The Fasig-Tipton Kentucky October yearling sale concluded on Wednesday with healthy gains across the board.  The auctioneers reported 880 lots changed hands and the average increased from $24,101 in 2011 to $26,127 this year.

A striking roan son of Speightstown topped the three-day sale commanding $440,000 to the bid of Mandy Pope of Whisper Hill Farm in Florida.  “He has a great attitude,” Pope said.  “He’s very level-headed.  I could walk right up and pat him on his face and he wouldn’t try to bite me.  Attitude means a lot.”

The colt is a half brother to Vaulcluse (A.P. Indy) who captured the 2008 Suncoast Stakes at Tampa Bay Downs.  Their dam Betty’s Pet (Dehere) is a half sister to the dam of G1 winning NZ shuttler Elusive City.

Speightstown was USA Champion Sprinter in 2004 and he stands at WinStar Farm in Kentucky in association with Taylor Made Farm.  “The colt looks exactly like Speightstown except that he is a roan and Speightstown is a chestnut,” Taylor Made’s Mark Taylor said at the Fasig-Tipton Sale.  “He has a great eye, a beautiful head and he’s very correct.”

Among Australian sires in the catalogue, Vinery shuttlers Big Brown and More Than Ready both had fillies make $65,000 while Rangeview Stud sire Henny Hughes averaged $38,000 for two of his fillies.

“There was very good trade at virtually all levels,” Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning said.  “Obviously, there is strength at the top of the market but the middle market is very active.  It has just been a really good horse sale.”