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SALES PAVILION RENAMED TO HONOR RETIRING TTA EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

by Posted in 2-Year-Old Sale, Yearling Sale

The Texas Thoroughbred Association is pleased to announce the renaming of the sales pavilion at Lone Star Park to honor the retiring of long-time executive director, Mary Ruyle.

“There is not enough we can do to show Mary how much the Texas thoroughbred industry appreciates her years of hard work and dedication.”  Said Phil Adams, the TTA board member who coordinated the renaming effort.

Mary Ruyle has a distinguished history with the Texas Thoroughbred Association.  She began as a bookkeeper in 1988 and subsequently worked as membership coordinator, accreditation manager and office manager before becoming executive director.

Her 36 years at the TTA have made her the longest-tenured employee in the history of the association.

After Fasig-Tipton withdrew from Texas in 2015, Mary was instrumental in establishing the TTA Sales division and operating two auctions annually. During her time at the TTA, important programs like The Paddock Foundation for retired racehorses and the Texas Thoroughbred Educational Fund for scholarships were established. She also worked to establish the Clarence Scharbauer Jr. Texas Stallion Stakes Series and special races for TTA sale graduates.

“I was surprised and touched by this gesture from the board of directors” was the reaction from Ruyle.  “I love the sales, for me it is old home week where I get to see so many of the people that make horse racing special.”

The Texas Thoroughbred Association Two-Year-Old In Training sale on April 2, 2025 will be the first event held at the newly renamed pavilion.

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Texas Summer Yearling Sale Set for August 26 at Lone Star Park

by Posted in Yearling Sale

The Texas Thoroughbred Association has announced that the 2025 Texas Summer Yearling Sale will be held Tuesday, August 26, at 10 a.m. at Lone Star Park. A limited mixed session will follow the yearling session.

“We’ve already had people asking about the yearling sale, so we are pleased to get the date set and start preparing for another successful auction,” said Sales Director Foster Bridewell. “The yearling sale has produced some tremendous racehorses over the years, including the latest example in Coal Battle.”

A $70,000 graduate of the 2023 yearling sale, Coal Battle is already a millionaire and currently tops the Road to the Kentucky Derby point standings with 70 after taking the $1.25 million Rebel Stakes (G2) last month at Oaklawn Park. The son of Louisiana stallion Coal Front was purchased by Power Racing from the consignment of Red River Farms.

The consignment deadline for the yearling sale is June 24, and forms are now available online.

Next up on the sale calendar at Lone Star Park is the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale on April 2. The breeze show for that sale will be held March 31. Five supplements were recently added for the 2-year-old sale.

For more information, go to www.ttasales.com.

Catalog Now Online for Texas 2-Year-Old Sale at Lone Star Park

by Posted in 2-Year-Old Sale

A total of 94 horses have been consigned to the Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale set for April 2 at 10 a.m. at Lone Star Park, and the interactive sale catalog is now online. The breeze show is scheduled for March 31 at 8 a.m. at the Dallas-Fort Worth area track. CLICK HERE to view the catalog, or CLICK HERE for information about online bidding.

Online bidding will be offered for the auction, which is operated by the Texas Thoroughbred Association, and supplements are still being accepted.

“Consignors have consistently been bringing quality horses to our sales, and that’s been proven over and over on the racetrack,” said Sales Director Foster Bridewell. “We had 2-year-old sale graduate Frost Free win the Grade 3 Chick Lang Stakes on Preakness Day at Pimlico last year, and yearling sale grad Coal Battle is already a millionaire and on the road to the Kentucky Derby after winning the Grade 2 Rebel Stakes last weekend.”

As usual, horses bred in Texas and Louisiana are strongly represented, along with those in Kentucky, Arkansas and Oklahoma, among others.

Leading regional stallions with offspring in the sale include Aurelius Maximus, El Deal, Gormley and Star Guitar. Top Kentucky stallions represented include Frosted, Goldencents, Good Magic, Hard Spun, Into Mischief, Liam’s Map, Maclean’s Music, Omaha Beach and Union Rags.

