Tag: K I Farm

Million-Dollar Mares Pace Keeneland January Opener

by Jessica Martini & Stefanie Grimm

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, which hadn't had a million-dollar mare since 2019, had two reach seven figures during its opening session Monday in Lexington, with 19-year-old Tom Wachman making the day's highest bid of $1.6-million to acquire the broodmare prospect Prank (Into Mischief) on behalf of his grandfather, John Magnier's Coolmore. Late in the session, Tomoyuki Nakamura of K I Farm purchased Curlin's Voyage (Curlin) for $1 million.

“I think we've got to be very happy with the way the session turned out,” Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said Monday evening. “We had two million-dollar plus horses, which is the first time since 2019. The numbers were pretty much on par for much of the day compared to last year and last year was a very strong sale.”

A total of 225 horses sold Monday for $17,547,500 for an average of $77,989 and a median of $32,000. Bolstered by the two million-dollar mares, the session average was up 7.43% from a year ago, while the median declined 20%.

With 97 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 30.12%. It was 31.29% a year ago.

Bloodstock agent Steve Young, accompanied by Ramona Bass, was the session's leading buyer with three mares purchased to support Bass's recently retired Grade I-winning sire Annapolis. The session featured a diverse buying bench with the 16 top-priced horses selling to 14 different buyers.

Cormac Breathnach and Tony Lacy on Monday | Keeneland

“I was really pleased with the depth of the buyer bench here,” said Keeneland's Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “There were a lot of people signing tickets in the ring and a lot of important buyers from America and also from around the world.”

Demand for short yearlings, a segment of the market which was competitive at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale two months ago, remained strong Monday in Lexington. Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, the session's leading consignor, sold the day's two top-priced yearlings, with a colt by Curlin selling to Milan Bloodstock for $375,000 and a son of Maclean's Music selling for $300,000 to Muir Hut Stables.

“The demand for yearlings was strong,” Breathnach said. “We sold 22 six-figure yearlings today versus 17 for the same day last year.”

Still there was a familiar polarization in the market.

“The market is very, very selective right now,” said Hill 'n' Dale manager Jared Burdine. “There are no end-users for the weanlings and pinhookers are very professional. They line up on the same horse.”

Lacy acknowledged the selectivity in the market, but also saw some positivity in Monday's results.

“Quality was very much to the fore,” Lacy said. “I think there was a little weakness on the ones of perceived lesser quality. But in saying that, I think the sellers were very pleased the way the market was shaking out and the buyers found it tough to buy what they were looking for. So, all in all, a good day.”

The Keeneland January sale continues through Thursday with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

$1.6M Prank Kickstarts January Sale

Prank (Into Mischief) (hip 77), never able to follow up on a scintillating debut victory on the racetrack due to injury, had a star turn in the sales ring at Keeneland Monday, selling for $1.6 million to Coolmore. The 4-year-old was consigned by Gainesway, which campaigned her in partnership with LNJ Foxwoods and StarLadies Racing to that 9 3/4-length victory which earned her 'TDN Rising Star' honors at Saratoga in 2022.

“She's a lovely filly and a very good race filly,” said Tom Wachman after signing the ticket on the bay filly on behalf of the Coolmore team. “I'd say she will go to Justify. He's a phenomenal stallion doing it on the grass and the dirt. So I'd say that's where she'd go.”

Wachman, the 19-year-old grandson of Coolmore founder John Magnier, said this was the highest-priced horse he has signed for to date.

“I'm just trying to learn the ropes at the moment,” he said.

Out of Callingmissbrown (Pulpit), Prank is a half-sister to GI Belmont S. winner Mo Donegal (Uncle Mo). Bred by Ashview Farm and Colts Neck Stables, she was purchased for $500,000 at the 2021 Keeneland September sale.

“She was a real talent,” Gainesway's Brian Graves said of Prank. “She broke her maiden by 10 at Saratoga when she won by the length of the stretch basically. She got injured and wasn't able to make it back. But she had that brilliance that people want, the type that if you pass that along to your foals, they can be Grade I winners. We certainly thought she had the ability to be a Grade I winner. On the day she broke her maiden, you would have said she was the best 2-year-old in America, colts or fillies. Her figures were among the fastest in six years in Saratoga. And those horses were Grade I winners, so the ability was there.”

Prank's last recorded works came in August and her presence in the January sale was largely an issue of timing, according to Graves.

