Evocative, a 6-year-old daughter of Pioneerof the Nile from the family of Grade 1 winner New Year's Day and Grade 2 winner Mohaymen who is in foal to Quality Road, sold to Kerri Radcliffe, agent, for $550,000 to lead a solid day of trade during Monday's opening session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale.
Keeneland sold 224 horses for $16,261,900, for an average of $72,598 and a median of $40,000. The total declined 9.68 percent from $17,989,200, while the average and median prices both rose slightly from last year.
“The session was even with last year in many metrics,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “The RNA rate (31 percent) was a little higher than expected, but that's a little bit of people thinking they don't have to sell. If they don't get exactly what they need, they're happy to take them home. We're just happy that everybody felt there was good, healthy trade. Quality was selling and selling well. The major buyers were here and the domestic market was strong.
“It's a follow on from November; you could see a trend that was continuing,” Lacy added. “The stock that was young or had current activity in the family and the short yearlings that had good physicals and were by the right sires were in strong demand. There was great energy. Stability in the market is something we're all looking for. Buyers that are very active are saying it's difficult to buy. It's a factor of where the quality is very, very competitive and that's all we can ask for.”
The session-topping Evocative, consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, agent, is out of the Honour and Glory mare General Jeanne and is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Justwhistledixie, dam of New Year's Day and Mohaymen and Grade 3 winners Enforceable and Kingly.
“She's been bought for a commercial breeder to stay in America,” Radcliffe said. “She's beautiful. Look at the pedigree. Look at the individual. The foal (Evocative's yearling filly by Quality Road) just sold for $450,000. That was beautiful.”
The acquisition of Evocative made Radcliffe the session's leading buyer.
Ack Naughty, whose second foal is recent Grade 2 Los Alamitos Futurity winner Practical Move and is in foal to Upstart, sold to Chester and Mary Broman for $500,000 Ack Naughty, an 11-year-old stakes-placed, winning daughter of Afleet Alex, is from the family of champion Vino Rosso, Grade 2 winner Commissioner and Grade 3 winner Laugh Track. Out of the General Meeting mare Dash for Money, she is a half-sister to stakes winners So Lonesome and No Spin.
“Mr. Broman has one of the original breeding rights to Into Mischief, so I have a feeling she might be going to Into Mischief,” Becky Thomas, who signed the ticket, said.
Ack Naughty was consigned by ELiTE, agent.
“She was a supplement, and (the sellers) are taking advantage of a nice update,” ELiTE's Liz Crow said. “We were really happy with the price.”
Following Evocative in the ring was her yearling filly by Quality Road, who sold to West Bloodstock, agent for Robert and Lawanna Low, for $450,000. Jacob West said she would go to trainer Todd Pletcher.
“That is right about what we thought she would bring,” West said. “Seeing the (dam) bring ($550,000) in the ring right before gave us an idea (on the price.) I thought she was outstanding. Physically, she is unbelievable. She is a quality filly. I was blown away by the (dam). Whoever bought the mare is going to breed her to a top stallion, so there is stuff coming in the pipeline (for residual value.)”
The yearling also was consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, agent.
“The plan was always to sell both (Evocative and her yearling) at this sale,” Bedouin's Neal Clarke said. “We really liked the mare and foal coming in here. We thought a lot of them. When we came in here, they really went down well. We weren't expecting that much for them, but we're really tickled at those prices. We always felt that foal was special. For her first foal to be so special, we knew the market would recognize that and it would clearly help the mare. The mare was gorgeous, but the filly pushed her up there in everyone's esteem.”
Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds/David Wade, agent, paid $400,000 for a yearling colt by Gun Runner consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. The first foal out of Willa, a winning daughter of Will Take Charge, he is from the family of Grade 2 winner Miss Coronado and Grade 3 winners Karen's Caper and Girl Daddy.
“We looked at him, and he seemed like he was the whole package,” Wade said. “Tremendous presence and a great walk. A Gun Runner – it doesn't get any better than that – and a really nice family, so it seemed to us like a no-brainer to go after him. Horses like this, as soon as they come at you, you know whether they have class or not. You could tell when he came out (of the consignor's barn) that you were looking at a nice horse.”
Wade said future plans for the colt were undetermined.
“Up in the air,” he said. “A horse like this you could race or pinhook. We tend to pinhook, but we will digest this and go back and think about it.”
“(The price is) exactly where we thought he would be. He was just a beautiful colt,” Taylor Made Vice President of Sales Frank Taylor said. “He's the kind of horse that looks like he could be a Derby horse, a two-turn horse. You can't beat the sire. (The colt) has a lot of class: beautiful eye, good walk, a really good mind. He has it all. He was entered in the (Keeneland) November (Breeding Stock) Sale and got a little virus that set him back. We thought we'd give him time to catch up.”
Taylor Made Sales Agency was the day's leading consignor with sales of $2,282,500 for 20 horses.
Catherine Parke, agent, paid $360,000 for Grade 3 winner Quick (GB), a 7-year-old daughter of Olympic Glory (IRE) in foal to Medaglia d'Oro who was supplemented to the January Sale. Consigned by Vinery Sales, agent, she is out of The Giving Tree by Rock of Gibraltar (IRE).
Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for STH, sold Good Fairy, a 6-year-old half-sister to champion and sire Good Magic in foal to Maclean's Music, who was purchased by MKW Racing and Breeding for $330,000. She is out of stakes winner Glinda the Good, by Hard Spun, and from the family of Grade 1 winner Magical Maiden, Grade 2 winner Magical Mile and Grade 3 winners Take the Ribbon and Exfactor.
“She is a very nice mare with a nice pedigree,” buyer Alistair Roden said. “She is a half-sister to Good Magic. She is a young mare carrying her second foal. She has got a foal by Munnings, who is a proven sire, and is in foal to Maclean's Music on an early cover. She's from an exceptionally good family. I'm very happy with her. She is a very good-looking mare.”
Grade 3 winner Domain Expertise, a 5-year-old daughter of Kitten's Joy who is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Sombeyay, was purchased by James Schenck, agent, for $325,000. Consigned by ELiTE, agent, she is out of the Limehouse mare Teroda.
Two mares sold for $320,000 each.
Woodford Thoroughbreds paid the amount for Just Talkin, a 10-year-old, stakes-placed winning daughter of Midshipman who is in foal to Maxfield. Hunter Valley Farm, agent, consigned the mare, whose full sister, graded stakes winner Lady Shipman, is the dam of two-time Breeders' Cup winner Golden Pal. Just Talkin is out of Sumthingtotalkabt, by Mutakddim.
Selling for $320,000 to Scott and Evan Dilworth was stakes winner and Grade 1 runner-up Esplanande, a 5-year-old daughter of Daredevil consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. A half-sister to stakes winner Liberate, she is out of Southern Silence, by Dixie Union, and from the family of Grade 2 winner Highway Star and Grade 3 winner Rodman.
Dubh Bloodstock acquired Blamethechampagne, a 4-year-old, stakes-placed winning daughter of Candy Ride (ARG), for $310,000. From the family of Grade 1 winner and sire Street Boss and Grade 1 winner Jack Christopher, she is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Beyond Blame, dam of 2022 Grade 1 runner-up Loggins. Out of the Forest Wildcat mare Quippery, Blamethechampagne was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent.
The January Sale continues Tuesday with the second of four sessions that run through Thursday. All sessions begin at 10 a.m. ET.
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