Aidan O'Meara | Horse Racing Free Tips

Value Sires For 2024, Part 4: Into The Teens

Today we'll consider some of the sires standing between $10,001 and $19,999. For a long time, I called this the Lookin At Lucky zone. But don't worry, we won't be deploring his neglect yet again: he's staying in Chile, where they evidently appreciate him rather more.

Plenty of horses in this bracket have recently relinquished their brief window of commercial opportunity, and are now hanging around to discover whether they might join the very small group whose first runners generate a fresh vogue. Even with the newcomers out of the equation–we gave them a separate assessment, to open the series–we're left with three groups still untested on the track: those expecting their first foals; those who have just sold their first weanlings; and those actually about to dip a toe in the water with their first runners.

Pending that crossroads, many find themselves somewhat adrift against a bunch of older sires who have survived that test. These fit this tier either because they are losing stature or, more cheerfully, because they have carved out a viable niche as an affordable source of winners.

First the young guns. Of those who sent their first yearlings to auction this year, the ones who really nailed it, unsurprisingly, vaunted the kind of speed that pinhookers crave.

VOLATILE burned brightly in a light career, not seen again after confirming his Grade I caliber against a small but select field in the Vanderbilt. His 112 Beyer in the Aristides S. (1:07.57) was the highest of 2020 and duly secured 181 mares the following spring. Himself an $850,000 yearling, with a GI Test/GI Ballerina winner as granddam, his $125,431 average was boosted by a spectacular $1.15 million docket for a Book 1 filly at Keeneland in September. Nudged back up to $15,000 (from $12,500), Volatile has three hefty books behind him and will be the horse to beat for the freshman title next year.

But not even his median yield of 4.3 on his opening fee ($75,000/ $17,500) could match that of COMPLEXITY, whose $65,000 median (never mind his average $90,400!) multiplied his $12,500 fee by 5.2. Complexity started with some serious volume by the restrained standards of his farm, and then followed through with another three-figure book in his second season. He was clearly in the same vicinity as Volatile as a mature horse (110 Beyer in the GII Kelso) but was the more accomplished juvenile, wiring a Saratoga maiden (90 Beyer) before a decisive success in the GI Champagne S. on his second start. His half-sister ran second in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies, so their unraced dam is obviously channelling the good stuff.

VEKOMA is meanwhile working the Spendthrift system with remarkable efficiency, having started out (at $20,000) with staggering volume, entertaining at least 200 mares in each of his first three seasons. This year he processed 102 of his first yearlings at $98,432, albeit was unsurprisingly stretched somewhat thinner by a median of $60,000. Though confined to eight starts across three seasons, he was class from beginning to end, posting big numbers for his Grade I double in the Carter and Met Mile. From a stallion-producing family, he's a horse I've liked all the way through and everything is in place for him to look after many (albeit probably not all!) of his (very many!) clients at $15,000.

Knicks Go | Sarah Andrew

Among those in this intake offering rather more stretch, one or two suffered horrible yearling medians relative to conception fee. But one who made a solid start off $12,500 was Bolt d'Oro's half-brother GLOBAL CAMPAIGN: 74 yearlings sold at $63,195 (median $43,500). This was a more talented animal than generally appreciated and I can see him proving himself a bargain gateway to Curlin. A closer look at his family shows that it tends to produce faster types than are associated with the seeding sires, and Global Campaign's first crop of 126 live foals may surprise a few people with their dash.

Of those who sold their first weanlings this fall, meanwhile, the one that will sort out the sheep and the goats is KNICKS GO. No questioning his talent, it was just never quite obvious where it all came from–albeit his dam maintained stakes speed through four seasons. Those who didn't require a more familiar pedigree were delighted to see a Horse of the Year introduced at just $30,000. Well, now they can get him for half that, even though he's still nearly 18 months away from the opportunity to demonstrate whether or not he can replicate his brilliance! At this money, some people will surely want to roll the dice.

Even as it is, his weanlings sold a little better than those of SILVER STATE. But it's very early days for the latter, whose pedigree in contrast elucidates all the class he manifested as a runner. A friendly clip to $15,000 should hopefully keep him in the game because this horse equipped to prove a really wholesome influence.

The subsequent intake features some truly frightening books, but I will resist dwelling on that here. Suffice to say that those playing a longer game might quite like a filly by either SPEAKER'S CORNER or MYSTIC GUIDE. Both have taken an early trim at Darley, respectively to $17,500 and $12,500, and their pedigrees shout distaff influence.

We'll have to see how many of the youngsters will endure even in this relatively modest tier, a few years from now. Nor does a flying start bring any guarantees, as UNION RAGS could caution them. The halving of his fee to $15,000 acknowledges the way he has faltered, having stood at $60,000 between 2018 and 2020. Trade for his latest yearlings made this further cut imperative, but he's still the same horse that so quickly came up with five Grade I winners. Hopefully he will find a little oxygen now that he has descended to more accessible altitudes.

Studmate DAREDEVIL has taken his second cut since returning to the U.S., now down to $15,000, but of course it's only in 2024 that we'll get to assess the first juveniles conceived after Swiss Skydiver prompted his urgent repatriation. Their sales performance demanded a mild trim in fee, but he could easily be poised for fresh momentum.

MENDELSSOHN has also taken consecutive cuts, similarly now available at $15,000. He has so far been more about quantity than quality but his supporters will hope that he can still emulate four others, standing at the same fee, who have all done admirably to create a lasting foothold in this most slippery of markets.

The first of these, DIALED IN, is something of a blue-collar hero. He maintains such high volume–corralled 175 mares last spring, his 10th at stud–that it will always be hard, with the raw materials available at this level, to make his ratios “sing”. But Defunded has once again shown the caliber within his competence as his third elite scorer. Dialed In gets his work done at a fair tariff, and will keep plugging away to leave behind many of those now starting at multiples of his fee.

Cairo Prince | Sarah Andrew

CAIRO PRINCE has also created a sustainable brand for himself through six crops, as attested by a solid book of 129 mares last spring. A set-your-clock black-type producer throughout, he's now entering the territory where he can legitimately prove a mare–and of course he gets such a nice type, the average ($54,194) and median ($40,000) of his latest yearlings duly best among this proven quartet.

MIDSHIPMAN is a true yeoman and it's typical of this business that he should have had a quieter year (by his very special standards) both on the track and in the sales ring after finally doubling his fee to $20,000 last year–due recognition for having punched above weight for so long. His lifetime stats remain ridiculous for a stallion who has largely been a four-figure cover: 47 stakes winners at 6.4 percent of named foals, nine at graded stakes level; and 101 black-type performers overall, at 13.7 percent. The trim back to $15,000 brings him back towards the reach of breeders who most appreciate just what he can do for their mares.

KANTHAROS, who has really pulled himself up by his bootstraps, had another very solid year on the track. He has made the same slip in fee, reflecting a tepid book of mares last spring and a challenging yield on yearlings conceived at $30,000. But that was an experience shared by many sires exposed to a porous middle market, and the fact is that Kantharos lurks only just outside the top 10 in the 2023 general sires' list with a dozen stakes winners, including a couple at graded level. His lifetime ratio of stakes runners–11 percent of named foals–remains outstanding for a horse whose first five books were compiled in Florida at just $5,000.