“We were going on with her and she developed a little issue,” Graves said. “And it was obvious that we weren't going to be able to continue on and it was time for her to be a broodmare and dissolve the partnership. So she landed here.”

Graves admitted the filly's $1.6-million price tag exceeded expectations.

“The young and beautiful have been selling well,” Graves said. “It's been holding up and we thought she would be in the top end, but that was a bit more than we were expecting.”

Prank was the first seven-figure horse sold at Keeneland January since Abel Tasman (Quality Road) sold–also to Coolmore–for $5 million in 2019. @JessMartiniTDN

Curlin's Voyage Brings $1 Million

Canadian champion Curlin's Voyage (Curlin) (hip 413) became the second seven-figure offering of Monday's first session of the Keeneland January sale when bringing a final bid of $1 million from Tomoyuki Nakamura of K I Farm. The 7-year-old mare, who was supplemented to the auction, sold in foal to Flightline from the Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consignment.

“I liked the pedigree, the physical and who she was in foal to,” Nakamura said through an interpreter. “Everything matched up. I liked everything about her.”

Curlin's Voyage, who produced a filly by Tapit in 2022 and a filly by Uncle Mo in 2023, was bred by John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale.  Racing for the partnership of Sikura and Windsor Boys Racing, the chestnut won the 2019 GIII Mazarine S. and 2020 Woodbine Oaks. She was named Canada's champion 2-year-old filly in 2019 and came back to be named champion 3-year-old filly in 2020.

The mare is out of Atlantic Voyage (Stormy Atlantic), a full-sister to Grade I winner Stormello.

Asked about his plans for the mare, Nakamura said, “I haven't decided yet. Still in the decision-making process.”

Annapolis Date for Bridlewood Cat

Bloodstock agent Steve Young, sitting alongside Ramona Bass, signed the ticket at $750,000 to acquire Bridlewood Cat (Street Sense) (hip 267). The 8-year-old mare, in foal to Tapit, was consigned by Denali Stud, as agent for Bridlewood Farm. She now has an impending date with the Bass family's recently retired Grade I winner Annapolis (War Front).

“She was bought for the Bass family with the intention to give Annapolis the best mare support he could possibly get,” Young said. “She is a terrific, talented horse who won her first two races with mid-90s Beyers. She had Grade I talent and is a very good-looking horse on her own. She is probably one of the fastest Street Sense fillies that there ever was, breaking her maiden going three-quarters in :09 and change and she is the type of mare that the family is going to support this horse with.”

Purchased by Bridlewood Farm for $750,000 at the 2017 Keeneland September sale, Bridlewood Cat was stakes-placed while winning two of 10 starts for earnings of $115,090.

She is out of Ithinkisawapudycat (Bluegrass Cat) and is a half-sister to GI Spinaway S. winner Sweet Loretta (Tapit). Ithinkisawapudycat is a half-sister to Canadian champion 2-year-old filly Spring in the Air (Spring At Last).

“She is from a highly talented 2-year-old family,” Young said. “Her half-sister is a Grade I winner on the dirt at Saratoga as a 2-year-old. Under the second dam is the 2-year-old champion of Canada. And we are going to breed her to an undefeated 2-year-old stakes winner in Annapolis.”

Steve Young | Keeneland

Bred and campaigned by the Bass family, Annapolis earned his first graded victory as a juvenile, winning the 2021 GII Pilgrim S. In 2022, he added the GI Coolmore Turf Mile and GIII Saranac S. He will begin his stud career next month at Claiborne Farm at a fee of $12,500.

“He is going to throw a lot of quality 2-year-olds,” Young said of the stallion. “He's going to throw dirt. We never got a chance to run him on the dirt, but he always trained tremendous on the dirt. This is the type of mare he deserves.”

Young signed for My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song), with Annapolis in utero, on behalf of Bass for $4 million at the 2018 Keeneland November sale.

Bridlewood Cat produced a colt by Authentic in 2022 and a colt by Essential Quality in 2023.

Young and Bass returned later in the session to acquire Kaling (Practical Joke) (hip 387), third in 2022 GI Spinaway S., for $650,000 from the Bluewater Sales consignment and closed out the opening session of the auction with Juniper's Moon (Galileo {Ire}) (hip 419), purchased for $625,000 from Taylor Made Sales Agency. @JessMartiniTDN

Hill 'n' Dale Consigns Pair of Top-Priced Colts

Hip 236, a son of Curlin out of 'TDN Rising Star' A Z Warrior (Bernardini), went to Milan Bloodstock on a final bid via phone of $370,000 during Monday's first session of the Keeneland January sale. The colt was the second of two top-priced short yearlings to sell within a matter of minutes consigned by John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa.

