Bidding at Auction
Bidding is never an exact science because there are so many various unknowns
that come into play. The horses are sold from a catalogue in alphabetical order,
but not necessarily starting at the letter "A". Therefore, those youngsters sold in the beginning and at the tail end of the catalogue, many times, can be purchased more reasonably. Are you scratching your head, asking yourself why?
There are a myriad of reasons. Early in the auction process the buyer isn't certain if the auction will be a strong sale in which there's a great demand. Therefore, usually caution is practiced at the start as some want to wait to see if a pattern develops. Near the end of the sale many bidders fearful of being shut out may have already spent their reserves, thereby leaving an attractive candidate to sell for less money.
The toughest decision is whether to pass up a prospect early for one selling later that you may have rated higher. Seems like a simple enough question until you factor in that the prospect you have waited for blows past your reserve. Now the prospect you passed on is suddenly no longer available. These are just a few of the tough decisions that have to be made leading up to the auction.
FLS Objective at Auction
Unlike professional sports, especially football and basketball drafts, where
General Manager's select based on need, we prefer the best athlete on the board.
FLS selects only those prospects we project developing into stake horses capable
of competing and winning on the major league circuit. We prefer they gain
experience and perform at age two, but the ultimate goal is always to have them
ready for their three-year old campaign with those large purses. We won't settle
for less.