He sired two Grade I winners at that fee, and now has another millionaire in Grade II winner Bay Storm. The first of his two $30,000 books were juveniles this year, and we know how they will keep thriving. That guarantees Kantharos imminently entry into the top 20 active sires on lifetime earnings. All he needs to do is supplant… Lookin At Lucky!

VALUE PODIUM

Bronze Medal: CONNECT
Curlin–Bullville Belle (Holy Bull)
Lane's End $15,000

Connect | Sarah Andrew

Amid all this talk about stud fees being too high, credit is overdue to Lane's End for anticipating the mood in the room. From Flightline down, the farm made 11 cuts across their 2024 roster. All were meaningful, and some nearly brutal, effectively conceding that one or two stallions were drifting into trouble and needed some decisive help. Bravo! The very opposite of burying your head in the sand, and in the present environment I hope it works out both for the farm and its clients.

One stallion who can certainly benefit is Connect, restored from $25,000 to his 2021 fee of $15,000 after the crop conceived that year returned a tepid median (albeit a perfectly acceptable $45,774 average) at the yearling sales. He'd also suffered a real slump in his book last spring, down to 45 from 172 in 2022! But we're accustomed to seeing horses treated like this, once they have served their commercial purpose, and should sooner marvel at the impression he must have made with his first crop to get such a big book (up from 93 in 2021) in his fifth year at stud.

Sure enough, only Gun Runner and Practical Joke banked more prizemoney as freshmen in 2021, and only Gun Runner had more winners. Unfortunately Connect did not then consolidate especially well, but he has made a timely return to form this year with eight stakes winners, three at graded level, plus a GI Kentucky Oaks third in The Alys Look. Moreover, his first-crop flagship, the juvenile Grade I winner Rattle N Roll, failed by just half a length to add another elite score in the GI Stephen Foster S. That horse was a $55,000 weanling but has now banked $1.7 million across three seasons.

Connect's pedigree is not without its challenges but he's another to bring Curlin within range and had real prowess as a racehorse, a blip in the Travers his only defeat in seven starts (four triple-digit Beyers) up the grades after debut. He outkicked none other than Gun Runner in the GII Pennsylvania Derby and, while he won't be doing that again any time soon, he's actually siring winners at a higher percentage of named foals.

With that bumper crop of weanlings in the pipeline, and now a lenient fee, this looks a good time to re-Connect.

Silver Medal: KARAKONTIE (Jpn)
Bernstein–Sun Is Up (Jpn) (Sunday Silence)
Gainesway $15,000

Karakontie | Sarah Andrew

How pleasing to see this undervalued stallion moving his book back up last year, up to 86 from 48. Perhaps his hour has come at last, now that the minority prepared to breed to a quality turf sire in the Bluegrass have been deprived of English Channel and Kitten's Joy.

If you're enlightened enough to see the growing need for turf quality in the U.S., then you might also recognize that you don't always have to fly first class to Tattersalls. With a fifth crop on the track, Karakontie has still only had 174 starters, but seven have won graded stakes. For the second year running, moreover, he had an elite scorer in She Feels Pretty, winner of the GI Natalma S. before failing by barely half a length to overcome a wide trip in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf. Karakontie's premier earner Princess Grace meanwhile continued to thrive in Australia, missing Group 1 scores by a neck and half a length.

Even after a hike from $10,000, Karakontie is an awful lot of horse for this fee. He converted some of the most regal blood in the book–his third dam is Miesque herself–into a turn of foot that won him a Group 1 at two and then a mile Classic, before doing all he could to endear the American market in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile. Don't forget that he restores Sunday Silence to the Bluegrass through his dam, herself out of a half-sister to Kingmambo. His international pedigree and participation alike are a measure of our debt to the program that produced him.

The American market has not really grasped its privilege, with this horse, but the elevation in his fee tells you everything you need to know: he's being used by people who want to breed a runner, whether in their own silks or to boost a mare. Actually, Karakontie is perfectly capable of a home run at the sales, including the $525,000 filly at Keeneland in September whose buyers will have been delighted to see her full-sister (who herself made $280,000 the previous year) win the Tepin S. last month. His lesser specimens may struggle commercially, until the environment improves, but that won't trouble those eccentrics who calculate value according to the odds of ending up with a runner.

Gold Medal: MITOLE
Eskendereya–Indian Miss (Indian Charlie)
Spendthrift $15,000

How naïve of me to imagine that all those commercial breeders who flocked to the new sires in 2020 wanted nothing more than to land on the champion freshman of 2023. Because Mitole, as he closes in on those laurels, finds himself the only one of the four Spendthrift sires dominating this table to remain on the same fee in 2024.

Mitole | Louise Reinagel

Now, clearly this farm needs no help in how to make their remarkable machine run smoothly. The Spendthrift team know that Mitole was the one who took the biggest slide of the quartet, in the inevitable slackening of demand for their second crop of yearlings. But they had already ensured that these were conceived more affordably, trimming him from $25,000 in his debut season to $15,000. That was partly a concession to the Covid market, but it also offered such obvious value about a champion sprinter that he maintained the enthusiastic support of 184 mares even last spring, after topping 200 in each of his three previous seasons.

In other words, the system is functioning smoothly and Mitole has played his part so well that he approaches the winning post with a narrow advantage over Maximus Mischief (my serial “gold” pick, I might add, after starting at $7,500!) by prizemoney and also a wafer-thin one by individual winners (32 from 79 starters).

Whether or not he holds out, Mitole is the only one of the four to have a graded stakes scorer–and so joins Flameaway and Solomini in what has been a weirdly unproductive group, by that measure-in GIII Pocahontas S. winner/GI Alcibiades runner-up V V's Dream.

The precocious Maximus Mischief has shown a lot more of his hand (77 starters from 122 named foals) and remember that Mitole (79 from 145) himself only squeezed in a single start at two, in late November. It was as a 4-year-old that he racked up his four Grade Is–including that resonant Met Mile/Breeders' Cup Sprint double, and a stakes record at the intermediate distance in the Forego. So it seems fair to suggest that he has only just got started.

By now Mitole has surely stifled misgivings about his sire, himself after all a brilliant performer and a conduit of corresponding genes. Eskendereya's fifth dam is Cosmah, and doubles up her half-sister's son Northern Dancer top and bottom. It was presumably his unfashionable sire that confined Mitole to $20,000 as a yearling–but then along came kid brother Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), himself a $17,000 short yearling, to reiterate the merit of a family cultivated by the late Edward A. Cox Jr.

Hot Rod Charlie has now followed Eskendereya to Japan, where they have made a habit of exposing crass commercial trends in Kentucky. But here's a horse making the family assets work even in this less imaginative environment, and his debut at the 2-year-old sales–behind only Omaha Beach in the key freshman medians–suggest that Mitole will be taking out a long lease on the attention of pinhookers.

