LOS ALAMITOS, CA—OCTOBER 4, 2010—The 2010 Los Alamitos Equine Sale enjoyed an increase of 29.91percent in gross sales and an increase of 25.40 percent in total gross sales including repurchases according to final sale figures.

A total of 466 head went through the auction ring during the two day sale on October 2 and 3 for total gross sales including repurchases of $6,059,800. In comparison, 366 horses (including repurchases) sold for $4,832,300 in 2009. As for total sales, 380 horses sold for $4,731,900 – compared to 306 horses sold for $3,642,200 in 2009.

Numbers for the Los Alamitos Equine Sale were up across the board, as the average price of $12,452 for total horses represented an increase of 5 percent, while the average price for yearlings sold of $13,211 was up 4.4 percent from last year’s figures.

“We are pleased with the numbers for this year’s Equine Sale, especially with a 25% increase in total gross sales,” said Dominic “Bud” Alessio, the president of the sale’s managing company, Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Association. “The sale went smoothly, the weather was beautiful, and the sale grounds looked terrific. On behalf of the Los Alamitos Equine Sale, I’d like to thank our wonderful consignors and buyers for a very positive sale. I believe that our consignors and buyers were very pleased with this event.”

“We were happy with the way the second day went,” added Bonnie Vessels. “We’re not taking a single horse back home with us and I can’t remember the last time we did that. We sold every single horse. We’re happy with that.”

The high seller of the sale was Aquaholic (Hip #139), a colt sired by Splash Bac out of AQHA champion broodmare Runaway Wave. Consigned by Lucas Racing Inc., Aquaholic was purchased by Salvador Berron of Mexico City, Mexico for $150,000. The colt was one of two $100,000 purchases on the first day.

Aquaholic is a half brother of three-time AQHA champion and millionaire Ocean Runaway ($1,642,498) and 2006 World Champion millionaire Wave Carver ($1,005,946). He is also a half brother to both Grade 1 stakes winner Trisk ($254,233) and Texas Merial Distaff Challenge winner Little Surfer ($97,999).

The high seller on day two was the First Down Dash colt Down At The Lake (Hip #417) purchased for $106,000 by Dennie and Kris Hill of Idaho. Consigned by Vessels Stallion Farm and Rancho El Alacran, Down At The Lake is a full brother of multiple stakes winner and earner of $486,889 My Lady First and Ed Burke Million Futurity finalist My Sexy Lady.

“We loved Down At The Lake’s looks and confirmation,” said Dennie Hill. “We watched him move and we liked what we saw. He’s a First Down Dash colt so that’s another thing that we love. It’s been six or seven years since I’ve purchased a horse for this much money, but we figured that it would take at least $100,000 to buy him. We talked a lot about the possibility of spending $100,000 on him and we made the decision that he was worth it.

“We’ll take him to St. George, Utah to Bret Vickery’s training place,” said Hill, who campaigned All American Futurity winner and champion AB What A Runner. “We’ll start getting him ready for next year and I hope to be back here at Los Alamitos with him next season.”

“I had picked out a couple of horses for Dennie and Kris to see and Down At The Lake was one of them,” Vickery said. “I first saw this colt on Friday morning and Dennie arrived at about 1 p.m. on Friday. We went to see the colt and right off the bat Dennie liked him a lot. Denny has a great eye for horses and he liked this horses a lot. We passed on several other horses that we liked - and there was a lot of quality at this sale - to go after this colt.”

Out of the Thoroughbred mare Lady Of Lake (TB), Down At The Lake was the sale’s third highest seller overall, only behind day one sale topper and the First Down Dash colt Travesty, who was purchased by MPC international Trading for $112,000.

The day’s second top seller and fourth overall highest seller was the Walk Thru Fire colt Hit It Big (Hip #355). Purchased by Ed and Theresa DeNike, Hit It Big is a full brother to 2010 Governor’s Cup Futurity winner Hot Hitter and half brother to 2008 Governor’s Cup Futurity winner and 2009 Governor’s Cup Derby winner Hard Hitting. Hit It Big is out of the 2008 PCQHRA Broodmare of the Year Chickasis and from the same family as 2009 World Champion Freaky.

“This is the first yearling that the DeNikes have purchased here without seeing him in person,” said trainer Pat Visscher, who handled the bidding on Hit It Big at the sale. “When we bought (multiple stakes winner) Jumpn Beduino last year, I had her marked in my catalog and the DeNikes also had her marked in theirs. They flew here to see here and they decided to buy her. (Ed DeNike) is the type of person that when he likes something you’re not going to change his mind and he liked Hit It Big a lot. This horse is well bred and we hope to get lucky with another top runner.

“I did the bidding on the horse while I was talking to Ed DeNike on the phone the entire time. He was watching the sale online (at www.losalamitosequinesale.com). The online video was a few ticks behind what was happening live, so he was telling ‘my computer says he’s at $90,000 right now’ and I would tell him ‘no, the bid is now at $95,000.’ When I told him, ‘it’s at $100,000 now’ he asked me who had this bid and I told him ‘You do!’ He was very happy when we ended up with the winning bid. This horse will go to the DeNike’s training ranch in Washington before he returns here.”

A total of 23 horses sold for at least $50,000 at the 2010 Los Alamitos Equine Sale or nearly double the figure of twelve $50,000 purchases from last year’s sale. Other top sellers on day two included an unnamed Corona Cartel colt out of Dash Master Miss (Hip #398) purchased by Ronald Skeen and Fawna Knight for $80,000. Rachuan Suarez bought the Mr Jess Perry filly Unobetter (Hip #321) for $77,000 from the Vessels Stallion Farm consignment, while Rafter W Stables purchased an unnamed Mr Jess Perry filly (Hip #304) for $70,000 from Stern Ranches Ltd.

Ed Allred was the top consignor with 72 heads selling for a total of $1,199,500. Burns Ranch and Burns Ranch Agent combined to sell 72 head for $1,180,000, while Vessels Stallion Farm sold 34 head for $495,900. Jose Flores was the top buyer by gross figures with seven horses purchased for $224,200. Salvador Berron was the second leading buyer with one horse purchased for $150,000, while Rachuan Suarez was third with nine horses purchased for $139,700.

For complete yearling results including hip-by-hip prices CLICK HERE.

For complete mixed results including hip-by-hip prices CLICK HERE.

Courtesy of www.losalamitos.com