Opening day of yearling sale shows decrease

A full brother to world champion trotter Muscle Mass sold for $425,000 to trainer Jimmy Takter during Monday’s yearling sale at Harrisburg, but still the opening-day session resulted in an overall decrease of 30 percent from last year’s numbers. The sale grossed $16.1 million for the 367 yearlings sold, with an average of $44,039 compared to last year’s opening-day average of $62,361. In 2006, the opening day average was $54,178.

Takter purchased Muscle Massive, a son of Muscles Yankee out of the mare Graceful Touch. The colt was one of 34 horses that sold for $100,000 or more, down substantially from the 64 yearlings that topped six digits during last year’s opening-day session.

Also at the top of the list Monday was Ganache, a son of Credit Winner out of the mare Maple Frosting, and a full brother to multiple stakes-winning trotter Chocolatier and a half brother to Yonkers Trot winner Sugar Trader, who was purchased by John Carver for $350,000.

Among pacers, the opening-day sale topper was a half sister to the multiple stakes winners Cabrini Hanover, Cathedra Dot Com, The Preacher Pan and Western Shooter. Catechism Hanover, a daughter of Rocknroll Hanover out of the mare Cathedra, was sold for $260,000 to Steve Jones.

For the first day of the yearling sale, the average price for trotters was $45,836, down from $63,784 last year. The average pacer brought $42,570, down from $61,076 in 2007.

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