RUIDOSO DOWNS, NM—AUGUST 19, 2017—J Gatsby, a son of leading New Mexico sire Jesse James Jr, brought a final bid of $65,000 to top the opening session of the Ruidoso Horse Sale Company's New Mexico Bred Quarter Horse Sale on Friday night.

The first Quarter Horse Session got underway after the sale company offered 111 New Mexico-Bred Thoroughbred yearlings.

The sale's opening numbers were down from last year's first session. Forty-two of the 49 Quarter Horses offered on Friday night grossed $390,000 and average $9,286 compared to $11,037 for 111 yearlings last year. The sales opening session median for Quarter Horses is $6,100 compared to $8,000 in 2016.

The bulk of the Quarter Horse yearlings will be offering tonight (Saturday) in two sessions along with the first-ever session for Select Quarter Horse Foals in Utero.

Bobby Simmons and Mark McClox purchased the first session high-seller J Gatsby from the consignment of MJ Farms, Agent for Benny Smith. The Jesse James Jr gelding out of Maggies Miracle LX is a brother to RG2 Zia Derby winner Percyjones ($241,972, to 3 2017), RG2 winner Datona Doll ($193,941), and RG2-placed Tricks My Pick ($111,731), etc.

Blake Rust paid $25,000 for the second-high seller on Friday night, an unnamed gelding by Winners Version out of Heart Sparks by Ronas Ryon. Double A Ranch consigned the half-sister to stakes-placed Sparking Heart ($69,388) and multiple stakes RG1 finalist Hearts Miracle ($72,253), etc.

Double LL Farms, Agent sold the third-high seller on Friday, Thankxforthememories, for $23,000 to Moonshine Racing. The colt by first sale crop sire Eye On Corona is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Corona Memory Crest ($221,535) and RG3-placed My Moon Crest ($19,894) and Grade 1 finalist Hot Memory ($1115,242), etc. The dam is the unraced Leaving Memories mare Memory Crest.

The aforementioned Mark McClox and Bobby Simmons was the opening session leading Quarter Horse buyer with the one purchase for $65,000. Blake Rust had the one for $25,000 and Moonshine Racing one for $23,000.

Double LL Farms, Agent led all consignors and agents in the opening session with 16 head grossing $124,200. MJ Farms, Agent had eight head fro $86,900 and MJ Farms, Agent for Benny Smith sold two head for $79,500.

Jesses James Jr was the opening session leading Quarter Horse sire, by average with two or more sold, with seven yearlings for a $17,614 average. Winners Version had three head average $10,667 and Big Daddy Cartel's seven yearlings sold averaged $10,486.

Tonight's (Saturday) sale will kick off shortly (around 6:00 pm. (MDT)) following the final race on day 2 of the $3 million All American Futurity trials at Ruidoso Downs.

Quarter Horse Yearlings Hips 162 thru 211 will be the first session tonight.

The inaugural Select Quarter Foals in Utero session, Hips 212 thru 238, featuring some of the industry's leading sires and female lines will sale next.

The final session will be New Mexico-bred Quarter Horse Yearlings, Hips 244 thru 316.

Preliminary sale results will be published on StallioneSearch.com following the closing session. They can be found under Auction Leaders in the Sales Section of the website.