BOOK 2
Last Friday’s fourth session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale saw Book 2 conclude and produced a strong set of figures. The session was topped by the five-year-old Tapit mare Tension, covered by Curlin, at $750,000, while a colt foal from the first crop of American Pharoah sold for $575,000.
“The figures were very positive today,” Keeneland director of sales operations Geoffrey Russell said. “The most popular horses were young, good-looking mares that were well covered. Obviously the American Pharoah foal was of exceptional quality and was rewarded. The entire day from start to finish had great buzz and good bidding.”
The session-topper Tension is a daughter of the multiple Grade 1 winner Tough Tiz’s Sis, and a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Tiz Midnight. “There wasn’t much not to like about her,” the purchaser Woodford Thoroughbreds Vice President Matt Lyons said. “She is a beautiful mare, maybe one of the best-looking mares in the whole sale, and in foal to Curlin, who has become a very important sire.
“The market is strong at the very top; the (weanlings) are bringing a lot of money; there’s a lot of confidence around here. People feel that the economy is going the right way and they’re ready to spend money. It’s great for our business; hopefully, it continues into next year’s sales and we can get on a bit of a roll here.”
American Pharoah, winner of the 2015 Triple Crown and the Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Classic sired the day’s two highest-priced weanlings. The $575,000 colt is out of the multiple stakes-winning J Z Warrior, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner A Z Warrior. Purchaser Scott Dilworth said: “I thought he was the best American Pharoah weanling here, and he had a great female family – just a good combination.”
The second high-priced American Pharoah weanling was a colt who sold for $375,000 to Chestnut Valley and will be reoffered. He is out of the Giant’s Causeway mare Meerkat Miss, a half-sister to European champion Hold That Tiger and Grade 1 winner Editor’s Note.
Two mares sold for $425,000 apiece last Friday. Spendthrift Farm paid that amount for Airs, a three-year-old Harlan’s Holiday full-sister to Japanese Group 2 winner Albiano, in foal to Union Rags. Meanwhile Columbine Stable paid $425,000 for Indian Brava, a five-year-old stakes-placed daughter of Bernardini and in foal to Runhappy.
BOOK 3
Last weekend saw the two-day Book 3 catalogue bring trade to the half way mark of the marathon 12-day auction. On Saturday Storm The Hill, winner of a stakes race in Santa Anita at the end of September and placed in the Grade 3 Autumn Miss Stakes sold for $275,000 to Alastar Thoroughbreds and the three-year-old daughter of Get Stormy will continue racing.
That price was not matched on Sunday when the session was led by the $260,000 paid by Xavier International Bloodstock for the graded stakes-placed mare Aqua Regia, safely in foal to Dialed In. The mare is a six-year-old daughter of Pollard’s Vision and from the family of Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Is It True.
BOOK 4
The two sessions of Book 4 were held on Monday and Tuesday and produced some noteworthy prices. Two broodmares – the multiple Grade 1 winner Intangaroo, in foal to Silent Name, and Mrs. Hudson, in foal to Midshipman – sold for $200,000 each to top Monday’s seventh session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
Those figures were eclipsed on Tuesday, notably by the sale of a horse in training for $440,000. This was paid by agent Steven Young for You’re to Blame, a three-year-old graded stakes-placed son of Distorted Humor from the family of multiple champion Gio Ponti. Placed in the Grade 3 Bay Shore Stakes at Aqueduct in April, the colt will be sent to trainer Todd Pletcher to continue his racing career.
Machmer Hall paid $240,000 for That’s a Lady, a four-year-old stakes-placed daughter of City Zip who has been racing in Southern California and she is from the family of Grade 1 winners Sailor’s Valentine and Coup De Fusil.
BOOK 5
Weanlings brought eight of the 10 highest prices recorded on Wednesday during the ninth session of the 12-day sale, led by a daughter of Broken Vow who sold to Hidden Brook for $110,000. The filly’s dam, the Curlin mare Whirl, is a half-sister to multiple Grade 2 winner Strike a Deal.
Calumet Farm acquired the session-topping lot on Thursday, paying $110,000 for the Unbridled’s Song mare Camryn’s Gem, in foal to Wicked Strong. She is from the family of champions Rubiano and Summer Bird and Grade 1 winner and leading sire Tapit. The final two sessions, comprising Book 6, conclude on Saturday night. Overall figures show decreases in all the key indicators when compared to last year.