Sires In The Teens: Breeder Selections

Aidan O'Meara, Stonehaven Steadings

Aidan O'Meara | Keeneland

Gold Medal: Volatile
One of the best angles for success in the commercial breeding field is identifying a future leading stallion in the early stages and this sometimes requires taking a leap of faith breeding when their first runners are about to run. Volatile has been the breakout star at the yearling sales this year, mirroring his sire's first crop results a few years back. He's a beautifully built horse himself and passed his physique on with remarkable consistency. He's been very well supported by breeders and will have plenty of ammo in his first few crops to give him every opportunity. If his offspring have legitimate ability, he will skyrocket up the stallion ranks and $15,000 will look like the deal of the decade.

Silver Medal: Connect
The crop of 2021 has all been overshadowed by Gun Runner's incredible achievements, but Connect has been quietly developing a very solid career for himself. He has shown consistency with three graded stakes winners again this year and a strong supporting cast of stakes horses. He has also shown the ability to get the all-important high-class horse with Rattle N Roll. He measures well in all statistical categories and looks to be a stallion that can establish himself long term in the mold of a Midshipman/First Samurai/Blame type.

Bronze Medal: Audible
The Spendthrift quartet has garnered most of the attention from this year's freshmen and rightly so but one horse is simmering just below these and that horse is Audible. His 14% stakes horses with his first 2-year-olds cannot be ignored and his own racing career suggests there is more improvement to be had as they mature. He's a beautiful horse that can throw the right kind as witnessed by his first crop of yearlings. $15,000 is very intriguing for a horse with some potential future upswing and worst-case scenario has shown plenty of ability for longer term success at this price point.

Peter O'Callaghan, Woods Edge Farm

Peter O'Callaghan | Fasig-Tipton

Gold Medal: Midshipman
This stallion has been very good to us both on the track and in the sales ring. We recently bred first-time-out 2-year-old winner Midshipman's Dance; pinhooked Grade II winner Special Reserve; bred Leucothea and co-bred Amidst Waves, both of whom are multiple stakes winning 2-year-olds. He is a very consistent and well-respected sire, standing for an affordable $15,000. You can sell one well at the sales and he produces winners every weekend at the track.

Silver Medal: Mitole
Obviously a brilliant racehorse and looks to be turning out some good 2-year-old winners this second half of the year. Must be a horse worth a punt at $15,000. We are breeding to him again this year.

Bronze Medal: Vekoma
A brilliant racehorse, a high class 2-year-old who trained on, winning some high-profile races in the GII Bluegrass S. going two turns at three. Then winning the GI Carter H. and GI Met Mile at four in impressive fashion. Furthermore, he is a very well-bred son of Candy Ride (Arg), out of the GISW Speightstown mare Mona De Momma from the family of Mr. Greeley.

He is a good-looking horse who seems to sire plenty of good-looking stock. We have bred to him each year and have bought foals by him in each crop, he has not let us down so far.

I think he is a horse with a legitimate shot to be a sire standing at an affordable fee of $15,000.

The post Value Sires For 2024, Part 4: Into The Teens appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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2023 Mating Plans, Presented by Spendthrift: Stonehaven Steadings

With the breeding season underway, the TDN staff is continuing the '2023 Mating Plans' series, presented by Spendthrift Farm, to find out what stallions breeders have chosen for their mares this year, and why. Here Aidan and Leah O'Meara of Stonehaven Steadings talk us through their plans for the year. Before getting into their individual mares, Aidan discusses their process for drawing up the farm's mating plans each year.

We usually begin our matings by drawing up a short list of stallions that we intend to use for the coming season. We'll break them into three groups of proven, up-and-coming and freshmen sires and we try to diversify as much as possible amongst our broodmare band of 30 mares. We'll have a short list of potential mates for each mare which, when considering stud fee ranges, usually ends up being a list of four or five stallions. This is refined further with pedigree and conformation considerations before reaching the ultimate choice.

This year we had a particularly deep draft of incoming freshman sires and you're not always able to use as many of the younger stallions that you would like to depending on a mare's particular fit or the make up of your broodmare band. Some of the up-and-comer stallions can take a huge and somewhat unwarranted jump in stud fee due to supply demands. That can make you sit out a year and wait to see if it's legit or not, especially if a younger stallion has a couple of weak crops coming down the pipeline.

Proven

VENETIAN SONATA (m, 14, Bernardini – Moonlight Sonata, by Carson City) and STUNNING SKY (m, 6 Declaration of War – Sky Walk, by Unbridled's Song) to be bred to Quality Road

This will be Venetian Sonata's second time to Quality Road. One of our top two yearling fillies for this year is her daughter by Quality Road and he has been the pick for her again for this year for quite some time. She is smaller mare, but despite that she has been a big producer at the track and in the sales ring. Quality Road is one of the better stallions out there to get a little commercial leg under a mare and he has already had a significant filly out of this family in MGISW Abel Tasman. The Quality Road-Bernardini cross has been a potent one.

We had some great success mating a classy turf filly with Quality Road in the past and hope lightning might strike twice here with Stunning Sky, who was herself a Grade III winner at Keeneland and was Grade II placed at Saratoga. She is a big, robust filly and will benefit from the refinement Quality Road brings to his offspring.

JILTED BRIDE (m, 6, Wicked Strong – Cry At My Wedding, by Street Cry {Ire}) and MISS COSTA RICA (m, 5, Hit It a Bomb – Five Star Daydream, by Five Star Day) to be bred to Into Mischief

These are two new graded stakes fillies we added to the broodmare band this year. We try to give the younger mares as much opportunity as possible and there is no better sire than Into Mischief for that job. Both are bigger, well-conformed mares. Those traits will complement Into Mischief physically. Pedigree selection is a little easier with Into Mischief as he works so well with so many lines.

BECKLES ROAD (m, 14, Smart Strike – Padmore, by French Deputy) to be bred to Gun Runner

Beckles Road is another mare that has been a big producer for us at the track and sales. She has another beautiful Into Mischief filly this year that rivals her full-sister Class on Class that we sold in Book 1 last year at Keeneland September. When breeding at the upper echelons of the stallion ranks, we try to use mares that have shown us that they can consistently produce the kind of quality and ability in their offspring to warrant such a strong investment. She is a big, beautiful-profiled mare who is a little offset in front, but hasn't been passing that on. Gun Runner will suit her beautifully in the pedigree and physique department.

Figure of Speech broke her maiden on debut at Saratoga in 2019. This year she will be bred to Curlin | Sarah Andrew

FIGURE OF SPEECH (m, 6, Into Mischief – Starlight Lady, by Elusive Quality) to be bred to Curlin

Figure of Speech is a young, Grade I-placed Into Mischief filly currently in foal to Gun Runner. Curlin is the preeminent sire of Classic horses in the country and a mix of blood of these two stallion rockstars can only be a positive thing. Figure of Speech is a very classy-looking filly who will complement Curlin's powerful physique.

