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Sires and Dams By. Nelson Dunstan- Breeders Expect Strong Summer Sales Yearling Market Hit Peak Last Season New Stallions Should Appeal to Bidders NEW YORK, N. Y., June 24. Recently in this column we sketched the effect that world depression had on the yearling market in the 1930s. This column will be on a happier note for it will deal only with the sales since 1952 and only at Keeneland Eynd Saratoga. A year ago, some 1,625 yearlings were sold in the United States and Canada for slightly over ,000,000, but of that total some ,850,000 went for colts and fillies who were offered at the two most important sales centers on the North American continent. Last year was one of the best that breeders have had in the matter of averages. At the Keeneland summer sales 344 head were sold for an average of ,940, and at Saratoga 272 changed hands for a mean of ,933. Many factors effect the yearling sales market and, although the cry of "over-iproduction" has been growing louder, it did not stop buyers from absorbing the of-ferings here and some even went to Europe in search-of babes to compete for the high purses of the current years. The sport has been constantly growing in popularity and the number of races of 5,000 to 00,000 value are so numerous we see no reason why the demand at the summer sales should not be strong and brisk. Note Increased Prices fpr Fillies Many changes have taken place in our markets in recent years. At Saratoga, the Aga Khan was a consignor for three years, but this season he decided to sell privately in Europe. Some breeders, however, will, offer imported youngsters at both Keeneland and Saratoga and . they should be as popular as those of "the Moslem ruler.- One of the biggest changes in our yearling sales Has been the increase in prices for fillies. In 1952, the gains for members of the weaker sex were over 12 per cent. A year later, 8,500 was the highest offer for a colt, but the same year, four fillies sold above that figure. It was different a year ago, for six colts went under the hammer to bring more than 0,-000 each, while the top price for a filly was 4,000, paid for a bay by Nasrullah China Face, by Display. Anyone glancing through the list of rich stake events now carded annually for fillies and mares will see the reasons for the demand in .recent years. Race tracks responded to the breeders plea of a decade ago and, as a result,, fillies arid mares no longer go begging iri " fact, in some years, they top the colts, as was the case in 1953. The worlds richest race for fillies and mares is the 10,000 Delaware Handicap to be run at the Wilmington track on July 2. Twenty years ago, breeders would nothave believed that such a race" was possible. There also have been decided changes in stallions during recent years. East season, Nasrullah, Royal Charger and Citation had colts and fillies who commanded huge prices. Due to the success of Nashua arid the Epsom Derby winner Never Say Die, Nasrullah had the highest-priced colt, a chestnut who brought 6,-000 from the Adams syndicate of Texas, and also the filly out of China Face who was sold to Pin Oak Farm for 4,000. He was represented by only four yearlings, but they brought the tremendous average of 0,375. Royal Charger was next, with six averaging 3,167. And seven by Citation. brought an average of 6,929. Citations averge was more than remarkable when it is considered, he was sending his first youngsters to the salesring. Nashua will naturally add to the popularity of Nasrullah this year and Swaps will do the same for Khaled, if any of his yearling are sold. Alibhai, Count Fleet, Heliopolis and Bull Lea followed the leaders, and breeders with their colts and fillies to offer can consider themselves fortunate, Alidon is just one of the Alibhais who have been making their way in the racing this year. Large Mereworth, Spendthrift Consignments The Breeders Sales Company is sending out catalogues for their sales at Keeneland late in July. Experts of the Fasig-Tipton Company are working on their catalogue, which will be issued for the Spa sales in August. Apparently the largest groups to be sold at Keeneland are those of Mereworth Farm and Spendthrift Farm, while at Saratoga Henry H. Knights Almahurst Farm dnd Larry MacPhails .Glenangus Farm will offer the greatest number. That the country is "yearling conscious" is very apparent. Numerous breeders are advertising. We shall give readers of this column our opinion of many colts and fillies that will be sold at both sales centers. In Maryland recently, we inspected the group that MacPhail will offer at Saratoga. Besides colts and -fillies by the good race horse General Staff, he has others that should have distinct appeal to bidders at the Spa ringside. Two of his top fillies, we think, are a chestnut by Princequillo rLittle Phoenix, by Challenger n., and a chestnut by Coaltown, out of Alibelle, by Alibhai. We will have more to say about this and other consignments in the weeks ahead.
