Stonebridge Excel fetched the highest price during the opening session of the 2018 London Selected Yearling Sale.
Selling as Hip #24, trotting-bred filly Stonebridge Excel sold for $187,000 to Bill Donovan of Delray Beach, Florida with Rick Zeron signing the sales slip. Stonebridge Excel (Muscle Mass – Armbro Vanquish) is a half-sister to world champion, multiple stakes winner and stallion Manofmanymissions.
“She’s a really, really nice filly. I looked her over, Bill Donovan looked her over…he was very interested in her. I was too. I watched her videos and looked her over and thought she was just outstanding. A great big long body, and I think by having the Muscle Mass out of the mother instead of the Yankee Glide, it’s going to enhance this filly’s career.”
Zeron spoke the importance of having a stallion like Muscle Mass back in Ontario given the success the stallion has had on the Grand Circuit this year.
“It’s an honour to have him back. There were a couple of Muscle Masses selling in Kentucky [at the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale] and Ake Svanstedt just looked at me once and said ‘I wish he was back in New York’ so I’m extremely happy to have him back in Canada.”
On the pacing side, David Menary was the most interested in Hip 66, Shelton Seelster. A yearling from the first crop of former Menary pupil Hes Watching out of a sister to Little Brown Jug winner Mr Feelgood, Shelton Seelster was the highest priced pacing-bred yearling of the opening session, fetching a bid of $130,000.
A total of four yearlings hit the six-figure sales mark on Saturday. Pacing-bred filly Shiraz Seelster (Bettors Delight – Shakai Hanover) was a $107,000 purchase by Millar Farms of Stouffville, Ont. The bidding wasn’t chilly on Stonebridge Icicle (Bettors Delight – Glacier Express) as Blake MacIntosh went to $100,000 to successfully obtain the sharp yearling filly.
In front of a capacity crowd at the Metroland Media Agriplex, a total of 100 yearlings sold during the first session for gross sales of $2,870,000. That number substantially tops the $2.48 million gross from the 2017 sale with fewer yearlings sold. The average for the first day came in at $28,700, up 31 percent from the first-day 2017 average of $21,793.
Among stallions with multiple yearlings offered in the first session, Muscle Mass boasted the biggest average. His five yearlings averaged $67,000, while Bettors Delight was best among pacers with 10 yearlings averaging $55,600.
Karma Seelster topped the second and final day of the 2018 London Selected Yearling sale, auctioning for the second-highest price of the two-day session with a $127,000 tag.
Going as Hip #182 in the catalogue, Karma Seelster (Sportswriter-Kiddie Cocktail) sold to Gregg McNair. She’s a half sister to Kendall Seelster, who has earned over $500,000 so far in her career. Karma Seelster also was the only yearling to sell for over six-digits on the session.
Roger Mayotte purchased the highest-priced trotter of the Sunday session. Princesspartypants (Muscle Mass-No Magic To It), Hip #206, sold for $70,000. She’s a half sister to two earners of over $100,000 and is the third foal from her dam.
Just over 200 yearlings went through the second session grossing $4,194,800 and bringing the total gross sales to $7,064,800, an average of $22,644 from the 312 yearlings that entered the ring.
“I’m very happy with our $7-million gross and the average $22,644, just slightly below last year’s record yearling sale,” sale manager Ann Straatman said. “I’d like to thank our auction crew and our sale’s administration along with the numerous support staff for their tireless effort today. Best wishes to all buyers with their purchases and thank you to all who attended and participated in the bidding action.”
A total of 118 trotting yearlings and 194 pacing yearlings sold over the two days. Bettors Delight led pacing sires with an average selling price of $48,033 from 15 yearlings while Muscle Mass topped the trotting sires with an average of $34,569 from 29 yearlings.
“I would like to thank all the consignors who made this years London Selected Yearling Sale such a success,” said Dan Gall, President and CEO of Standardbred Canada. “And we wouldn’t have had the sale we had without the confidence of our buyers who continue to support and participate in our industry.
“A huge salute to Forest City Sales and especially Ann and her team for the leadership and expertise that was brought once again to our sale that made this a first class event”
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