LUCY IN DIAMONDS (m, 11, Rock Hard Ten – Spritz, by Relaunch), THISSMYTIME (m, 6, Carpe Diem – Seraphic Too, by Southern Halo), CHAMPAGNE IVY (m, 5, Shackleford – Wonder Upon a Star, by Street Cry {Ire}) and BERNIN MIDNIGHT (m, 8, Midnight Lute – Venetian Sonata, by Bernardini) to be bred to Uncle Mo

These are all young mares and Uncle Mo is probably the best value now of the top-tier stallions. All are very clean-legged fillies in front, which tends to help with this sire too. Uncle Mo brings such diversity in his offsprings' abilities, whether it's distance or surfaces, and he works so well with such a variety of sire lines that he helps make the decision-making process a lot easier. He gives breeders a great shot at building a strong foundation under their younger mares.

Lucy In Diamonds had her best foal to date by this horse that sold well in September to SF Bloodstock and company. Part of the play here would be anticipating that this colt may develop into a promising runner by the time a full sibling gets to auction in a couple of years.

Thissmytime is a young, stakes-winning filly and a track record holder. She lacks a little size and Uncle Mo is one of the better stallions out there to help a mare in that department.

Bernin Midnight's first three foals have been impressive, most notably the Street Sense yearling from last year, and she continues to get an increased opportunity with quality of her perspective mates.

Champagne Ivy is a maiden stakes filly with a big family backing her up.

Freshmen

Aidan O'Meara with the Quality Road colt out of True Feelings that topped the 2022 Keeneland September Sale | Keeneland

TRUE FEELINGS (m, 14, Latent Heat – Grand Charmer, by Lord Avie) to be bred to Flightline

True Feelings is the jewel of our broodmare band. She has consistently produced quality stock from multiple sire lines that have different looks physically, but all had the quality physical and stylish walk that has stood them well in the sales ring. Flightline is a rare talent that is arguably the most impressive dirt runner of the modern era. The plan in this case was simple: breed a special mare to a special stallion and hope for something special.

NOTAPRADAPRICE (m, 9, Paddy O'Prado – Brenda's Slew, by Straight Man) to be bred to Life Is Good

We are very fortunate this year to have two very high-caliber incoming freshmen sires that had that “next level” natural ability. Life Is Good's Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile was arguably the most impressive performance in that race's history and, coupled with his ability to take that speed a little further, his physique takes him to the top of the list of the best-looking sons of Into Mischief.

Prada is a graded stakes winner and a stakes winner on both surfaces. She is a big, beautiful filly who should work well physically with Life Is Good.

EASY LIVING (m, 12, Big Brown – Jaramar Miss) and EARLYBIRD ROAD (m, 19, Cherokee Run – Kiss N Make Up, by Private Terms) to be bred to Corniche

Corniche is obviously our pride and joy and we are fortunate enough to still be minor shareholders in him, so we are trying to play our part in helping him in his future career. Both mares are quality stakes producers and consistently throw the right kind of physical.

Easy Living's Into Mischief colt will be our best colt headed to auction this year and her daughter My Kentucky Girl (American Pharoah) is a current-year stakes filly with potential to add to her resume as the year progresses. She had a beautiful Quality Road filly a few years back and should hopefully work well here again.

Corniche was a magnificent-looking foal. Still to this day he is the most impressive-looking foal we've ever had on the farm and he has the potential to be one of the standouts of this very deep group of freshmen sires when the first foals hit the sales next year and go on into their yearling stages.

Up-And-Coming

DEBBY D'ORO (m, 10, Giant's Causeway – Dashing Debby, by Medaglia d'Oro) and QUIRL (m, 8, More Than Ready – Beckles Road, by Smart Strike) to be bred to Good Magic

STEELIN MEMORIES (m, 3, Quality Road – Steelin' by Oreintate) and CANNY (m, 9, Big Brown – Sharp Instinct, by Awesome Again) to be bred to Justify

SCOOTER BIRD (m, 13, War Pass – Miz Emmalou, by Well Decorated) to be bred to Bolt d'Oro

PRINCESSDIANE (m, 7, Uncle Mo – Romantic Fibs, by Prized) to be bred to Violence

MIZ KELLA (m, 11, Harlan's Holiday – Steelin' by Orientate) and MIDNIGHT DIVA (m, 5, Midnight Lute – Pizza Lady, by Dance With Ravens) to be bred to Constitution

In any given year, we are lucky to have one stallion that shows enough early ability with his first crop of two-year-olds to suggest long-term viability as a major Kentucky stallion. But the deep group this year has three very solid candidates, all with strong early commercial success and strong groups of mares bred each year to help maintain the momentum.

All the above mares are younger and these stallions give breeders the opportunity to access a somewhat proven stallion without the steep stud fees of the older brigade.

Violence has the potential to have a huge year with Forte on the Derby trail, Newgrange headed to the GI Santa Anita H. and Dr. Schivel back on the warpath.

Constitution is entering the upper echelons of the sire ranks, but with his current production and more importantly his potential for even further success when his bigger, better-bred crops hit the track, we think he is still in the up-and-coming stage. Some of the best opportunities for breeders comes with riding the success of these young stallions as they climb the ladder and it has stood us well in the past.

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Demand and Competition Remain Strong as Book 2 Concludes

By Christie DeBernardis & Jessica Martini

LEXINGTON, KY–Demand remained high as did the competition for quality individuals, both mares and weanlings, as Book 2 of the Keeneland November Sale concluded with its second of two sessions Wednesday.

The third day of selling at Keeneland was highlighted by the million-dollar sale of GSW Proud Emma (Include). In foal to Charlatan, the chestnut was purchased by Jane Lyon of Summer Wind Farm, who also purchased Tuesday's $1.45-million session topper Park Avenue (Quality Road). Proud Emma will visit Lyon's homebred superstar Flightline (Tapit), whose fee was announced at $200,000 partway through Wednesday's action. Proud Emma marks the third seven-figure transaction of Book 2, which previously had not seen a million-dollar horse since 2017.

“Some of the owners of Flightline, and Life Is Good, are investing in young fillies and broodmares to send to their stallions,” said Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “We are coming off an exciting Breeders' Cup. It is a deep bench that is retiring this year. A lot of breeders are looking to improve their broodmare band and freshen up their portfolio, both on a domestic and international stage. It has been very, very healthy.”

During the two Book 2 sessions, 424 horses sold for $77,092,000. The average of $181,821 increased 13.5% from a year ago and the median of $150,000 was up 15.4%. Three horses sold for seven figures and there were 16 who sold for $500,000 or more. In 2021, six horses hit that mark and the section's top price was $725,000.

The 2021 Book 2 section of the November sale saw 489 horses gross $78,321,000 for an average of $160,166 and a median of $130,000.

“I think people are willing to keep going on horses that they feel have the quality they are looking for,” Lacy said. “When they find the mares and weanlings that fit the profile that they want, they keep going. Jane Lyon was pretty bullish today on that one. That was great.”

Proud Emma's covering sire Charlatan has made a name for himself in the sales ring this week. He was the session's leading covering sire with 11 mares carrying his first foals grossing $4.005 million and averaging $364,091.

