TTA Announces Expanded $500,000 Stakes Program for Texas Sale Graduates

The Texas Thoroughbred Association is pleased to introduce a revamped Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity and the new Texas Thoroughbred Association Derby and Oaks, with purses totaling more than $500,000.

 

The races are restricted to horses that go through the ring at the upcoming Texas Summer Yearling Sale on August 30 or the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale this coming spring. Horses need not be Texas-breds to be eligible, and the new format eliminates the previous payment schedule.

 

“In the last two years, Texas Thoroughbred racing has shown a resurgence due to the increased purse money at Lone Star Park and Sam Houston Race Park,” said Mary Ruyle, executive director of the TTA. “To continue to build on that progress, the TTA has revamped the Futurity and created a Derby and Oaks with significantly increased purses for all those races. We look forward to our yearling sale on August 30. Our goal is to create greater value for breeders, consignors and buyers.”

 

The revamped Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity will feature divisions for 2-year-old fillies and colts/geldings with $150,000 guaranteed for each division. Both divisions will be run at 5 ½ furlongs on closing weekend of the 2022 Lone Star Park Thoroughbred meet. The races previously offered purses of approximately $100,000 apiece.

 

The new Texas Thoroughbred Association Derby and Oaks will be held at Sam Houston Race Park in 2023. The Derby and Oaks will be run on the dirt at a distance of one mile or more. Both races will carry purses of $100,000-added.

 

For more information on the races go to texasthoroughbred.com and for Texas Summer Yearling Sales information go to ttasales.com.

Consignor Incentive Program Announced for Texas Summer Yearling and Horses of Racing Age Sale

(Austin, Texas – April 16, 2020) – The Texas Thoroughbred Association is pleased to announce a consignor incentive program for the August 24 Texas Summer Yearling and Horses of Racing Age Sale at Lone Star Park. Thanks to the passage of H.B. 2463, which injects up to $25 million annually into the Texas horse industry, funds are available to rebate up to half of the $400 consignment fee for all horses passing through the ring, including horses not bred in Texas. Entries are due by June 15.

 

A similar incentive was previously announced for the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. That auction was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and all consignment fees were refunded. Instead of a live auction, horses entered in that sale are currently being showcased on the TTA Sales website with potential buyers being able to connect directly with consignors to negotiate private sales with no additional fees.

 

The Texas Summer Yearling Sale has traditionally included a mixed session for broodmares and weanlings, but for this year’s auction only, that format will change to a horses of racing age session focused on 2-year-olds. If there is sufficient demand, an under tack show may be added prior to the sale.

 

“We know that these are challenging times for horsemen, so in order to adapt to the current situation we rolled over the consignment incentive to this sale and changed the format to give consignors an option for selling 2-year-olds and other horses of racing age,” said Mary Ruyle, executive director of the TTA. “We had a record number of entries for the 2-year-old sale, so we expect to have strong participation in this sale as well. We are truly thankful for all the consignors and buyers that have helped make this such an important sale for the Southwest region.”

 

For more information about the sale, go to www.ttasales.com.

Fillies Set Pace at Texas 2-Year-Old Sale

After four fillies tied for the fastest time during Sunday’s under tack show at Lone Star Park, fillies again took center stage in Wednesday’s Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale with the five highest prices. The auction, sponsored by the Texas Thoroughbred Association and Lone Star Park, was held at the Dallas-area track.

From 110 horses going through the ring, 75 head sold for a total of $1,751,400. The median was $14,500, up 10.69% from last year’s $13,100, and the average dipped 9.27% from $25,737 to $23,352. Buy-backs at this year’s sale came in at 31.82% compared to 20.75% last year when 84 of 106 head sold for a total of $2,161,900. 

“Overall we were pretty pleased with the results,” said Tim Boyce, sales director. “I’m happy to see that the median jumped up. Last year we had four horses break $100,000 compared to two this year, so that affected the average a bit but there was strong demand in the middle of the market as evidenced by the median going up. I heard from several horsemen today who said they were impressed by the quality of horses brought by our consignors.” 

Hip 21, a daughter of Street Boss who worked an eighth-mile in :10.3 in Sunday’s under tack show, topped the sale with a $150,000 bid from Maui James. Consigned by Asmussen Horse Center, agent, the unnamed Kentucky-bred is the first foal out of the winning Successful Appeal mare I Have a Price.

Maui James was the leading buyer with two purchases for $203,000 with Danny Keene ranking second with four bought for $171,000. 

The second-highest price was for hip 131, All in Harmony. The Kentucky-bred filly by Palace Malice went for $140,000 to Carl R. Moore Management LLC from the consignment of Twin Oaks Training Center LLC, agent. She is out of the Tale of the Cat mare Cativating and worked a furlong in :10.3.

