addition to the Floridians, California consignors include Excel Bloodstock, a partnership of Bruno DeBerdt, Angelo Ferro, and Larry Connor; Andy Havens' Havens Bloodstock Agency; and Adrian Gonzalez's Checkmate Thoroughbreds.

Barretts' graduates go back several generations. Havens sold Queenie Belle at the 1999 Barretts March sale, and she is now the second dam of 3-year-old filly sensation Unique Bella. Unique Bella's dam, 2010 Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic (G1) winner Unrivaled Belle, is not only out of Queenie Belle, her sire Unbridled's Song, was a $1.4 million graduate of the 1995 Barretts March sale.

Consignors are also coming from Arizona, Utah, and Pennsylvania. Lloyd said he was particularly pleased with more representation from the western part of the U.S., along with the strong group from Florida.

"We've had a year here at Del Mar," Lloyd said. "People are getting used to the Del Mar scene for the 2-year-olds in training sales. Our stabling is excellent, right across from the facility we're selling in. The track is wonderful. We're looking forward to a nice sale."