The 15^th annual Los Alamitos Equine Sale concluded a successful weekend with double digit increases across the board led by the average yearling sale price finishing 13% higher than last year and the total gross on horses sold increasing by 11.2%.

            A total of  245 horses were sold for a total of $6,318,900 during the two-day event, up from the $5,685,200 brought by the 256 horses sold in 2018. The average sale price for the 223 yearlings sold of $26,688 was up from the $23,623 average from the 228 yearlings sold last year.  

            “The sale was a home run, there’s no doubt about that,” said Ed Allred, a partner of the Los Alamitos Equine Sale and owner of Los Alamitos Race Course. “I had concerns coming into the sale because of the tenuous political circumstances in racing in California, but this was a vote of confidence by the people.”  

            “It was a great sale,” added Vince Genco, the president of the Pacific Coast Quarter Horse Racing Association. “We sold less horses for more money. We also had a lot of repeat buyers, but also a lot of new buyers. It was really good to see that and a great indicator that the Quarter Horse business is healthy. We really like to thank all of our wonderful breeders, consignors, buyers and agents for making this such a great sale. Of course, I’d like to thank Dr. Ed Allred and his entire staff for the great hospitality. It takes a lot of people to put a great event together.”

            MRB Racing and La Feliz Montana Racing LLC purchased Hip 327 Better Version (photo), a colt by Favorite Cartel out of Make Over, for the sale topping price of $247,000 from the consignment of Ed Allred. Better Version is a half-brother to multiple graded stakes winner New Look ($256,517) and the stakes placed runner Renewed ($183,498).

             “When I went to Dr. Allred’s ranch to look at his horses, I told him ‘that’s the one I like,’ ” said Chris O’Dell, who selected this horse for the owners. “MRB Racing and La Feliz Montana let me step up and buy the horse. They are great people. I’ve been looking at this horse for the past three days here at the sale. I was sitting with Dr. Allred a couple of days ago when they first moved in for the sales. I was telling him how much I liked this colt and about that time we hear ‘loose horse! loose horse!’ The horse went over here on the grass and they all went to catch him. I told Dr. Allred, ‘that’s my colt’. He said ‘how do you know that’s him?’ I told him that I just knew. I knew it was him. It’s just one of those things where I feel like it was meant to be. It’s been fun.”    

Hip 214 Quirky, the 2015 AQHA champion aged mare by Stel Corona out of Dont Pass Bar, was purchased for the second highest price on Sunday of $147,000 by Dr. Steve Burns from Allred’s consignment. The now 8-year-old mare earned $424,098 during her racing career. She won the Grade 1 Southern California Derby, Grade 1 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap, and twice won the Charger Bar Handicap. Quirky sold with an embryo by Favorite Cartel. Led by the purchase of Quirky, 15 mares were sold for an average sale price of $19,027, which almost double the average for mares last year.

Rancho El Cabresto purchased Hip 241 Favorite Five, a colt by Favorite Cartel out of Five Bar Molly, by $110,000 from the consignment of Burns Ranch, agent. Favorite Five is a half-brother to 2013 AQHA champion 2-year-old colt Five Bar Cartel ($1,068,825), winner of the Grade 1 Ed Burke Million Futurity and runner-up in the Grade 1 All American Derby.

Hip 317 Now Look Again, a colt by Favorite Cartel out of Look Her Over, was purchased for $102,000 by Juniors Quarter Horses Inc. from the Allred consignment. Now Look Again is a half-brother to millionaire He Looks Hot, winner of the 2014 Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity and 2018 Robert Boniface Los Alamitos Invitational Championship. The yearling is also a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Once Over and stakes winner Take A Look.

Hip 271 Cant Hold Me Down, a colt by First Down Dash out of Hold Me Now, was purchased for $100,000 by the partnership of Avalos, Garcia, Perez and Rodriguez from Vista Equine Colorado LLC, agent. Cant Hold Me Down is a half-brother to 2013 AQHA champion 3-year-old filly Matabari, winner of the Los Alamitos Two Million Futurity.

Ricardo Ramirez purchased Hip 193 AJS On Time, a colt by Apollitical Jess out of Coronation Time, for $100,000 from Firth Ranch, agent for Spackman Racing. AJS On Time is a half-brother to Grade 1 Mildred Vessels Memorial Handicap winner Time For Jess.

Cuadra El Mashta was the leading buyer after purchasing 17 hips for a total of $268,200. Bujanda Racing Stables was the second leading buyer with two horses for $260,000, while MRB Racing & La Feliz Montana Ranch LLC was third after buying the high seller for $247,000.  Burns Ranch, Agent finished as the leading consignor by gross sales with 71 head selling for $2,148,400. Ed Allred was the second leading consignor with 65 head selling for $1,568,300, Lazy E Ranch LLC, Agent was the third leading consignor with 19 head selling for $443,500. For more info please call 714-236-1755.