“Charlatan is a very exciting horse,” said Cormac Breathnach, Keeneland's Director of Sales Operations. “He showed a ton of speed on the track and speed that could carry. With the sire line and his pedigree and the mares he has been bred to, he is showing the signs of being a successful commercial horse and that is what a lot of people are looking for at this sale. We expected them to be well received.”

Weanlings were also in high demand Wednesday, topped by a $500,000 Gun Runner colt (Hip 976), who is destined for resale next year after being purchased by Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo's AAA Thoroughbreds.

Fifteen weanlings sold for $300,000 or over during the 2022 Book 2 section of the November sale, led by a $550,000 son of Gun Runner who sold Wednesday. During the two sessions, 165 weanlings sold for $23,056,000, for an average of $139,733–up 7.3% from a year ago–and a median of $120,000, which was up 20% from 2021.

In 2021, 12 Book 2 weanlings sold for $300,000 or over. A total of 183 foals sold during the section for a gross of $23,838,000. The average was $130,262 and the median was $100,000.

“There was a huge appetite for the quality weanlings overall,” said Lacy. “A lot of pinhookers made good money in September and were reinvesting. That sector of the market really increased today, which was great to see. There was a lot of enthusiasm and competitive bidding on those better individuals. I think you will hopefully find that trend continue through the rest of the sale.”

The Keeneland November Sale continues through Wednesday, Nov. 16, with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. It is followed by Keeneland's November Horses of Racing Age Sale Nov . 17.

Another Emma for Summer Wind

Summer Wind Farm, already the home of Littleprincessemma (Yankee Gentleman), dam of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, added another Emma to its broodmare band when Jane Lyon bid an even million dollars to acquire graded stakes-winner Proud Emma (Include) (hip 876) from the Bedouin Bloodstock consignment Wednesday at Keeneland.

“We saw an awfully pretty mare that we think Flightline will like,” Lyon said of the mare's appeal. “We were trying to find mares that we thought, both physically and pedigree-wise, would fit him.”

The 6-year-old Proud Emma is out of the unraced Debutante Dreamer (Proud Citizen), a full-sister to graded-placed Cousin Stephen. She won the 2020 GIII Bayakoa S. and was second in the 2021 GIII Rancho Bernardo H.

SF Bloodstock purchased Proud Emma for $275,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton November and put her in foal to first-season sire Charlatan.

“She was a very striking mare,” SF Bloodstock's Tom Ryan said. “She is a beautiful physical and she obviously had tons of ability. We felt that she was a durable, sound mare.”

Ryan continued, “The plan at the time was to bring her back to the marketplace. We had options [for the covering sire], but when we got home and sat down to work through it, we felt Charlatan was a perfect physical for the mare.”

Of Proud Emma's seven-figure price tag, Ryan said, “Summer Wind is a very calculating outfit and they can see the same thing that we see. This is the kind of mare that could produce a commercial animal that we could see in Saratoga in a couple of years. And then she may not look that expensive.”

Mares in foal to Charlatan were in demand in the Keeneland sales ring, with Proud Emma leading the way.

Charlatan, who was a $700,000 Keeneland September Yearling purchase in 2018, raced for the stallion-making partnership of SF Racing, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Fred Hertrich, John Fielding and Golconda Stables. He won the 2020 GI Arkansas Derby and GI Malibu S. before concluding his career with his lone loss when second in the 2021 Saudi Cup. He stands at Hill 'n' Dale for a fee of $50,000.

“Charlatan is one of the most brilliant horses we've ever had anything to do with,” Ryan said. “He's a beautiful physical animal, but his athletic ability was extraordinary. With his ability to quicken, he was electric. We really felt that he was a horse that would be in high demand with his first pregnancies and I think today was a representation of that.”

Through three sessions of the November sale, 22 mares have sold in foal to Charlatan for an average of $338,636.

“He is a son of Speightstown and he was a brilliant horse,” Ryan said of Charlatan's appeal. “I think his race record and his physical make-up is exactly what people are looking for in the commercial market that we live in today.” @JessMartiniTDN

Whimsical Dance a Sentimental Purchase for Anderson

As the third session of the Keeneland November sale neared its conclusion Wednesday, Canadian breeder Dave Anderson struck to add a filly from the country's historic Sam-Son Farms to his broodmare band, going to $725,000 to acquire the 3-year-old Whimsical Dance (Distorted Humor) (hip 989).

“I've admired the Sam-Son operation my entire life growing up in Canada,” Anderson said. “I've just strived to be even remotely close to being as good a breeder as they've been. And this is a filly from their absolute best family. I took one look at her and it's just Distorted Humor over Giant's Causeway and it's all broodmare sires down to Dance Smartly. It's all something I really wanted to have in my program and this was the last stop for the Sam-Son train. I'm really thrilled to have her.”

A daughter of the unraced Danceforthecause (Giant's Causeway), Whimsical Dance is a half-sister to multiple graded winner Say the Word (More Than Ready) and graded winner Rideforthecause (Candy Ride {Arg}). Her third dam is the great Canadian champion Dance Smartly, who produced champion Dancethruthedawn.

Whimsical Dance has now won two of three starts at Woodbine. Anderson said the filly may continue her racing career.

“I am going to take a look at that,” he said. “I would obviously love to get some black-type on her somewhere. But at the end of the day, I bought her for her ovaries and she'll be a long-term mare in our program.”

Founded by the late Ernie Samuel some 50 years ago, Sam-Son Farm has dispersed nearly all of its stock in the last two years. The operation sold five mares Wednesday. In addition to Whimsical Dance, the Sam-Son bred Ladywearsthering (Uncle Mo) (hip 810) sold for $450,000 to Thomas Bachman's Fairview.

Anderson admitted Wednesday's purchase of one of the final mare's from the Sam-Son operation was a special one.

“My father died 12 years ago yesterday and he and Mr. Samuel were great friends and did a lot of business together over the years. It really is an emotional purchase for me for sure.” @JessMartiniTDN

Strong Showing For Indian Creek

Shack Parrish's Indian Creek consignment had a great day at Keeneland Wednesday, starting with the $700,000 sale of Zoikes (Fr) (Dubawi {Ire}) (Hip 618), who is set to return to Europe after being purchased by Jim Ryan. She is carrying a foal by Medaglia d'Oro.

“She was very well-received,” said Indian Creek's Sarah Sutherland. “It's a great cover for her, the Medaglia cross with Dubawi. She was sold for Bob Edwards or E Five Racing. They bought her as a yearling at Newmarket and campaigned her here. We're in the process of selling a few, buying a few and keeping our numbers in check. We were happy to bring her here and think she realized a good price.”

Edwards purchased Zoikes at TATOCT for 450,000gns and she won one of three starts on American soil. Out of SW & G1SP Glorious Sight (Singspiel), she is a half to MGSW GISP Glycon (Le Havre). This is also the family of MGSW Beauty Is Truth (Pivotal).