The highest-priced male, and sixth-highest overall, was hip 129. The Oklahoma-bred colt named Duffield and sired by Kennedy sold for $62,000 from Bryan Ford, agent, to John James. 

Complete results are posted at www.ttasales.com.

Louisiana-Bred Among Quartet of Fillies Tied for Fastest Time at Texas 2YOs in Training Under Tack Show

Four fillies clocked an eighth-mile in :10 2/5 on Sunday at Lone Star Park during the under tack show for the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale. The auction, originally scheduled for Tuesday, will be held this Wednesday at noon. The sale is sponsored by the Texas Thoroughbred Association and Lone Star Park.

“We saw some great times considering the track was a bit heavy from some significant rain last night, and early on during the under tack there was a pretty stiff head wind,” said Tim Boyce, sales manager.

The first horse to clock the co-fastest time of the day was hip 35, a Kentucky-bred from the first crop of Florida Derby (G1) and Donn Handicap (G1) winner Constitution. Consigned by Diamond C Racing Stables, she is out of the winning Henny Hughes mare Lil Red Cozette, whose only starter is a stakes winner by Graydar.

Hip 58, a Kentucky-bred daughter of Jockey Club Gold Cup (G1) winner Flat Out from the consignment of Bryan Ford, agent, equaled the fastest clocking. The March 4 foal is the second out of the Dehere mare Preciouspurplerain.

From the consignment of Twin Oaks Training Center, agent, hip 72 also joined the fastest group. The Louisiana-bred is from the second crop of Grade 2 winner Guilt Trip out of the Known Fact mare Seda Fina, whose offspring include multiple stakes winner Su Casa G Casa.

The final horse to work :10 2/5 was hip 133, a Texas-bred daughter of Grade 1 winner Twirling Candy, also consigned by Twin Oaks Training Center, agent. She is the first foal out of the winning War Front mare Clara Kelly.

 Prior to Wednesday’s sale, a pre-sale brunch will be held from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. in the sales pavilion with a complementary bloody marys and mimosas along with a selection of complimentary breakfast items and food for purchase.

Replays of the under tack show are available at www.ttasales.com.

Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale Moved to April 10

The Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, originally scheduled for April 9, has been moved to Wednesday, April 10, at 12 noon. The undertack show will be held on the originally scheduled date of Sunday, April 7, at 10 a.m. Both the auction and undertack show will be held at Lone Star Park, which co-sponsors the sale with the Texas Thoroughbred Association.

            “After talking with some of our major buyers, and confirming that our consignors were in support of the change, we decided to move the date back a day,” said Tim Boyce, sales director. “We think this new date on April 10 will allow as many buyers as possible to attend in person, and as always we will accept phone bids from those who cannot.”

            For more information about the sale, including replays after the undertack show and live video of the auction, go to www.ttasales.com.

More Than 135 Head Consigned to Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale

(Austin, TX — March 7, 2019) The Texas Thoroughbred Association, in partnership with Lone Star Park, has announced a catalog of more than 135 hips for the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale to be held Tuesday, April 9, at the Dallas-area track. The sale will start at 12 noon, with the undertack show set for 10 a.m. on Sunday, April 7, at Lone Star.

 

This year’s catalog is larger than last year, when a total of 106 horses went through the ring. The offering this year also features a stronger group of sires, with national stallions including Kitten’s Joy, Malibu Moon, Uncle Mo and Union Rags all included. As always, the majority of leading stallions in the Southwest region are also represented, including Astrology, Custom for Carlos, Half Ours, My Golden Song and Too Much Bling.

 

“Our consignors have really stepped up again this year and continue to bring better quality 2-year-olds, and I think the list of stallions in this catalog really proves that,” said Sales Director Tim Boyce. “I’m looking forward to seeing what these horses do in the undertack show.”

 

All sale graduates will be eligible for the Texas Thoroughbred Futurity, run in divisions for fillies and colts/geldings at $100,000-estimated apiece this summer at Lone Star.

 

“We’ve had horses from this sale win all around North America, but it’s a nice bonus for buyers to know that they can shoot for a big purse at Lone Star just a few months after the sale,” added Boyce.

 

The interactive catalog, which will include photos and videos after the undertack show, is now online at www.ttasales.com. The auction will also be broadcast live on the website.

Louisiana Bred filly by Louisiana Stallion Bind Tops Texas Juvenile Sale ~ Louisiana Breds Above Sale Average

Nineteen of Nineteen Louisiana Breds in the Sale, Sold in the Ring

A Louisiana-bred filly named Charlotte G by promising young Louisiana stallion Bind topped the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale at Lone Star Park on Tuesday, April 10, 2018. The April 30 foal from the Twin Oaks Training Center Consignment brought the hammer down with a $140,000 bid from Gary Simms, agent for M&M Racing.

