The next 12 months will redefine the California sales market. Barretts Sales is gone, no longer conducting auctions in Del Mar and Pomona after a 28-year run. The company held its final sale in October. In its place, Fasig-Tipton has joined with Santa Anita for a 2-year-olds in training sale on June 5 and a yearling sale on Sept. 25. The California Thoroughbred Breeders Association is holding a mixed sale on Jan. 16 at the Barretts facility in Pomona, and its annual yearling sale in Pleasanton in August. There are no plans to replace the horses of racing age sale in summer or the yearling and horses of racing age sale in October, both held by Barretts in recent years. While the Fasig-Tipton sales are expected to be popular, Southern California needs more auctions to support the state’s breeders, according to leading consignor Andy Havens. He is concerned that fewer auctions will mean a decline in sales for breeders. “I don’t know how this is going to work,” said Havens, 65, who has been involved in California sales for 40 years. “I’m very concerned about it. I’m concerned it will affect the way breeders advance their program in the next few years. “I hope we end up replacing some of these sales long term so that we have a consistent schedule going forward. Santa Anita has to be a dream place for a sale.” Havens said he and former Barretts executive Bill Baker had advanced discussions about conducting a January mixed sale before the CTBA finalized arrangements for its sale next month at the Barretts facility. The catalog for the January sale is dominated by broodmares and 2-year-olds, most of which have just started training. There are 151 horses cataloged, compared to 192 at a similar event conducted by Barretts in 2017 and 193 offered in 2018. The 2018 January sale saw 112 horses sell for $1,226,400, an average of $10,950. A 2-year-old by Quality Road topped the sale at $120,000. CTBA president Doug Burge said the catalog for the January sale could grow with supplemental entries, and that 151 horses was in the minimum range needed to conduct the sale. “I’m okay with that – 150 was the minimum number I was hoping for where we can put on a quality sale and do the service we need to do,” he said. “We’re doing this as a service with the absence of Barretts.” Burge contends that the Southern California auction calendar could grow in 2020 “if the demand is there.” “The foal crop numbers have been stable and growing some the last few years,” he said. “What outlets do we need? “I’ve told Fasig to expect a large number of yearlings. You’re looking at more than 300 yearlings. They’ll be ready to sell that many or more. If there is a need for another sale I think we can find a place. “It’s all new. The key is that we’ve been able to bring in one of the best sale companies in the world. You put the horses in front of everyone’s nose and hope to get them sold.” In 2018, Barretts held four sales – a mixed sale in January, a 2-year-olds in training sale in April, a yearling sale in August, and a yearling and horses of racing age sale in October. At those sales, 371 horses sold for $11,768,300, according to company records. The 2-year-olds in training sale was by far the strongest event, with 75 horses selling for $6,481,000, an average of $86,413. In 2017, Barretts held six sales. The company had two sales for juveniles – a select sale in March and an open sale in May – and a sale of horses of racing age in the Del Mar paddock in July. This year, the paddock horses of racing age sale was not held and the two juvenile sales were combined into one event. At the six 2017 sales, 441 horses were sold for $14,979,800.