JUST over half of the catalogue for the Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale were actually put through the ring, with the result that a clearance rate of 85% was achieved.

However, this high percentage is misleading and the current market polarisation continues, with keen competition for the better lots, while those in the lower reaches are largely friendless.

Though last year’s high of $1.8 million was not reached, three lots at the first US breeze-up sale of 2017 were sold for seven-figure amounts. Newcomer to the buying bench was Lawrence Best of OXO Equine and he paid a sale-topping $1.5 million for an Uncle Mo own-sister to the stakes-placed Mighty Mo. The filly was sold as a foal for $50,000 and resold last July for $250,000.

Offered by Cary Frommer as agent, the filly’s dam is a winning half-sister to Lotus Pool, a stakes winner and Group 2-placed son of Spectacular Bid who was trained by Dermot Weld. He later transferred to the USA where he was a Grade 3 winner.

Frommer last year sold her first million-dollar sales lot and this year passed that figure twice.

She also consigned a son of More Than Ready out of a stakes-winning War Front mare, Tensas Punch, for $1.1 million to Best.

The colt was another to come from the Fasig-Tipton July Sale last year where he sold for $235,000.

The third millionaire at Wednesday’s sale was Hartley/De Renzo Thoroughbreds’ son of Bernardini, a half-brother to the Grade 3-winning juvenile Ocho Ocho Ocho.

The colt’s third dam was the unbeaten champion and broodmare of the year Personal Ensign.

Eaton Sales signed for him on behalf of MV Magnier at $1.45 million, a substantial increase on his yearling price of $350,000.

The same vendors came close to having another millionaire, but the bidding on their Medaglia D’Oro colt out of a winning half-sister to Grade 1 winner Untapable, and the Grade 2 winner Paddy O’Prado, stopped at $900,000, three times his yearling price. WinStar Farm and Breeze Easy bought.

Kerri Radcliffe as agent made two significant purchases. She paid $800,000 for a Scat Daddy filly from Niall Brennan Stables, a granddaughter of the multiple stakes winner Forest Heiress, on behalf of Australian owner Damion Flower. Early in the sale Radcliffe’s $750,000 bid secured an Uncle Mo filly from the consignment of Ciaran Dunne’s Wavertree Stables. She was an $80,000 foal and $225,000 yearling.

A Bodemeister colt from the stakes-placed Pink Diamond was sold to Donato Lanni for $750,000, well in advance of his $190,000 yearling valuation, while Justin Casse was acting for MV Magnier when giving $700,000 for the Pioneerof The Nile colt out of a Grade 2 winning Storm Cat mare.