The average at Barretts California Cup yearling sale increased 13% to $14,128 during the two-day auction at Pomona this week.

A Bertrando colt topped the sale at $105,000 when purchased by Arnold Zetcher who is a client of leading trainer Bob Baffert.  His dam River Gold (Seeking the Gold) is an unraced daughter of G3 winner Cat Appeal (Storm Cat).

Bertrando also sired the sale’s highest-priced filly when the sister to stakes winner Seam Seeker made $87,000.  Their dam Wisdom Keeper (Pirate’s Bounty) is a sister to G1 winner Private Persuasion and hails from the family of G1 Belmont Stakes winner winner Da’ Tara (Tiznow).

Bertrando (Skywalker) stands for a $8,000 fee at Ballena Vista Farm in California.  He was a 2YO G1 winner of the Norfolk Stakes at Santa Anita and was named Champion USA Older Male after winning the G1 Pacific Classic and G1 Woodward Stakes at four.

The best of his stock to date has been the Baffert trained colt Officer who won the G1 Belmont Champagne Stakes and G2 Del Mar Futurity.  He was transferred from Taylor Made Farms in Kentucky to South Korea last month.