As Sutherland predicted after that sale, Indian Creek sparked fireworks again late in the session, selling a $500,000 Gun Runner colt (Hip 976) to Dean DeRenzo. DeRenzo and his partner Randy Hartley, who sign as AAA Thoroughbreds, also purchased an Authentic filly (Hip 885) from the Indian Creek consignment for $260,000.

Hartley and DeRenzo have been busy snapping up as many nice weanlings as they can get their hands on this week with plans to resell them as yearlings. They have been particularly keen on Gun Runners, snapping up a $675,000 filly and $550,000 colt by the red-hot sire at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale Sunday.

“I thought he was the best horse in the sale,” DeRenzo said. “I just love him. We bought our first Gun Runner, which was Taiba. He's done fantastic and he's not finished. Gun Runner's a horse I have never seen in my career and I think we've seen only the beginning of him. He's going to be bred to some amazing mares, and this was a really great mare. We're really excited. We'll send him home and let him grow up and see how things go and we'll go from there.”

Bred by Chisago Farm, the weanling colt is out of Twiga, a half-sister to MGSW Takeover Target (Harlan's Holiday) and SW Ladies' Privilege (Harlan's Holiday). This is also the family of MGISW Critical Eye.

“The colt has been well received the whole time,” Parrish said. “We only had three foals and they all did great. We can't complain. The guys at home did a great job. They all came from Indian Creek, so we know them like our own kids.”

Indian Creek sold 10 horses Wednesday for a total of $2.76 million and average of $276,000.

For us, it's been good, but I've seen spots. Of course, there were spots across town too. I think you really need to have nice foals here. They aren't playing in the mid-range yet. The right sire power is a big help.

—@CDeBernardisTDN

Collins Breaks Through for Message

Lincoln Collins admitted he had been shut out on several mares before finally breaking through to purchase Message (Warrior's Reward) (hip 839) for $675,000 on behalf of John Sykes's Woodford Thoroughbreds Wednesday at Keeneland.

“We finally got one,” Collins said with a laugh after signing the ticket on the 6-year-old mare who sold in foal to Charlatan.

Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, Message was second in the 2020 GIII Bayakoa S. for Susan and Charlie's Baoma Corp.

“We are looking to upgrade all the time,” Collins said. “It was a lot of money, but she is an absolutely beautiful mare. I am sure the [covering] sire will be popular. And pedigree-wise, we can do pretty much anything we like.”

Collins pointed out that this year's GI Champagne S. winner Blazing Sevens (Good Magic) is, like Message, out of a Warrior's Reward mare.

“He is the sort of horse who is beginning to show life as a broodmare sire, so all of those things together made us push it absolutely to the limit.”

The popularity of mares in foal to Charlatan at Keeneland has been no surprise to Collins.

“He was a very, very good racehorse,” Collins said of the GI Malibu S. winner. “I think he will probably be one of the most popular first-season sires next year. And you know how the market is. It values youth over experience. Since we sell almost everything, it makes sense for us [to buy a mare in foal to a first-year stallion].”

Message was the first mare purchased by Woodford Thoroughbreds at Keeneland, but that wasn't for lack of trying.

“It's been very, very tough,” Collins said. “I've bid a lot of money on a lot of horses and not gotten anything until today. We went well past our limit on a number of them and still didn't get anything.” @JessMartiniTDN

Lake Garda Set For a Date With Flightline

Shortly after superstar Flightline's fee was announced at $200,000, Hunter Rankin purchased Lake Garda (American Pharoah) (Hip 812) for $600,000 on behalf of an undisclosed client with the GI Breeders' Cup Classic hero in mind. Consigned by Elite, the unraced4-year-old is in foal to Uncle Mo.

“She is a beautiful mare, obviously regally bred,” Rankin said. “I'm really excited for the owner. She is going to go to Flightline. He is really excited about her.”

He continued, “I thought it was a fair price. We thought she would do well in the market. It looked like she had a lot of action out there. She had all the pieces and parts and she is in foal to a great stallion and from a great family. We are really excited.”

Purchased by Cromwell Bloodstock for $550,000 as a weanling at the 2018 renewal of this auction, Lake Garda is a daughter of GSP blue hen Refugee (Unaccounted For). She is a half-sister to hard-knocking MGISW and young sire Hoppertunity (Any Given Saturday), MGISW Exectiveprivlege (First Samurai) and stakes winners Leader of Men (War Front) and Cowboy's Hero (Cowboy Cal).

“Lake Garda was just a beautiful mare,” said Elite's Liz Crow. “She came in prepped perfectly. She has a nice pedigree and a nice update, and she's in foal to Uncle Mo on a good cover. She was one of our most popular mares over the last three days. We feel like we had some nice physicals with nice pedigree pages here today. It all starts with the people who send us these horses. We have a great group of clients who entrust us to sell their horses. We always aim to put a nice Book 2 together. We bringing stakes-winning and stakes-placed, and graded stakes-winning and stakes-placed mares here. Our team works together months in advance and without their hard work we wouldn't have such a good day.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Finding Fame to Gage Hill/Determined Stud Partnership

Terry Finley continued shopping for mares for recently retired Flightline (Tapit) Wednesday at Keeneland, going to $575,000 for the 5-year-old mare Finding Fame (Empire Maker) (hip 749). In foal to Constitution, the bay is a full-sister to stakes winner and multiple graded-placed Mei Ling.

“Shug McGaughey trained the mare and she had a lot of talent,” Finley said after signing the ticket in the name of Gage Hill and Matt Dorman's Determined Stud. “She's a lovely, big mare.”

Finding Fame, a $425,000 KEESEP yearling purchase in 2018, won twice in 10 starts for Gainesway Stable and Andrew Rosen. She was consigned Wednesday by Gainesway.

Of the mare's final price, Finley added, “We are obviously getting to the end of the ones that we are thinking about buying to send to Flightline. I think we knew that there were several significant players that were interested in her.”

Gage Hill, alone in or in partnership with Determined Stud, has purchased six mares at the November sale for $4.5 million. The partners went to $2 million to acquire Salty As Can Be (Into Mischief) (hip 154) during Monday's first session of the auction. @JessMartiniTDN

Stonehaven Reinvests at Keeneland

The Reddoch family's Stonehaven Steadings, run by the Reddoch's daughter Leah O'Meara and her husband Aidan, had a stellar September Sale and their hot streak continued here Tuesday when they sold a $1 million mare. They began to reinvest that money during Wednesday's session, topped by a $425,000 Gun Runner filly (Hip 844).

“She will be back here hopefully in September,” Aidan O'Meara said. “That's the plan at least, so we will see how it goes. She is a beautiful filly, a great representation of the sire with her scope and frame. She is a nice, classy type.”

The weanling filly was consigned by Paramount Sales on behalf of breeders Drumkenny Farm and American Equistock Inc. Out of Mighty Moon (Malibu Moon), the chestnut hails from the family of SW & GSP Green Lyons (Ire).

Hip 844's sire Gun Runner could not be hotter with four Grade I winners this year to add to the two he had last year in his first crop of 2-year-olds, one of which was champion Echo Zulu. Progeny of the Horse of the Year have been in high demand in the sales ring this year and his current weanlings were no exception. Six have sold through the first three days of KEENOV for $2.425 million with an average of $404,167.

