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Second highest gross recorded as sale concludes in Lexington on Tuesday
Four-year-old stakes winning broodmare prospect Lemieux (Nyquist) topped the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale when she was bought for $400,000 by Nice Guys Stables from the draft of Taylor Made Sales Agency as agent.
A stakes winner at two, Lemieux is a half-sister to the Grade 1 placed filly Brilliant Cut (Speightstown) while her second dam is Tap Your Feet (Dixieland Band), dam of five winners including Grade 1 winner Diamondrella (Rock Of Gibraltar).
The two day sale saw 402 horses sold for $14,105,200, the second highest gross in the sale's history, behind last year's record-breaking figures. The average finished at $35,088, third best in sale history and the median was $15,000, tied for third best historically to the $16,000 record for median set in 2014 and equaled last year. The RNA rate was just 13.9%, the second lowest in the past ten years.
"It was another solid day," said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning.
"I think that if you are trying to buy horses, you can buy the horses you want to buy, but you might have to pay a little more than you wanted to. If you're selling horses, if you've got quality, you're probably getting what you thought, maybe a little more. But there's no euphoria. I think it's a fair marketplace."
Lemieux was one of 15 lots to sell for $200,000 over the two days.
"The nature of our industry is pretty amazing," continued Browning.
"Generally, the attitude of most participants in the thoroughbred industry today, whether at the sales or at the racetrack, is overall positive. There's a sense of confidence.
"I think that the participants in our business are eternal optimists. Whether you're looking to buy one that wins Grade 1's or breed one that wins Grade 1's, we're all trying to create the magic."