NEWS Where quality meets success . . .
10/21/07 - Crossroads Sales Agency enjoying strong first year
COURTESY OF THE THOROUGHBRED TIMES TODAY
As the 2007 yearling sales market winds down on Monday and Tuesday at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall yearling sale, so does a successful first year for consignors Greg and Beth Burchell’s Crossroads Sales Agency.
The Burchells launched their Nicholasville, Kentucky-based agency this spring. They have 27 horses cataloged for the Fasig-Tipton fall sale. “It’s been exciting, a good learning experience,” Beth Burchell said. “We hope we’ll be doing this a long time.” Crossroads’s success this year includes a $700,000 Speightstown colt out of Love At Noon, by Afternoon Deelites, who was the top-priced yearling by a first-crop sire at the Keeneland September yearling sale. Crossroads also sold a New York-bred More Than Ready filly out of Since Time Began, by Rubiano, for $170,000 at the Fasig-Tipton New York-bred preferred yearling sale, the third-highest price of the sale.
Beth originally is from North Carolina, while Greg was born and raised in Lexington. They met through industry contacts and were married in July 1996. Greg’s father, Jim, was a horse trainer, and Greg trained professionally from 1979 to ’93. He does not miss the highs and lows of racetrack life, but he believes his training experience gives him insight into evaluating sale horses. “As a trainer, you know horses don’t have to be perfect to be good racehorses. Go to the paddock on stakes day and look at their conformation. They have their problems, but good horses overcome them,” Greg Burchell said. “You like to see a horse with good conformation because it could help them stay sound longer, but that doesn’t necessarily make a good horse. Pedigree is important, and if you find a horse with drive and heart, the rest usually falls into place.”
Greg continues to work as an assistant starter at Churchill Downs on Kentucky Derby (G1) day, a job he has held since 1987. He also worked the gate last year at Churchill for the Breeders Cup World Championships. Before he and Beth opened their own consignment agency, Greg served as yearling manager for Gainsborough Farm, Taylor Made Sales Agency, and Adena Springs South. He helped raise 1999 champion sprinter Artax, 2001 champion turf male Fantastic Light, and ’2004 Horse of the Year Ghostzapper, among others. “Ghostzapper was a very low-maintenance type of horse. I never had the first problem with him,” Greg said. “He was a half to [Grade 1 winner] City Zip, so we knew he had the potential to be a good horse. He wasn’t one that just jumped out at you, but he was just a very kind horse to be around, with a great disposition.”
Their primary clients include Don Amos, who was involved in the launch of Crossroads, and Jimmy and Martha Gladwell. Beth worked with Greg at Taylor Made, and she handles the business side while her husband is the hands-on horsemen. “I’m the first one there in the morning, and the last one to leave, and it’s what I enjoy,” Greg Burchell said. “I don’t do well in an office, in cramped spaces.”—Pete Denk
09/13/07 - NEW NAME IN THE CONSIGNING GAME
COURTESY OF THE THOROUGHBRED DAILY NEWS
Entering the yearling market in this fairly volatile environment is not for the faint of heart, but don't tell that to Greg Burchell. He and his wife Beth are the principles in a new venture named Crossroads Sales, which is represented by its first Keeneland consignment this September.
Burchell brings plenty of experience to the table. The son of a trainer, he worked at the racetrack for 14 years, but drew weary of the lifestyle and joined the team at Taylor Made, where he served three years as yearling manager. Following a two-year stint in a similar role for Sheikh Maktoum, he was yearling manager in Florida for Frank Stronach for seven seasons.
"We're trying to make it more of a smaller, boutique type of consignment, trying to keep the numbers down with quality horses," Burchell explained. "We feel this allows us to have a more personal relationship with our clients. We don't want to be overloaded with horses. We've been fortunate enough to be involved with some good people. We've got a group of investors that are on board with us." Jim Gladwell, a successful and well-known pinhooker, is one of the Burchells' main clients. It was on behalf of Gladwell that Crossroads sold their first Keeneland offering most successfully. Hip 368, a colt by Speightstown out of GISP Love at Noon (Afternoon Deelites) was purchased for $300,000 as a weanling at last year's Keeneland November sale. The attractive dark bay colt caught the eye of Sobhy Sonbol, advisor to Ahmed Zayat, who signed the winning ticket at $700,000 on Tuesday. Later in the session, Crossroads led over a chestnut colt by Giant's Causeway. Bred in Kentucky by McKee Stables, the son of 1999 GI Kentucky Oaks third-place finisher Sweeping Story (End Sweep) was hammered down to Meadowlands Stud for $260,000.
Other investors in Crossroads include Don Amos, who worked in executive positions with Magna Entertainment and Frank Stronach for 30 years; as well as Burchell's good friend, trainer Kiaran McLaughlin, who has a small equity position in the venture. "We've got a great group of horses," Burchell commented. "It's been a lot of fun for us. We're excited about the sales. Selling our own horses will be a lot of fun."
While brand new to Keeneland, Crossroads got its collective feet wet at yearling sales earlier this summer. The consignment sold four horses at the Fasig-Tipton July for an average of $140,000, including a Songandaprayer colt for $185,000. They also sold a colt by More than Ready at Fasig-Tipton's New Yorkbred sale for $170,000.
November 2, 2008
Fasig -Tipton Kentucky Select Fall Mixed Sale
Hip #149 - GENUINE DEVOTION (IRE) sells for $1,000,000.
Crossroads Sales Agency consigned this beautifully bred racing/broodmare prospect on behalf of owner James Barry.
Best wishes to her purchaser, Summer Wind Farm and our thanks to Mr. Barry and trainer Kiaran McLaughlin for their confidence in allowing us to consign her.
Crossroads Sales Agency - 6620 Harrodsburg Rd - Nicholasville, KY 40356
Phone: (859) 887-9104 Fax: (800) 428-4903
office@crossroadssalesagency.com
11/14/2009 CROSSROADS SALES AGENCY SELLS DAYS TOP PRICE FILLY
A weanling by Speightstown was the high selling filly for session 5 of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.Purchased for $160,000 by JIm and Susan Hill, the filly out of the Dynaformer mare Dyna Performer was the days 5th highest selling horse overall. 
$160,000