The sale offers buyers a chance for a quick return on their investment with two divisions of the $150,000-added Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity on July 5 at Lone Star Park. Sale graduates will also be eligible as 3-year-olds to compete in the $100,000-added Texas Thoroughbred Association Derby and Oaks at Sam Houston Race Park in 2026.

2025 Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale Set for April 2 at Lone Star Park

by Posted in 2-Year-Old Sale

The Texas Thoroughbred Association has announced that the 2025 Texas 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale will be held on Wednesday, April 2, at 10 a.m. on the grounds of Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie. The breeze show is set for Monday, March 31, starting at 8 a.m.

Last year’s sale posted strong results with an average price of $34,367 and median of $24,500. That sale was topped by a Texas-bred son of Street Boss who sold for $265,000.

Just like the 2-year-old sale, this year’s summer yearling sale posted gains compared to the previous year, continuing the upward trend for the Southwest’s largest auction.

“We’ve already had a lot of people asking about the 2025 2-year-old sale, so I anticipate the interest in this auction will be strong,” said Foster Bridewell, sales director. “We have the $100,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Derby and Oaks coming up in March at Sam Houston Race Park for sale grads, and those races have proven to a showcase for the talented athletes available at both of our sales.”

Consignment forms are available by clicking here.

Full Brother to Top Louisiana-Bred Free Like a Girl Tops Texas Sale, Average and Median Rise

by Posted in Yearling Sale

A full brother to millionaire Grade 1 runner Free Like a Girl brought a bid of $150,000 on Monday to top the Texas Summer Yearling Sale, which was sponsored by the Texas Thoroughbred Association and held on the grounds of Lone Star Park. A total of 142 yearlings sold for $2,685,200 for an average of $18,910 and median of $13,000. Forty-five yearlings were reported as not sold. The average and median were both up compared to last year’s figures.

“We started out strong right out of the gate with a $150,000 horse in the first few minutes, and it was great to see the average and median improve over last year,” said Foster Bridewell, sales director. “The sale-topper is an outstanding horse, and we had plenty of quality throughout the catalog. This bodes well for our 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale coming up in the spring.”

From the consignment of Oakridge Farm (Paul Pruett), the sale-topping Louisiana-bred colt by El Deal went to Josh Stevens for Mansfield Racing. Cataloged as Hip 7, the February 21 foal is out of the winning Flashy Bull mare Flashy Price, whose five winners from as many foals to race are topped by the 5-year-old Free Like a Girl. That Louisiana-bred mare has racked up earnings of more than $1.9 million with 18 wins from 41 starts. Much of her success has come against fellow Louisiana-breds, which earned her 2022 Louisiana Horse of the Year Honors, but this year she has also excelled against open company. She hit the board in the Grade 1 Apple Blossom Handicap and Fasig-Tipton La Troienne Stakes, and three days before the sale she landed in the winner’s circle after the $500,000 Misty Bennett Pink Ribbon Stakes at Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. That victory made her the all-time leading Louisiana-bred earner.

The other horse to bring six figures was Hip 176, a Louisiana-bred colt by Collected out of an unraced Candy Ride (Arg) mare. She sold for $100,000 from the consignment of Scott Mallory, agent, to SBM, agent for Ken Reimer.

While Louisiana-breds filled most of the top-selling spots, Texas-breds also attracted attention as two fillies foaled in the Lone Star State and sired by Texas stallion Mr. Speaker sold for $60,000 apiece. The first to sell was Hip 69, a March 18 foal out of a productive My Golden Song mare who has produced two stakes winners from three foals to race, including $330,561-earner and 2020 Texas Horse of the Year Redatory. Consigned by Marjorie Farms, agent, she was purchased by Carl. R. Moore Mgmt. LLC.

The other Mr. Speaker filly, consigned by Highlander Training Center, agent, as Hip 184 and purchased by Josh Stevens for Mansfield Racing, is out of the stakes-winning and stakes-producing Closing Argument mare Closing Report, who sold at the Texas 2-year-old sale in 2013.

