by Steve Bailey

The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale experienced only a moderate decline in total sales for a second straight session on Tuesday in Lexington, thanks in large part to active buyer Glen Hill Farm.

Following an opening session in which total sales and average price experienced less drastic declines than those seen in other recent U.S. yearling sales, Fasig-Tipton reported the sale of 188 yearlings from 246 offered for total sales of $2,760,100, a 12.3% drop from last year’s corresponding session, when 205 yearlings sold for $3,147,200.

The average price of $14,681 on Tuesday was a 4.4% decrease compared with last year’s second session average, while Tuesday’s median price jumped 25%, from $6,000 to $7,500. The buy-back rate also dropped from 30.5% last year to 23.6%.

Through two sessions, Fasig-Tipton has reported the sale of 363 yearlings from 507 offered for total receipts of $4,708,600, down 11% from last year’s first two days, when 387 yearlings sold for $5,320,300. The composite average price of $12,971 is down 5.7% from last year while the median has held steady at $6,000.

Florida-based Glen Hill Farm purchased the three top-priced yearlings at Tuesday’s session for a total of $415,000. Eisaman Equine Services was next with five yearlings purchased for $135,000.

The session topper on Tuesday nearly doubled the $85,000 high price from the opening session as Glen Hill paid $150,000 for a Tapit colt out of the multiple stakes-winning Shanekite mare Frans Lass from the consignment of Equus Farm, agent.

The highest-priced filly was the day’s second-highest priced yearling as Glen Hill went to $135,000 for an Indian Charlie filly, named Solar Spotlight, out of the stakes-producing Afleet mare Girl in Velvet from Peter and Gina Kirwan’s Glenmalure LLC, agent.

Glen Hill also purchased a bay Kitten’s Joy colt out of the winning Capote mare Cardinalli for $130,000 from Ramsey Farm, agent.

Wednesday’s final session gets under way at 10 a.m. EDT.

Steve Bailey is deputy news editor of Thoroughbred Times