Charlotte G was one of two horses to work the fastest time of :10.2 during Sunday’s under tack show at Lone Star. Bred by Thomas Galvin, she is the first foal out of the unraced Summer Bird mare Promise Me G, whose family includes Grade 3-winning Texas-bred Promise Me Silver. Her sire Bind (Pulpit-Check, by Unbridled) was the top freshman sire in Louisiana for 2017, and is currently the leading second crop sire in the state. Bind stands at Jay Adcock’s Red River Farms in Coushatta, Louisiana for a fee of $1,500 live foal.

All nineteen Louisiana bred two-year-olds that went through the sale, sold in the ring for a total of $611,200. The Louisiana bred average of $32,168 was well above the sale average of $25,737.

Texas Juvenile Sale Posts Increased Gross, Average Nearly Steady

(Austin, Texas – April 10, 2018) — Tuesday’s Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale on the grounds of Lone Star Park concluded with a sizable increase in gross sales and a slight decrease in average compared to last year’s smaller catalogue. A total of 106 horses went through the ring at the sale operated by the Texas Thoroughbred Association in partnership with Lone Star Park and 84 horses found new homes. Last year’s auction included 93 head with 70 selling.

Gross sales this year totaled $2,161,900, up 15.4% from last year’s mark of $1,873,900. This year’s average was $25,737, down 3.9% from last year’s $26,770, and the median slipped 18.2% from $16,000 to $13,100. Buybacks this year came in at 20.8% compared to 24.7% last year.   

“I was really pleased that we attracted a larger catalogue this year after last year’s successful sale, and it was great to see the average almost the same with a nice increase in the gross,” said Tim Boyce, sales director. “We had four horses sell for more than $100,000 with a Texas-bred, Louisiana-bred and two Kentucky-breds, so that shows the variety of quality offerings we had.”

A Louisiana-bred filly named Charlotte G by promising young Louisiana stallion Bind topped the sale with a $140,000 bid from Gary Simms, agent for M&M Racing. The April 30 foal was one of two horses to work the fastest time of :10.2 during Sunday’s under tack show at Lone Star. She is the first foal out of the unraced Summer Bird mare Promise Me G, whose family includes Grade 3-winning Texas-bred Promise Me Silver.

Three other horses cracked six figures, including a Texas-bred colt by Texas stallion Grasshopper who sold for $120,000 from Wolf Creek Farm, agent. Another purchase by Gary Simms, agent for M&M Racing, the colt is a full brother to multiple stakes winner Supermason, an earner of $331,985. He clocked an eighth-mile in :10.4.

Also selling for $120,000 was a filly by Uncle Mo who is a half sister to Grade 1 winner Romance is Diane and Grade 2 winner Romanceishope. Consigned by Inside Move Inc., agent, and purchased by Swan Equine Co., the Kentucky-bred worked :11.2 in the under tack show.

The other six-figure horse was a Kentucky-bred colt by Twirling Candy who sold for $110,000 to Susan Moulton from Twin Oaks Training Center, agent. The March foal covered an eighth-mile in :10.3 to tie for the second-fastest time.

Full results are available at www.ttasales.com.

Next up on the Texas sale calendar is the summer yearling sale on August 27.

Louisiana Bred Filly by Bind and a Munnings Colt Post Fastest Breezes for Texas Juvenile Sale

(April 8, 2018 – Austin, Texas) — A colt by Munnings and a filly by Bind both clocked a co-fastest eighth-mile in :10.2 during Sunday’s under tack show for the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale at Lone Star Park. The horses worked against a moderate headwind on a chilly day at the Dallas-Fort Worth area track in advance of the auction set for Tuesday at 12 noon Central.
“There were some impressive works today even if the times don’t fully reflect that,” said Tim Boyce, who manages the sale for the Texas Thoroughbred Association in partnership with Lone Star Park. “We had a good crowd on hand despite having temperatures in the 40s, and with a larger catalogue than we had last year we expect to see some new buyers on Tuesday. We’ve also upgraded our video services so that will be an enhancement that both buyers and consignors will see.”
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Denis Blake photo

Hip 94, a Louisiana-bred daughter of Bind named Charlotte G, was the first to work :10.2. The April 30 foal from the consignment of Twin Oaks Training Center, agent, is the first foal out of an unraced Summer Bird mare from the family of Texas-bred graded stakes winner Promise Me Silver.

Hip 95, an unnamed Texas-bred colt by Munnings, equaled that time over the Lone Star surface. Also consigned by Twin Oaks Training Center, agent, the unnamed March 18 foal is out of the stakes-placed Seneca Jones mare Proudtobeajones, who has produced four winners including $94,365 earner Proud Player.

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Mary Cage photo
Videos of the under tack show will be online this evening at www.ttasales.com, and live video of Tuesday’s sale will also be available on the website.
Click link below for a table of all breeze times