The gross sales for the first session were $7,622,000, a 12.4% decrease from last year, when 64 horses went through the ring, compared to 63 this year. The average dropped from $130,281 last year to $120,894, while the median remained at $100,000.
Sweet Azteca won a pace duel with the speedy Thermal to take the Rancho Bernardo Stakes at Del Mar for the third straight year. Juan Hernandez was aboard the 6-year-old daughter of Sharp Azteca for trainer Richard Baltas.
Godolphin and Coolmore were back in their familiar positions, just as they had been when they clashed over a well-related son of Justify who went Godolphin's way at €1.25 million on Day 1.
The two horses with the least experience on grass were the top two across the Saratoga Race Course wire Aug. 16 in the $225,000 Mahony Stakes (G3T), with Stradale outlasting Oscar's Hope to win by a neck.
Michael Tabor's Survie earned a unique double by capturing two graded stakes at Saratoga Race Course just 13 days apart, completing the task with a flying finish Aug. 15 in the $750,000 Christophe Clement Turf (G1T).
It may be August with summer temperatures in the Adirondack Mountains, but it was the Big A at Saratoga Race Course on Aug. 15 to Linda Rice, who duplicated her wintertime feat at the Big A by winning five races at Saratoga.