A small mixed dispersal was held after the yearling session with nine head sold for $39,200.

Click here to view complete results.

More Than 200 Cataloged for Texas Summer Yearling Sale

by Posted in Yearling Sale

A catalog of 207 yearlings has been released for the upcoming Texas Summer Yearling Sale, presented by the Texas Thoroughbred Association. The sale is set for August 26 at 10 a.m. Central at the sales pavilion on the grounds of Lone Star Park at Grand Prairie. CLICK HERE to view the catalog.

The sale will also include a special dispersal of horses consigned by CS Sales, agent for Three Feathers Farm. The dispersal, which includes weanlings and broodmares, brings the total number of horses entered in the sale to 217.

“I’m pleased with both the quantity and quality of the yearlings in this year’s catalog,” said TTA Sales Director Foster Bridewell. “We came down a bit in the total number compared to last year’s near-record entries, but we really have some quality individuals in this offering and the entire region is well represented.”

There are 91 Louisiana-bred yearlings in the sale, along with 48 Texas-breds, 32 Arkansas-breds and 18 Oklahoma-breds. Among the accomplished regional and national sires represented are Competitive Edge, El Deal, Goldencents, Mr. Speaker, Practical Joke, Star Guitar, Street Boss, Tapiture, Thousand Words, Vekoma, Volatile and Yaupon. A slew of first- and second-crop sires are also represented.

“We’ve already seen a lot of success on the track from graduates of last year’s yearling sale, including Secret Faith and Ring Seeker taking divisions of the $150,000 Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity earlier this month at Lone Star Park,” Bridewell added. “And we’ve had a great response to the $100,000 TTA Derby and Oaks at Sam Houston Race Park that we added to give our sale grads even more stakes opportunities.”

Last year’s catalog included 264 yearlings, which was close to an all-time high for the sale.

The TTA will again host its popular pre-sale party on August 25 in the Alysheba Room at Lone Star Park starting at 5:30 p.m. All buyers, consignors and horsemen are welcome to attend.

Printed catalogs will be mailed soon, and an interactive version with photos and videos for selected hips will be available at www.ttasales.com. The full PDF catalog is available online now. The sale will be live streamed on the TTA Sales website and online bidding will be available.

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Texas-Bred Colt Tops The Texas Two-Year-Old Sale

by Posted in 2-Year-Old Sale

A Texas-bred Street Boss colt topped the 2024 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale when the hammer fell at $265,000.

Photo: Olivia Friesen / TTA Sales

Consigned by Pike Racing at Highlander, agent, as hip 28, the colt, who is the first foal out of a Gemologist mare, was purchased by Tracy Williams. The colt, who was bred in Texas by Stoneview Farm, tied for the co-fastest breeze on Monday at Lone Star Park, stopping the clock in 10.1 for the 1/8th of a mile.

“That colt was well-meant all week leading up to our breeze show and when it was go time on Monday, he certainly laid it down,” TTA Sales Director Foster Bridewell said. “His 10.1 early in the day on Monday held up, then Tuesday he showed well at the barn, and Wednesday the buyers were ready to take their swing.”

Hip 26, a Texas-bred filly by Vino Rosso, was the highest priced filly at $170,000 Wednesday, and second highest priced horse for the sale. Consigned by Asmussenequine.com as agent, the filly, who was bred by Eric and Randi Moreau-Sipiere, breezed 10.2 for the 1/8th on Monday and was purchased by Whispering Oaks Farm, Coteau Grove Farms, Jackpot Farm, and Bill & Corinne Heiligbrodt. That same partnership also purchased hip 49, a Texas-bred filly by Cinco Charlie from the Asmussen Horse Center consignment, for $100,000.

“We’re obviously very grateful to our owners, breeders, consignors and their teams, and our buyers for helping make this 2024 sale a success,” Bridewell said.

