Accounting for nearly half the dollar volume of the auction sales market, the yearling market is generally accepted as a true barometer of the health of the Thoroughbred breeding industry. Gross sales of yearlings tumbled 32.4% and average selling price fell 22.1% in 2009. Gross receipts and average price per yearling sold in 2009 were the lowest since 1997.
Average/Median Price Per Yearling
Year
Sale Yrlgs
Percent Change
Yearling Sales Gross
Percent Change
Average Price
Percent Change
Median Price
Percent Change
1990
8,760
2.3
257,342,967
-8.7
29,377
-10.7
7,000
0.0
1991
8,154
-6.9
213,905,856
-16.9
26,233
-10.7
6,028
-13.9
1992
7,908
-3.0
180,232,617
-15.7
22,791
-13.1
7,000
16.1
1993
7,413
-6.3
188,598,650
4.6
25,442
11.6
8,000
14.3
1994
7,706
4.0
210,336,433
11.5
27,295
7.3
9,162
14.5
1995
7,882
2.3
242,778,829
15.4
30,802
12.8
10,000
9.1
1996
8,025
1.8
277,244,816
14.2
34,548
12.2
9,500
-5.0
1997
8,014
-0.1
307,607,857
11.0
38,384
11.1
11,500
21.1
1998
8,275
3.3
354,058,332
15.1
42,787
11.5
11,500
0.0
1999
8,738
5.6
440,078,922
24.3
50,364
17.7
12,000
4.3
2000
9,530
9.1
519,443,808
18.0
54,506
8.2
11,500
-4.2
2001
9,002
-5.5
473,044,553
-8.9
52,549
-3.6
9,000
-21.7
2002
8,941
-0.7
390,714,442
-17.4
43,699
-16.8
11,000
22.2
2003
8,843
-1.1
425,251,514
8.8
48,089
10.0
12,000
9.1
2004
9,412
6.4
497,153,983
16.9
52,821
9.8
13,200
10.0
2005
10,088
7.2
553,928,546
11.4
54,910
4.0
13,500
2.3
2006
10,142
0.5
579,176,596
4.6
57,107
4.0
14,000
3.7
2007
10,160
0.2
561,846,659
-3.0
55,300
-3.2
15,000
7.1
2008
9,095
-10.5
468,296,939
-16.7
51,489
-6.9
12,500
-16.7
2009
7,891
-13.2
316,638,851
-32.4
40,127
-22.1
10,000
-20.0
Sources: The Blood-Horse and The Jockey Club Information Systems Inc.
