Deirdre

I agree with Murray, I really dont think you can replace Walt he is not replaceable. Sure you can get someone else to be a auctioneer but Walt knows the player, their buying habits and most important he knows a good horse. I wanted badly to take my Quiet American filly to Miami last year mainly because like everyone else in this business I needed money sooner than later but Walt said easy big boy take her to Maryland and she will stand out instead of Miami where she would be just a average horse. Walt was so right. I will miss his advice and anyone who sells horses will miss having him on the stand. I hope somehow someway he and Fasig reconsider this decision. Sometimes a bad decision can be rethought like cancelling the Oct Sale so I really hope Walt will stay.

Walt Robertson is the complete auctioneer - not just a bid caller. Time will tell how large a void he will leave but as noted above he spoke the game from an insiders perspective and personally cared about the outcome of every horse. I can remember 30 years ago when he and I would sell cattle, goats and sheep at the Garrard County Stockyards in Nicholasville, KY. We would struggle and laugh at each other but we both knew then it would be our lifelong endeavor. When he quits calling at auctions the echoes will be heard for years to come! Stay well Walt!

Ditto on the comments on Walt; the best in the business.

As for Palm Meadows, I'll take a wait and see attitude. Still don't understand how they'll manage there with both the sale and the shippers from up north -- Pletcher, McLaughlin, Violette, etc. use it as their FL base. Oh, now I get it; Frank Stronach is nickel-and-diming the trainers with new fees at Palm Meadows, so that there might be fewer owners willing to pay to stable there (all told, it'll add about $20 a day to the bill). That'll free up some barns for the sale.