Texas two-year-old sell-off confirms uptrend

For proof that HB 2463 is fulfilling its mission to grow the racing industry in the Lone Star state, the Texas Legislature only has to look at the Texas Thoroughbred Association’s 2-year practice sale at Lone Star Park on April 5th.

Starting in 2020, in accordance with HB 2463, a portion of the sales tax on horse food, equipment and other products for horses is used to replenish racing purses and provide funds for other incentives and events related to horses. More money meant more and better horses for auction.

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The 186 two-year-olds in the 2023 catalog are up from 144 last year and 122 in 2021, with the 2020 COVID-19 sale canceled. These 2-year-olds were the first to be born after passing HB 2463. . A flashy sale show, during which most horses will train on time, typically one-eighth of a mile, will take place on April 3 at Lone Star Park. The sale and breeze show is open to the public.

Photo: Courtesy of the Texas Thoroughbred Association.

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Landon Jordan said he attended his first horse sale at the TTA Biennial Sale two years ago. While he bought a pair of fillies in Ocala last year, the 2022 TTA biennial sale was Jordan’s day off to launch his Mansfield Racing Stable. He bought four horses, including the $200,000 top-selling Free Drop Maddy and the most expensive foal. Release McCracken for $125,000.

All four are winners and three have won at least twice. Kentucky-bred Release McCracken went on to win three consecutive victories, winning the Texas Thoroughbred Association Derby for US$100,000. Sam Houston Racecourse, March 25th. Louisiana-grown El Deal Me Aces ($78,000 purchase) won fair allowance while Cajun Krazy, son of 2017 Preakness winner born in Louisiana. Cloud computing is the first Fair Grounds winner purchased for $65,000.

“We are thrilled with what we did there,” Jordan said of the horses he bought at the Texas Yearling Summer Sale last August. “We have a lot that we are really happy with. Obviously, we will return to the sale of two years ago. It was a damn good sale for us… I think if you’re starting out, it’s much easier to go to a region, buy at a sale like TTA, because you’re going to be running in Texas, Louisiana, Oklahoma, maybe Arkansas. to use them in these TTA sales races. You kind of protect yourself.”

Since buying his first horses a year ago, Jordan now has 14 horses, half of which are 2 years old.

“It was a great sale for everyone, both shippers and buyers,” Jordan coach Bret Calhoun said. “I think there is a horse for everyone in every price range. Texas breeds were held in high esteem because foal yields were smaller and purse structure grew. and you’ll pay a premium for a good one.

“You have other benefits for the horses in this sale. You have a very popular Futurity, Texas Stallion Stakes sale. There are a huge number of Louisiana horses, and there is also a large market for them. While shopping at the Texas and Louisiana sales, some Louisianans brought in their best horses and they sold very well. Fine. You can benefit from this sale.”

Photo: Courtesy of the Texas Thoroughbred Association.

Filly Free Drop Billy featured as a breeze of Hip 134 during Under Tack 2022

Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, the first coach in North America to reach 10,000 wins, agreed.

“This sale resulted in a nice little resurgence, a direct result, I guess, of the Texas purse replenishment that the state provided,” he said. “Last year it came out to be very solid racehorses, and this year it’s the book with the best bloodlines.”

While Asmussen is at the sale to buy, his family will be selling there.

Just under 20% of the horses in the catalog are sold by the Asmussen Horse Center to their customers, with 36 horses leading the way in the original catalog. This is almost twice as much as last year in Laredo. It reflects the offspring of Texas stalwarts such as Too many trinkets as well as noteworthy Kentucky producers such as uncle mo , matte , Munnings and the late Bernardini, as well as a promising young stallion City of Light . But even more important to Keith Asmussen, patriarch of the first thoroughbred racing family and Steve’s father, is the physique of young men.

“We will have good horses with fast work,” he said. “We’re not the type to go to extremes, but we like to show off our abilities.”

Asmussen said that more of his clients are choosing to foal their mares in Texas to receive accredited Texas breeds. Others also want to sell at TTA auctions, and he sees that future sales will only improve as these Texas colts reach racing age. Forty-four of the 316 registered 2021 Texas foals are in the 2023 sales catalog, not counting those that may be additional entries.

“Naturally, there will be more money out of it, more of everything – and especially better horses,” said Keith Asmussen.

Productive stallions Tapiture (Multiple Kentucky Stakes Winner), 1st Class Winner El Deal (Louisiana) and 1st grade father Order for Carlos (Louisiana) tops the catalog with six members. Other outstanding racehorses and proven sires represented by their descendants include the 2018 Triple Crown winner. Justify , golden bolt , Classic Empire , good magic , Kantharos Malibu Moon, midshipman And Draw .

First Harvest Stallions Well Represented by Champions Wine Rosso And Mitole as well as 1st place winners catholic boy And Yoshida . Also with offspring in the catalogue: five-time 2nd class winner Catalina Cruiser ; major winners copper bullet And Maximus Prank (son of the world famous manufacturer into mischief ).

Photo: Courtesy of the Texas Thoroughbred Association.

(LR) Mark and Laurie Collinsworth with Mr. Speaker at Paluxy Farm Forks

As always, the catalog features stallions from Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma, including the leading Texas stallion. bradester . In his second season at the Texas Stud at Forks of Paluxy, he won the 1st class. Mr Speaker already the sire of two first class winners, has an accredited Texas filly She Speaks for sale as a Hip 103 shipped by the Asmussen Horse Center.

Mark Collinsworth, who along with his wife Laurie bought and acts as Mr. Speaker, will participate in the sale as a buyer and seller. He expects to buy some fillies, which they will eventually be able to cross with Mr. Speaker. Collinsworth is also a minority partner in CJ Thoroughbreds hook and line business, which will sell a handful of horses bought last summer at one year old.

“These sales are great,” Collinsworth said. “There is so much enthusiasm right now, just with the house bill they passed a few years ago that redirected $25 million into the Texas horse industry. There are many positive signs for this sale and there are some
There are some very beautiful horses. The Texas Thoroughbred Association has done a great job. All owners and breeders have stepped up.”

Last year, the auction sold 88 horses for a total of $3,050,700, compared to 89 horses sold for $2.91 million in 2021, a TTA-led sales record at the time. The median price in 2022 was $34,667, with an average of $28,000 compared to $32,671.
and $20,000 in 2021.

Accredited Texas breeds have proven to be a hot commodity. Overall, the 31 Texas two-year-olds sold at auction last year, most but not necessarily all at the TTA sale, averaged $47,506. That’s a whopping 60% more than the then-record $29,674 for 23 Texas 2-year-olds sold at auction in 2021.

“This is the largest catalog we’ve had in a while,” said Al Pike, whose Opelousas, Louisiana-based family company Pike Racing became a top supplier last year with $664,000 in total sales. “There seems to be a good market for the right horses there. I think we will bring a really good band that will be well received. For the first time in a long time we have some really good Texas horses. We have good Louisiana breeds. We try to find something for everyone.”

The 2023 Training Sale Catalog can be downloaded at www.TTASales.com.

This press release has been edited for content and style by the BloodHorse staff.