“It is arguable, but it is probably the best start any stallion has had in the history of the breed,” said O'Meara. “It's been incredible. Some of the best opportunities in this business are the riding the wave of the success of these stallions. It is a lot of money for that filly, but she is as nice as any of those higher-priced ones that have come up here in the last few days.”

Stonehaven Steadings stellar season started at the September sale, where they sold a total of 18 yearlings for $8.188 million, including the sale-topping $2.5-million Quality Road colt now named Metro. During the Book 2 opener Tuesday, the operation sold Sweet Sami D (First Samurai), a mare they claimed for $65,000 and bred to Gun Runner, for $1 million.

“We have had a very fortunate year,” O'Meara said. “We are putting some of it back in the industry. The sale did encourage us, but you always have to be in control of what you're doing. We will try to build on the year we've had and try to keep it rolling. We've bought some nice mares here today as well and we have a very nice bunch of foals back at the farm. When we buy pinhooks, we aren't buying fixer uppers. We buy nice, high-quality types. Hopefully we come out here with a pretty nice draft.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Brookdale Active On Both Sides of the Ledger For Not This Time

Early in Wednesday's session, Brookdale's Freddy Seitz went to $350,000 on behalf of a friend to acquire a filly by Not This Time (Hip 631). Then 118 hips later, the Seitz family's sale operation, led by Freddy's brother Joe Seitz, sold a colt by the Taylor Made stallion for $375,000 (Hip 749). Bred by Audley Farm, Hip 749 was purchased by Dudley Racing.

The chestnut filly was consigned by Gainesway on behalf of Alexander, Grove and Matz. Hip 631 is out of SW Analyze (Candy Ride {Arg}), a half-sister to GSW Far From Over (Blame) and GISP And Why Not (Street Cry {Ire}), who is the dam of MGSW Fearless (Ghostzapper). Carrying a foal by Hard Spun, Analyze followed her daughter into the ring, bringing $475,000 from Summer Wind Farm's Jane Lyon, which means she is likely headed to unbeaten sensation Flightline (Tapit) this spring.

“I was asked to sign the ticket on behalf of a friend,” Freddy Seitz said. “She's a beautiful filly. I liked the way she moved. Of course, with a Not This Time filly out of that family you can't ask for much more. She's by a hot sire and out of one of the best families in the U.S.”

Later in the day, Hip 749 stirred things up in the pavilion, summoning $375,000. The Virginia-bred is out of a half-sister to MGSW & MG1SP So Perfect (Scat Daddy).

“He's a big, scopey, huge walking horse with a beautiful appearance,” Joe Seitz said. “He came alive here. He has some interesting markings on him. There is a lot of uniqueness about him. He came from Audley Farm, a wonderful in Virginia and the same people who bred Bodemeister. His half-sister by Justify broke her maiden in her first start, so there is a lot of quality in a nice young family.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

The post Demand and Competition Remain Strong as Book 2 Concludes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Record-Setting Keeneland September Sale Strong to the Finish

The Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which surpassed $400-million in gross sales for the first time in its history, concluded Saturday with new records, not just for turnover, but also for average and median and with 30 seven-figure yearlings doubling the number from the 2021 auction.

Keeneland sold a total of 2,847 yearlings through the ring for $405,495,700 during the 12-day auction, surpassing the previous record of $399,791,800 set during the 2006 September sale. The cumulative average and median prices surpassed September sale records set last year, with the average price of $142,429 up 7.83% from 2021 and the median up 7.69% from $65,000 to $70,000.

“This sale went beyond our expectations and reflects the energy and excitement in racing right now,” said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. “We are grateful to our consignors, sellers and buyers for their support of Keeneland and the September sale. And a special thanks to the breeders. We appreciate how much hard work goes into breeding and raising quality horses, and we are very happy they were rewarded for their efforts through the ring.”

The Keeneland sales team was focused on starting off the September sale with a power-packed Book 1 and the elite section delivered right from the first hip through the ring.

“The very first hip bringing $850,000 set the tone,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “That first day was incredible. We really leaned into getting Book 1 solidified by listening to our buyers and our clients. This was something we needed to reestablish to make sure we had the quality forward. It really worked. The buyers appreciated it. There was almost a sense of euphoria around the grounds for a number of days and it carried all the way through the sale.”

The two-day Book 1 section produced gross sales of $113,660,000–a 25.42% increase over 2021–and included 96 horses who sold for $500,000 or more, up from 43 last year. The two-day Book 1 clearance rate jumped from 65% in 2021 to 78% this year.

Keeneland Director of Sales Operations' Cormac Breathnach credited the sales strong results to a quality group of horses and a diverse buying bench.

“The catalogue is only as good as the support the breeders give you,” Breathnach said. “And there was a very good crop of yearlings that has been bred here and nationally and that's a credit to the breeders and to the sellers who have presented them so well. We were really well supported. And also by the buying base, domestically and internationally, all the way through the book. If you look at the activity of the likes of St. Elias and several of our leading trainers in the last few days, it just shows the hunger for racehorses is there and we are proud of what we were able to present and very pleased with the results and happy for all of our clients.”

The 12-day September sale attracted a deep buying bench dominated largely by domestic buyers and, by the close of business Saturday, 88 different buyers had spent $1 million or more. The 30 million-dollar yearlings were purchased by nineteen different buying entities.

“If you look at the number of people who bought at that [million-dollar] level, the numbers are spread across quite a large number of buyers,” said Lacy. “In the past, we were very reliant on some of the bigger entities to support those million-dollar plus purchases. I think what you saw this year, and somewhat last year, was a broad buyer base that supported that level of the market. For us, that was extremely encouraging. There were some newer players, some very established people. But the diversity of the market was very encouraging.”

For the second year in a row, the partnership of Talla Racing, Woodford Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds made the biggest purchase of the September sale. The group, which purchased a $1.7-million son of City of Light to top the 2021 auction, was forced to $2.5 million to acquire a colt by that stallion's sire, Quality Road, to top the 2022 sale.

The sale-topper was consigned by Stonehaven Steadings, which sold 19 horses for $8,283,000.

“It's been a tremendous market,” Stonehaven Steading's Aidan O'Meara said. “We had a phenomenal run ourselves, but everybody across the board has had some seriously nice trading. It's a huge turnaround from a couple of years ago at the height of COVID and we were all fretting about what was going to unfold in that scenario. To see the turnaround in such a short period of time has been phenomenal.”

Repole, Viola Repeat as Leading Buyers

The partnership of Mike Repole's Repole Stable and Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable repeated as the September sale's leading buyer, with 31 yearlings purchased for $12,840,000, while Repole, who was seated in the pavilion for much of the first half of the sale, was, individually, the auction's fourth highest buyer, acquiring 27 yearlings for $7,940,000.

“With Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola, we bought a lot of horses and that was their game plan coming in,” said bloodstock agent Jacob West, who was active for the leading partnership as well as several other clients. “The plan was to really go after what we deemed quality and give ourselves a chance to win the big Saturday races. All in all, you sound like a broken record, but good horses always sell well. And that's what I saw in the market.”

