West 12 Ranch

"Big enough to serve your needs, small enough to know you."

Partial List of Winners Sold By West 12 Ranch, Agent:

*NIKKI'SGOLDENSTEED, a Formal Gold 4yo, stepped up to G1 company to be third in the $300,000 Pat O’Brien Stakes.  A $15,000 October Yearling Sale purchase (06 Hip 316) from West 12 Ranch, the stakes-winning
son of Formal Gold has now earned $258,622.  Nikki'sgoldensteed was coming off of allowance wins in May and August.  Highlights of his racing career include  running second in the G3 El Camino Real Derby and winning the Turf Paradise Derby S.  Nikki'sgoldensteed is owned by Gary Spencer and Matthew Lomas, and trained by Bob Hess, Jr.

Nikki'sgoldensteed shown breaking his maiden at Santa Anita

 

*Frumious is a colt by Grindstone that was consigned to the 2007 January Barrett's sale as a short yearling.  The grey colt sold for $17,000 to Sierra Sunset, LLC.  This precocious youngster has already shown amazing talent, as his first start was the Solano County Juvenile Stakes.  After a poor break, Frumious ran a terrific race and got up in time to take third!  Frumious then went on to break his maiden with convincing style, and has since won twice more. 

Venadita (Richly Blended x Kate's Unique 06 Filly) Private Sale

Storybook Affair (Formal Gold x Storybook Fair 06 Filly) Barretts October Mixed 2006

Slew of Candy (Candy Ride x Malbay Slew 06 Filly) Barretts Select Yearling 2007

High Tune ( Marino Marini x Opera Song 06 Filly) Barretts Select Yearling 2007

Formal Intention (Formal Gold x Rosana's Intention 05 Filly) Barretts October Mixed 2006

Classielyte (Memo x Soviet Sally 05 Gelding) Northern California Yearling 2006

Arnone (Swiss Yodeler x Fast Mon 05 Gelding) Barretts January Mixed 2006

Hecouldgoalltheway (Smokester x Kate's Unique 05 Gelding) Barretts Select Yearling 2006

Here Comes Carson (Lord Carson x Hot Saki 04 Gelding) Northern California Yearling 2005

Rossmoor (Game Plan x Slewpy's Promise 04 Gelding) Northern California Yearling 2005

Found In Dark (Roar x Moscow Chorus 04 Filly) Barretts Select Yearling 2005

Emily's Star (Roar x Eurostar 04 Filly) Northern California Yearling 2005

West 12 Ranch, Agent

~2008~ 

We started off 2008 with a great Barretts January sale.  This particular success story started when Barb suggested to one of our clients that he take a look at the mare Storybook Fair, a big pretty mare in foal to Marino Marini in our 2006 October Mixed sale consignment.  Dennis Johnston took Barb's advice and bought the mare for $8,500.  As you know, that mare's resulting foal sold for $70,000!  Storybook Fair is expecting a Tribal Rule foal this year and is booked back to Marino Marini for 2008. 

This year at Santa Rosa, we enjoyed a great NorCal sale, with 10 of our 11 horses selling where we expected, including a very nice Decarchy colt that is a half brother to recent California Cup Starter Sprint H. winner Kool Comic. 

Even though the economy has been struggling, we were also very happy with our 2008 Barretts Select Yearling sale.  West 12 Ranch was the 2nd leading consignor, topped only by Havens Bloodstock Agency!   Our high selling filly was hip number 49, a Benchmark filly that is a half to recent W12-consigned stakes horse Frumious.  The pretty bay filly sold for $43,000 to HnR Nothhaft Horseracing, LLC.  The same gentleman also purchased hip number 36 named Navy Blue and Gold, the full brother to Nikki'sgoldensteed!  We think he is going to do exceptionally well with his purchases and wish him all the best.  Some of the other horses that sold well were hip 214, the Orientate filly that went for $28k; hip 76, an In Excess filly that sold for $25k; and hip 121, a big gray son of Yonaguska that sold for $25k.  All in all, the sale went exceptionally smoothly for us, with 12 of our 13 horses selling.

~2007~

We had a phenomonal 2007 Barretts October Yearling sale.  We had eight nice yearlings in our consignment, and we sold seven of them in all.  We were very pleased to sell What a Chestnut, a Congaree x Ali's Dancer colt for $130,000, which was the third highest price in the sale!  This big chestnut fellow was the spitting image of his sire, and he had it all.  The colt was then pinhooked into the 2008 Ocala March 2yo in training sale and sold for $410,000! 

Our second big sale at the Barrett's 2007 Yearling Sale was Dubai Takeover, a filly out of Private Beach by E Dubai.  She was the 2nd highest priced filly in the sale at $77,000.  She was purchased by Nick Alexander. 

What a Chestnut in the ring at Barrett's

The really exciting part is that Barb was the agent that recommended buying both Ali's Dancer in foal to Congaree and Private Beach in foal to E Dubai.  Both clients more than made a profit. 