In total, 64 horses sold for $2.199M in total sales. The average sale price was $34,367 and the median price was $24,500, both of those numbers were up compared to the 2023 sale.

Click Here for Full Results

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Six Tie for Co-Fastest Breezes in Texas

by Posted in 2-Year-Old Sale

(Grand Prairie, Texas) Six juveniles registered 10.1 breezes on Monday at the 2024 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale under tack show at Lone Star Park.

Facing a head wind all day at Lone Star Park, the six two-year-olds who stopped the clock in 10.1 are:

  • Hip 2:   Filly by Daredevil out of Chapellerie (IRE) (Acclamation); consigned by Pike Racing at Highlander, Agent
  • Hip 28: Colt by Street Boss out of Gemmizell (Gemologist); consigned by Pike Racing at Highlander, Agent
  • Hip 36: Filly by Outwork out of Hana Highway (Quality Road); consigned by Pike Racing at Highlander, Agent
  • Hip 42: Colt by Aurelius Maximus out of Katie Get Excited (Stevie Wonderboy); consigned by Pike Racing at Highlander, Agent
  • Hip 49: Filly by Cinco Charlie out of Loop Twenty (Heckle); consigned by Asmussen Horse Center, Agent
  • Hip 77: Filly by Cutting Humor out of Rita’s Fifty Seven (Ready’s Image); consigned by Bryan Ford Training Stables LLC

“Overall, it was a great breeze show,” TTA Sales Director Foster Bridewell said. “We had a head wind all day and the horses handled well. We had six tie for the fastest breeze of the day and many others stopped the clock in 10.2 and 10.3.”

Thirteen clocked an 1/8th of a mile in 10.2 and another eighteen stopped the timer in 10.3. One juvenile, Hip 73, a filly by Spun to Run from the Asmussenequine.com consignment clocked the only quarter-mile breeze of the day in 22.3.

“I think the track was consistent all day and that’s a credit to the track team at Lone Star Park,” Bridewell said. “Thank you to the team at Lone Star and to our consignors and owners for bringing a good group of horses to our sale.”

The breeze results and videos are available online at TTAsales.com. The 2024 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale is Wednesday, April 3rd, beginning at 10am CT, at Lone Star Park.

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Catalogue Released for the 2024 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale

by Posted in 2-Year-Old Sale

One-hundred-twenty-four horses are catalogued for the 2024 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale in April.

“This is a solid, quality group of two-year-olds coming to our sale,” Texas Thoroughbred Association Sales Director Foster Bridewell said. “We have an array of national and regional stallions represented in the book and stakes-quality pedigrees to match.”

Juveniles by Bolt d’Oro, Frosted, Game Winner, Global Campaign, Instagrand, Jimmy Creed, Medaglia d’Oro, Mitole, More Than Ready, Twirling Candy, Vino Rosso, and Violence are catalogued this year, as well as regional stallions like Aurelius Maximus, Cinco Charlie, Competitive Edge, My Golden Song, Star Guitar, and Too Much Bling.

“We have two-year-olds by well-known stallions, out of stakes winners, and half siblings to stakes runners currently on tracks around the area and nation,” Bridewell said. “We’re thrilled to have this opportunity to showcase these horses in April at Lone Star Park and we’re grateful to our breeders, owners, and consignors for trusting in us to put on a quality sale.”

Recent Texas Two-Year-Old Sale graduates include multiple stakes-winner Strong Promise, who won the 2023 Texas Thoroughbred Association Futurity, and our 2023 sales-topper Blue Squall, who broke her maiden at Oaklawn Park and followed it up with a second in a photo finish in the 2024 Dixie Belle Stakes at Oaklawn.

The breeze show is set for Monday, April 1st on the Lone Star Park dirt, starting at 8am. The sale will be held Wednesday, April 3rd inside the sales pavilion, starting at 10am.

CATALOGUE: CLICK HERE

The 2024 Texas Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale Catalogue is available now at www.TTAsales.com. Paper catalogues will be mailed soon. Supplements are expected.