The snowstorm presaged the disappointment of yesterday's opening session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic December mixed sale of thoroughbreds at the Timonium fairgrounds.

A tent for stabling horses in the Timonium infield collapsed Thursday under the weight of snow. Fortunately, horses hadn't arrived yet, but workers had to scramble to get the tent back up. Things slid downhill from there.

Although 188 horses sold yesterday for $823,100, the first day of the two-day auction showed significant decreases in every category - except for the number of horses not sold.

Yesterday, the 188 horses brought an average of $4,378. On the first day of the sale last year, 192 horses sold for $1,339,000, an average of $6,974. Yesterday, 111 horses did not meet their reserve and didn't sell. Last year, 91 didn't sell.

However, the median hardly varied. It was $2,650 yesterday, compared to $2,700 last year.

"It's just that the top horses weren't here," said T. Mason Grasty, executive vice president of Fasig-Tipton Midlantic. "That's the only difference in the sale."

Yesterday, four horses sold for $25,000 or more. Last year, 13 did. Yesterday's sales topper was Jennymeg, a 7-year-old broodmare in foal to Two Punch. She attracted a top bid of $50,000.

The auction will resume at 10 a.m. today.