Won't You Be My Partner?

Partnerships continued to play a major part in the marketplace, with the stallion-making team of SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables purchasing 21 yearlings for $12,825,000 to be the second leading buyers for the second straight year. Also in the market for potential future stallions, the BSW/Crow Colts Group teamed with Spendthrift and Gandharvi to buy 10 colts for $4,290,000.

“It's massive,” Lacy said of the impact partnerships have had on the market. “It's obviously a huge investment for anybody and any individual, so to spread that investment over a number of horses increases your opportunity to gain and be part of a good individual or a good program. We all enjoy sharing success and I think that's where people are starting to realize this is something that is actually fun. I think coming out of the pandemic, you see a lot more people who have an appreciation of the sport and want to be involved in it. It's a great way to let people in without the high-risk investment if they were doing it alone or in a small partnership. I think this is here to stay for quite a while. I am excited about what it can do for our industry in general over the next 10-20 years.”

Other major players to team up for the top 30 lots included Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys; Whisper Hill Farm and Three Chimneys; John Oxley, M.V. Magnier and Breeze Easy; Repole, St. Elias and West Point; and M.V. Magnier and Mike Repole.

“When you can diversify your portfolio and invest your money into multiple horses, you just give yourself a better chance to buy more quality products,” West said. “You give yourself a better chance of hitting a home run. People have realized the inherent risk that goes along with this game is very high. It's high risk, high reward, so if you can get involved in a partnership and diversify and lower your exposure, it makes all the more sense for people.”

Japanese Buyers Fight Exchange Rate

While facing a less favorable exchange rate than in previous years, Japanese buyers were still active at the Keeneland sale.

“There were 10 groups from Japan here for the sale,” Lacy said. “That's the busiest they've been at a September Sale in a long, long time.”

Hideyuki Mori led the way among Japanese buyers, joining the seven-figure parade with the $1.2-million purchase of a half-brother to Triple Crown winner Justify. Mori purchased five yearlings for a total of $2,545,000.

“We are very aware of the factors that are at play, with the currency exchanges being a major part of that,” Lacy said. “That was what was so encouraging that, even with the yen at a 35-year low against the dollar, Japanese buyers were very active. They probably couldn't swing as hard as they could have in a more favorable market for them, but they did see the value in what they were buying. And I think that's incredibly important. Our breeders here breed a high-quality horse that is very appealing to the international market. It just goes to show, when the currency exchanges start swinging back in their favor, I think the international markets will be even more prevalent.”

West Buying And Selling

West, along with Jill Gordon, had the first September consignment of his Highgate this year, allowing the prolific buyer to appreciate the other side of the auction ledger

“With Highgate now, I can see both sides of it,” West said. “And if I am being honest, there were some surprises, both good and bad. Some horses exceeded our expectations and then some horses didn't meet our expectations, but it seemed like the ones that exceeded our expectations really over-exceeded our expectations. So it seemed like, if you were deemed by the public as having a quality product, you got rewarded. Which is always good for the breeders.”

West said the September results reflect an overall positive attitude in the industry.

“I think, quite frankly, there is confidence in our business and in our industry,” West said. “Whether you want to say that's from the purse structures that we have or even what some of these stallion prospects have been selling for once they retire, or the money some of the top horses are making, or a little bit of it may be that people have some belief that we are playing on a more level playing field with HISA coming into play.”

West continued, “The other thing, too, that I don't think a lot of people give credit for, whether FOX Sports or TVG, I think we've done an incredible job of promoting our business. During COVID, we were the only show in town and I thought a lot of people were very interested. Every year it seems the handle keeps growing. There are still some bumps in the road, but overall, I think we have a quality product that appeals to a lot of people. There are new partnerships forming–it seems like whether it's West Point or Eclipse Thoroughbred or whatever syndicate group–they always seem stronger buying at the top end because they have more people investing with them. And I think a lot of that has to do with the marketing that TVG, and especially FOX Sports, have done with NYRA and Churchill and those type of tracks that they are covering.”

Demand Continues into Week Two

Demand continued into the second week of the 12-day auction, with leading buyers like St. Elias Stable, which purchased the top lots during the sale's 10th and 11th sessions, joined by international buyers from Argentina, Azerbaijan, Chile, China, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mexico, Panama and Saudi Arabia.

“It's an incredible market. The rate of sales is amazing,” said Pat Costello of Paramount Sales, which sold 136 horses for $20,448,500. “There is depth to the market. The top-end guys kept buying back into other books [beyond Books 1 and 2] and that has driven people back into these books [5 and 6]. One of the things driving the market is the shortage of horses.”

In Books 4-6, the clearance rate never fell below 82%. During the ninth session Wednesday, a Keeneland record 329 horses sold through the ring in a single session.

“It's been a strong sale across the board, and it's amazing it has held up so well and above last year,” said Marc McLean of Crestwood Farm, which sold seven-figure horses for the first time, a Gun Runner colt and a Quality Road colt, each for $1.05 million. “There has been a good floor, which is nice for the horses that aren't the stars. It had great depth. That's a healthy market to me. We had quite a few standouts in each session. It's nice to have horses that are the more elite of the day. It's such a great feeling for us and the owners and breeders and the whole farm staff to have something that you feel will stand out. We're in Book 6, and we're busier than we ever dreamed we'd be.”

Taylor Made on Top Again

Taylor Made Sales Agency led all consignors at the September sale for the eighth consecutive year and the 24th year since 1988. Taylor Made sold 273 yearlings for $38,969,000, including three seven-figure colts by Constitution ($1.8 million), Quality Road ($1.15 million) and Into Mischief ($1 million).

Gainesway was second in total sales, followed by Paramount Sales, Lane's End Farm, Denali Stud, Eaton Sales, Woods Edge Farm, Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency and Machmer Hall Thoroughbreds.

Lane's End Farm's Quality Road was responsible for seven of the 30 seven-figure yearlings and he was bettered in that category only by Spendthrift Farm's Into Mischief, who had eight. Three Chimneys' Gun Runner had five million-dollar yearlings, while Curlin had three. Justify, Constitution and City of Light each had two, while Tapit had one.

For the third straight year, Into Mischief was the leading sire by gross, with 58 yearlings selling for $30,495,000. Omaha Beach was the leading first-crop sire with 59 yearlings grossing $12,667,000 for an average of $214,695. He was followed in that category by Audible, who had 66 yearlings sell for $10,609,000 for an average of $160,742.

English Channel Filly Tops Keeneland Finale

A filly by English Channel (hip 4108) brought a final bid of $115,000 from Tracy Farmer to top the final session of the September sale Saturday. Bred by Calumet Farm and consigned by Buckland Sales, the yearling is out of In Dy Ritz (A.P. Indy) and is a full-sister to stakes winner and multiple graded placed Ritzy A. P.

In all, 184 yearlings sold Saturday for a gross of $2,518,000. The session average was $13,685 and the median was $8,000.

There was no corresponding session a year ago.

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