(Wednesday, July 29, 2009) - Sam Houston Race Park hosted one of the biggest weekends of the 2009 American Quarter Horse meet with the annual Texas Quarter Horse Association Yearling Sale taking place on Friday, July 24 and Saturday, July 25, 2009. The event, in its 12th year at The Park, witnessed 385 horses across the auction floor with more than 260 sold brining in an average price of over $9,000. The sale took in over $1 million on opening day, with total revenue for the weekend of $3.5 million.

“I feel we had a very solid sale, especially when you consider the state of our economy,” stated TQHA Executive Director, Rob Werstler. “I would guess, by the end of the year, other horse sales around the country would be fortunate to hit similar numbers for their events.”

The top selling horse of the 2009 event was La Toscana, with a high bid of $105,000. La Toscana is a half-sister to 2009 Heritage Place Futurity (G1) winner Ragazzo. The filly is by Feature Mr Jess out of the First Down Dash mare Las Alamitos and was co-signed by Haddad Ranch agent Jorge Haddad and purchased by Toscana Syndicate.

Additional sales highlights include:

• Dallas Cartel B: $100,000 (Corona Cartel-Tiny First Effort, by First Down Dash); Robicheaux Ranch ~ Ing Ramiro Villarreal Tostado.
• Medicchi: $80,000 (Shazoom-Las Alamitos, by First Down Dash); Haddad Ranch Agent for Jorge Haddad ~ Medicchi Syndicate.
• Feature Me Kool; $69,000 ~ (Feature Mr Jess-First Kool Baby, by First Down Dash); Todd Antonuk Agent for Bob Gaston & Ramiro Lopez ~ Ramiro Villarreal Guajardo.
• Jess Fun; $55,000 (Mr Jess Perry-Quick Fun, by Dash For Cash); Robicheaux Ranch Agent for Raymond R Loup ~ Oscar Eduardo Montemayor Alanis.
• Runaway Toole; $48,000 (Jody O Toole-Phoebes Runaway, by Runaway Winner); Flores Farms ~ Alejandro Barradas.
• Brimmin To Pass; $46,000 (Brimmerton-Runaway Dee Dee, by Runaway Winner); Bobby D Cox ~ Sunset Well Service Inc.
• Rokki Top; $45,000 (Panther Mountain-Quick Moon Sign, by Royal Quick Dash); Bobby D Cox ~ Joe M Flores.
• Corona On Fire; $37,000 (Mr Jess Perry--Katy Corona, by First Down Dash); Keilani Farms LLC ~ Randy & Sandy Coleman.
• Jessie Brown B; $35,000 (Feature Mr Jess--LS Honey Brown, by Light On Cash); Robicheaux Ranch ~ T I Cattle Company.