Larry Best's OXO Equine paid $1.95 million for Grade 1 winner and millionaire Concrete Rose and $1.9 million for Indian Miss, the dam of champion Mitole who is in foal to Into Mischief, to acquire the two most expensive horses sold during a day of strong trade at Monday's Book 1 opening session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.
With a total of six purchases for $5,015,000, Best led all buyers for the session.
Keeneland sold 128 horses on Monday for $49,775,000, for an average of $388,867 and a median of $280,000. Eight horses brought $1 million or more.
“Overall, we are really happy with how the day went,” Keeneland President-Elect and Interim Head of Sales Shannon Arvin said, noting that the energy created by this weekend's Breeders' Cup World Championships at Keeneland carried over to the November Sale. “It was a solid day of trade. We were pleased with the broad domestic and international participation. Japanese buyers bought three of the day's top-priced horses.”
Online bidding continued to gain popularity with buyers. During today's session, 62 bids were placed via the internet, resulting in nine purchases, one of them for seven figures, and gross sales of more than $6 million.
“It was very good to see the different platforms we put out there – internet bidding, phone bidding and the three different bidding areas on the sales grounds – were well utilized today,” Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell said. “One of the benefits of internet bidding is that the principal is back in control; they may go a little further than the agent would have been authorized to go. It's a different way of doing commerce in 2020, but we're all learning how to play with technology and get the best benefit out of it.”
Concrete Rose, a 4-year-old daughter of Twirling Candy out of Solerina, by Powerscourt (GB), was consigned as a racing or broodmare prospect by Lane's End, agent for Ashbrook Farm and BBN Racing. Trained by Rusty Arnold, Concrete Rose won six of seven starts, including the Grade 1 Belmont Oaks Invitational, G2 JPMorgan Chase Jessamine, G3 Edgewood Presented by Forcht Bank and G3 Florida Oaks, and earned $1.2 million.
“I didn't want to go quite that high, but honestly I didn't think I'd touch her below $2 million,” Best said about the purchase. “She's a beautiful horse and you can't take away that record from her. I'm just thrilled to have her. I have admired Concrete Rose for a long time. I have a multiple Grade 1 winner, Cambier Parc, and Concrete Rose beat her and I said, 'Wow, what a horse.'”
Indian Miss, an 11-year-old daughter of Indian Charlie, was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent. Best said he planned to breed Indian Miss to Instagrand, a son of Into Mischief he raced to a Grade 2 win and a Grade 1 placing. Instagrand enters stud in 2021.
“That's my strategy: Try to get Instagrand going, and hopefully we'll get a nice Into Mischief foal, too,” Best said.
Narvick International paid $1.85 million for Cherokee Maiden, a 3-year-old daughter of Distorted Humor from the family of 2020 Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail and Saturday's TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile Presented by Thoroughbred Aftercare Alliance winner Essential Quality. Consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, agent, as a racing or broodmare prospect, Cherokee Maiden is out of champion Folklore, by Tiznow.
In the day's highest price for an internet sale, K I Farm purchased Grade 1 winner Ollie's Candy, who ran in Saturday's Breeders' Cup Distaff, for $1.65 million. Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, consigned the 5-year-old daughter of Candy Ride (ARG), who was cataloged as a racing or broodmare prospect.
“I thought she would bring that with the way the market has been going on high-end mares,” said Mark Taylor, Taylor's Made's Vice President of Marketing and Public Sales Operations. “She was only about 3 lengths off winning three additional three Grade 1 (races). If she had won a couple more that she had rough trips in, she could have brought twice that.”
Ollie's Candy was cataloged to last year's November Sale but was withdrawn from the sale and resumed her racing career in 2020. She ran in six graded stakes this year and placed in seven of them, including Keeneland's G1 Juddmonte Spinster.
“(Breeders and owners Paul Eggert and Karen Eggert) got to have a whole other year of racing her, and you can't put a price on that,” Taylor said. “For them, it was definitely the best decision.”
With sales of $9.61 million for 29 horses, Taylor Made was the session's leading consignor.
Taylor Made also consigned Grade 1 winner Lady Prancealot (IRE), who sold for $1.6 million to Shadai Farm of Japan. Fourth in Saturday's Maker's Mark Breeders' Cup Filly and Mare Turf, the 4-year-old daughter of Sir Prancealot (IRE) was cataloged as a racing or broodmare prospect.
“I think we were expecting a strong showing today, and $1.6 million was a great result for everybody,” said Phillip Shelton, Racing Manager of co-owner Medallion Racing. “She's a 4-year-old and there is blue sky ahead. (Shadai is) going to breed her. If we couldn't get it done, we were happy to take her back and run her. We have to thank all of our partners for putting their faith in us.”
Two in-foal broodmares sold for $1.5 million apiece.
Spendthrift Farm purchased the first, Canadian champion and millionaire Holy Helena, who is carrying her first foal by Quality Road. Hidden Brook, agent, consigned the 6-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper who is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Holy Boss.
Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings paid $1.5 million for Houtzen (AUS), a multiple group stakes winner in Australia. A 6-year-old daughter of Australian sire I Am Invincible, the mare is carrying her first foal by Curlin. She was consigned by Woods Edge Farm, agent.
“She was a really brilliant 2-year-old in Australia – super fast,” Barbara Banke of Stonestreet said. “She was in foal to my favorite stallion, so what is not to like?”
Claiborne Farm, agent, paid $1 million for the racing or broodmare prospect Gingham. Consigned by Brookdale Sales, agent, Gingham is a stakes-winning 3-year-old daughter of Quality Road out of the Pulpit mare Chapel. The Grade 2-placed filly is from the family of Grade 2 winner Owsley.
Two weanlings sold for $600,000 to lead the session.
The first is a colt from the first crop of undefeated 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify who sold to Donato Lanni, agent. Consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent, he is out of the Mr. Greeley mare Groton Circle and is a half-brother to stakes winner Supreme Aura. The colt is from the family of Grade 2 winners Miss Isella and Sir Cherokee.
“He's pretty cool; he looked just like Justify,” Lanni said. “We bought him to race; I wanted to buy a nice Justify. He was an amazing racehorse. (The weanling) looked just like him.”
M.V. Magnier paid $600,000 for a son of American Pharoah who is a half-brother to multiple Grade 1-winning juvenile Jackie's Warrior. Beau Lane Bloodstock, agent, consigned the colt, who is out of Unicorn Girl, by A. P. Five Hundred.
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