 

Snapshots of our Sales Horses

 Trisha with the In Excess x Greeley Creek 07 F. at Barretts Select Yearling Sale 2008

 

 

Tori with the Storybook Fair x Marino Marini 07C  at Barretts Jan. 08 just before entering the ring to sell for $70,000

 

 

Dubai Takeover   (E Dubai x Private Beach) Sold for $77,000, 2nd highest priced filly in 2007

 

Kate's Bench   (Benchmark x Kate's Unique)

 Sold for $67,000, making her the co-highest priced filly at Barretts Yearling 2005

 

 

West 12 will help you buy a horse, too!

As mentioned above, Matt and Barb are doing very well buying broodmares in foal with KY sires, then turning around and selling the resulting foals.  Please take a look at our letter below.

Dear Thoroughbred breeder:

     Recently, there has been a lot of frustration at what is happening in the California Thoroughbred marketplace.  Fortunately, we feel that we understand some of what is happening and are continuing to move in a financially positive direction for many of our clients.

   

      We have owned West 12 Ranch for more than 20 years and have been actively involved in the California Thoroughbred market with consignments in the yearling and mixed sales.   We are offering you the opportunity to allow us to select a quality mare for you in the 2008 November Keeneland sale.  If you have already experienced the pain of a “no sale” or not achieved the breeding or sales results you were hoping for, let us step in and help you “clean house”.  Our goal is to bring back the fun, excitement, and especially the “break even” or profit in breeding, raising and selling Thoroughbreds. 

 

     We attend the Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale specifically to buy pregnant mares whose in-utero foals will then be sold the following year either in California or Kentucky.  Anyone can go to a sale, raise their hand, and buy a horse.  The trick is doing all the homework both before and during the sale to ensure that you are getting a good horse for a good value.

 

     The following information is being given to lend credibility to our motives.

 

     In 2005, we selected and purchased four mares in KY for clients and ourselves.  The first mare we bought for $10K.  Her foal sold as a short yearling in the Barrett’s Jan. sale for $17,000 and is since a multiple winner and is stakes placed.  This mare’s immediate family has exploded off the page with additional blacktype during the past year.  We purchased a mare in foal to Candy Ride for $22K, and her filly sold for $25K at the 2007 Barrett’s  October Yearling Sale.  She will be in training in So. Cal. with Gary Stute. The third mare, in foal to E Dubai, was purchased for $30K.  Her resulting foal sold at the  2007 Barrett’s Yearling for $77K.  Her second foal, who was a weanling at time of purchase, is now a stakes placed two-year- old. 

 

     We purchased the fourth mare, in foal to Johannesburg, for $40K.  We sold her colt  as a short yearling in the 2007 Keeneland Jan. sale for $62K.  We purchased a mare in that same year for $2,500, bred her to Officer when his stud fee was $15K, and sold her eight months later for $40K.  In addition, we advised on the $70K purchase of a mare in the 2005 Barrett’s Oct. Sale, and her Congaree colt sold for $130K at the 2007 Barrett’s Yearling sale. 

 

     In 2006 we bought two mares for a client.  The first was in foal to Harlan’s Holiday and was purchased for $37K.  Her 2007 filly sold for $55K at the 2007 Keeneland November sale.  The second mare, in foal to Yonaguska, was bought for $10K.  Her 07 colt was sold in October at the 2008 Barrett’s Yearling sale for $25k.  This mare’s first foal, who was unraced at time of purchase, is now stakes placed. 

 

     These are not a “select few” purchases and sales.  These are all of the purchases during the past two years. Most breeders hope to get the mare paid for by the selling of the second or third foal.  We aim to get it done with the first foal, so you can realize a profit by the second (if not the first) foal.

 

Here are some thoughts to keep in mind: 

1.  Your upkeep or “raising” expenses are all equal whether you are paying for a $1,000 or a $30,000 horse. 

 

2.  The goal is to buy low and sell high.  Some years we don’t purchase many, if any, mares because they are all selling “at their value."  We try to purchase mares that we feel are undervalued. 

 

3.  There are no guarantees in life, and breeding and raising Thoroughbred racehorses is a risky business.  We try hard to eliminate as many risks as possible, so that in the end, you are a happy, satisfied client.

 

In 2007 we purchased four mares during a sale where prices were very strong and many buyers were being shut out.  Hip 1712 was the first mare purchased.  She is by Bertrando and a full sister to a 2x stakes producing mare. She is in foal to El Corredor due in March, and bought for $50K.  Hip 1480, is a Touch Gold mare who is a half sister to a GSW who has produced a GSW and a stakes placed filly.  She is is foal to Bellamy Road, due in March, and purchased for $27,000. Hip 1832 is by Pulpit and out of a stakes winning mare. She is a half sister to a GSW, and two stakes winning mares, one of which has produced three stakes winners.  She is in foal to E Dubai, due in May, and purchased for $11K.  The fourth mare, Hip 2480, is a stakes placed mare by You and I, in foal to Leroidesanimaux, due in January, and purchased for $30K.   Her half sister has produced current SW/GSP colt LANTANA MOB.  Time will tell how we do when their in-utero foals go to sale, so stay tuned, and think about joining the excitement!

 

           If any of the above information interests you, please feel free to give us a call.

 

                                                            Wishing you the best in breeding and racing luck,

 

 

 

                                                            Matt and Barbara Butterworth

                                                              West 12 Ranch, Inc.

 

 

 

 

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