Grade 3 winner Proud Emma, a 6-year-old daughter of Include in foal to Charlatan, sold to Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Equine for $1 million during Wednesday's third session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
Proud Emma was the first million-dollar horse on Day 3 of the November Sale since 2017, and she increased the number of seven-figure purchases at this year's auction to 13.
On Wednesday, 214 horses sold for $40,754,000, an increase of 6.87 percent over the corresponding session of the 2021 sale when 242 horses grossed $38,134,000. The average of $190,439 rose 20.85 percent from last year's $157,579. The median of $160.000 was up 14.29 percent over $140,000.
Keeneland cumulatively has sold 547 horses for $142,807,000, which climbed 12.77 percent from the corresponding period of 2021 when the gross was $126,634,000 for 586 horses. The average of $261,073 is 20.81 percent above $216,099 from 2021, and the median increased 9.38 percent from $160,000 to $175,000.
“The sale has been very healthy,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said, “reflecting the vibrancy of the market. We're coming off an exciting Breeders' Cup, and there's a deep bench of stallions that are retiring this year. A lot of breeders are looking to improve their broodmare bands and freshen their portfolio, both on a domestic and international basis.
“There's a lot of enthusiasm,” Lacy continued. “Buyers are willing to keep going on the horses they feel have the quality they want. It's the tide that rises a lot of boats. We are in a very competitive environment right now. There is diversity in the market and in the buying pool that is really encouraging. Today the top 15 horses sold to 14 different interests. It's very broad-based and we're not dependent on one entity. The second horse through the ring today brought $700,000 and the horse six hips from the end brought $725,000, so there is depth all the way through.”
“We saw lots of domestic interest at the top of the market yesterday and today,” Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach said. “When you look at the foal market, the median price today was $150,000 and last year it was about $110,000. You can see people are getting really competitive on the foals. Authentic is a really exciting first-crop stallion, but there's also Improbable, Volatile, Tiz the Law – several exciting horses that are beginning to get recognized. As strong as today was, there is every reason to believe the momentum will continue into Book 3 and beyond.”
Consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, agent, Proud Emma is out of Debutante Dreamer, by Proud Citizen, and from the family of Grade 1 winner America Alive.
“We saw an awfully pretty mare that we think Flightline would like,” Lyon said. “We decided we would give him a little present for his performances lately. We were trying to find mares that we thought both physically and pedigree-wise would fit him. I hope he realizes what a job he's got ahead of him. We were happy that she was in foal, and we are anxious to see her Charlatan. He (Charlatan) is a young horse, so we hope he'll be successful as well.”
“She is a big, beautiful mare by Include. She is an awesome physical,” Conor Doyle of Bedouin Bloodstock said. “The price surprised us a little. We thought she would bring more than half a million. (Covering sire Charlatan) played a huge role (in the price). We're glad she was bought by Summer Wind and is going to be part of that broodmare band.”
Anderson Farms/Stonereath Stud paid $725,000 for the 3-year-old Distorted Humor filly Whimsical Dance consigned by Sam-Son Farm. A half-sister to Grade 2 winners Say the Word and Rideforthecause, she is from the family of Racing Hall of Famer Dance Smartly, Canadian champion Dancethruthedawn and Grade 1 winners Smart Strike and Moreno.
“I've admired the Sam-Son operation my entire life growing up in Canada,” buyer Dave Anderson said. “I've strived to be even remotely close as good a breeder as they've been. This is a filly from their absolute best family. I took one look at her, and Distorted Humor over Giant's Causeway … it's just something I just really wanted to have in my program. I'm really thrilled to have her. She'll be a long-term mare in our program. My father died 12 years ago yesterday and he and Mr. Samuel (of Sam-Son Farm) were great friends and did a lot of business together over the years, so it really is an emotional purchase for me.”
Zoikes (FR), a 4-year-old daughter of Dubawi in foal to Medaglia d'Oro, sold for $700,000 to Jim Ryan of Ireland. She is out of French stakes winner and Group 1-placed Glorious Sight, by Singspiel, and a half-sister to Group 2 winner Glycon. Zoikes was consigned by Indian Creek, agent.
“She was very well-received,” Indian Creek's Sarah Sutherland said. “It's a great cover (Medaglia d'Oro) for her: the Medaglia cross with Dubawi. She was sold for Bob Edwards and e Five Racing. They bought her as a yearling at (the 2019 Tattersalls October Yearling Sale) and campaigned her here.”
Woodford Thoroughbreds paid $675,000 for stakes winner Message, a 6-year-old daughter of Warrior's Reward in foal to Charlatan. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent, she is out of the Carson City mare Song'n Dance and from the family of multiple Grade 1 winner Win.
“We're all the time looking to upgrade, and that was a lot of money for her,” said Lincoln Collins, agent for Woodford Thoroughbreds. “She is an absolutely beautiful mare. Pedigree-wise, we can breed her to pretty much anything we like. Warrior's Reward is beginning to show life as a broodmare sire. Charlatan was a very good racehorse, and he will probably be one of the most popular first-season sires next year. You know how the market is: It values youth over experience. All those things together pushed us to the limit. I've bid a lot of money on a lot of horses and hadn't gotten anything until today.”
Lake Garda, a 4-year-old half-sister to Grade 1 winners Hoppertunity and Executiveprivilege who is in foal to Uncle Mo, sold to HR Bloodstock for $600,000. Consigned by ELiTE, agent, she is out of Refugee, by Unaccounted For, and from the family of Racing Hall of Famer Davona Dale
“Just a beautiful mare, obviously regally bred,” buyer Hunter Rankin said. “Really excited for the owner. She's going to go to Flightline. We 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 then she's in foal to a great stallion. We just really liked the mare and wanted to make sure we got her.”
Determined Stud and Gage Hill spent $575,000 on Finding Fame, a 5-year-old winning daughter of Empire Maker bred to Constitution for her first foal. A full sister to stakes winner Mei Ling, Finding Fame is out of the Seeking the Gold mare Lochinvar's Gold and from the family of Grade 1 winners La Gueriere and Al Mamoon. She was consigned by Gainesway, agent.
“Shug McGaughey trained the mare, and she had a lot of talent,” Terry Finley of Gage Hill said, adding Finding Fame could be bred to Flightline. “She's a lovely, big pretty mare. We knew there were several significant players interested in her.”
AAA Thoroughbreds went to $550,000 to acquire the session's top-priced weanling, a colt by Gun Runner from the family of Grade 1 winner Critical Eye and Grade 2 winner Takeover Target. Consigned by Indian Creek, agent, he is out of Twiga, by Union Rags.
“I thought he was the best horse in the sale. I just love him,” buyer Dean DeRenzo said. “We bought our first Gun Runner, which was (multiple Grade 1 winner) Taiba (as a yearling in 2020). We're really excited. We'll send him home, let him grow up, see how things go, and we'll go from there.”
ELiTE was the session's leading consignor with sales of $4,655,000 for 16 horses.
St. George Stables led buyers by spending $1.72 million on six horses.
The November Sale continues Thursday at 10 a.m. ET and runs through Wednesday, Nov. 16, with all sessions beginning at 10 a.m.
On Thursday, Nov. 17, Keeneland will present the November Horses of Racing Age Sale. The auction starts at noon.
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