Every big sale has the cheaper ones that didn't sell super high and still did very very well. MM another 36k and a triple crown trotter with earnings over 3M. Fact is when you have over 700 yearlings not everyone is going to sell for over 100k. If it was that easy more people would breed. Trotting Guru Gurfein said no way he would have paid 36k or even bid on MM. When Nunico sold, a trainer I had used in the past said that horse had the biggest hocks he every saw. Also mentioned other flaws and that's why he sold for 8k. It wasn't that he wasn't a good looking individual, it was can he train down and race at 2? Would he breakdown, would he even race at 3? Those are things when a owner is being shown the horse and can afford a cheap 8k horse...the bills down the road get much bigger and can the horse make the track? So yes many horses fail to bring a big tag for many reasons. After all you can't measure the heart of the horse at the sale. Nunico obviously had a big horse and great for the one who took the shot. As far as the best program, I think IN stands out for top, middle, and bottom. They may not have the best mares so if one is looking for pedigree in sires and dams..PA. OH needs to add a few more races and as the sires get a little better, I see more and more in the GC. Also WW the cost are cheaper if you stay in the Midwest vs East. Also you can stake cheaper to race for a lot in OH and IN. Maybe pick a GC race or two and keep open some 3 yr old payments. If your in PA, NJ, or NY seems like your paying into everything. Good luck.