“Curlin sets records year after year,” said Jared Burdine, general manager at Hill 'n' Dale. “This foal fit everyone's criteria. All of them [buyers] want kind of the same thing and the same five or six people were on the horse. So when it lines up, you get paid on those.”

Hip 236 | Keeneland

Hip 236 hails from a family of 'TDN Rising Stars' including not only his dam but also three of his dam's half-siblings in Jojo Warrior (Pioneerof the Nile), herself the dam of another 'Rising Star' in Under Oath (Speightstown), along with E Z Warrior (Exploit) and J Z Warrior (Harlan's Holiday). He is also a half to last year's Runhappy Ellis Park Debutante S. winner Justa Warrior (Justify).

The yearling was bred by Cypress Creek Equine, which purchased A Z Warrior in foal to Uncle Mo for $550,000 at the 2021 Keeneland January sale.

Just a few minutes earlier, Muir Hut Stables went to $300,000 for hip 200, an Ontario-bred short yearling by Maclean's Music. Bred by Josham Farm's Ted Burnett, the colt is out of Wild N Ready (More Than Ready), a mare purchased by Josham Farm for $170,000 out of Keeneland November in 2017.

“We thought he'd in the 100 range,” said Burnett. “He had a few minor vet issues that I thought might hurt him but, if you've got the right horse and the issue is not a big one, I don't think it makes much difference [in the price],” said Burnett. “We have a very strong program in Ontario. So we always find that Ontario-breds have a special market and often we feel that we get a little bit of a premium because of that.”

Burnett sold Wild N Ready two months ago at Keeneland November for $60,000 carrying a full-sibling to this colt. @SGrimmTDN

The post Million-Dollar Mares Pace Keeneland January Opener appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Grade 2 Winner Bodhicitta Tops Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed Sale Opener

Inclement weather postponed the first session of the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky Winter Mixed sale by a day, but the level of activity Tuesday in Lexington, Ky., proved worth the wait. A healthy market for broodmares, racing and broodmare prospects, and short yearlings showed itself in vibrant first-session results.

Grade 2 winner Bodhicitta (GB) (Hip 177) topped Tuesday's session when sold for $450,000 to K I Farm (video).

The 6-year-old daughter of Showcasing (GB) was offered as a racing/broodmare prospect by St George Sales, agent. Bodhicitta won the Grade 2 Yellow Ribbon Handicap at Del Mar at foiur and placed in back-to-back editions of the G1 Gamely Stakes at Santa Anita at four and five. Bodhicitta has earned $370,808 to date. She was campaigned by owner Calvin Nguyen and trainer Richard Baltas.

“The market's healthy right now,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “There's a vibrancy to it. (It's) a very encouraging market for short yearlings (with) great demand for both in-foal mares and broodmare prospects. Just a tremendously healthy market.”

Hip 42, a colt from the second crop of multiple Grade 1 winner City of Light, sold for $260,000 to lead the short yearling contingent (video).

The dark bay or brown colt was purchased by Peter Pugh, agent for Cherry Knoll from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Hip 42 is a half-brother to stakes placed winner Eloquent Speaker (Flatter) out of the unraced Broken Vow mare Spoken Now Broken, from the immediate family of Grade 1 winner Behrens. The colt was bred in New York by John W. Hertrich III and John D. Fielding.

The session's highest-priced broodmare came in the form of Cocktail Party (Hip 218), sold for $240,000 to Dash C. Goff from the consignment of James B. Keogh (Grovendale), agent (video).

The 7-year-old winning daughter of Mizzen Mast was sold carrying her second foal, by Liam's Map. The gray or roan mare is a full sister to multiple stakes winner, graded stakes placed Barrier Reef and a half-sister to nine other winners. Cocktail Party hails from the immediate family of champion Kiss A Native and Grade 1 winner Yes It's True.

Hip 38, a filly by last year's champion first-crop sire Gun Runner, sold for $225,000 to round out the session's top four prices (video).

The bay filly was purchased by Stock Thoroughbreds LLC from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. Hip 38 is the second foal out of Sororitysweetheart (Discreetly Mine), a full sister to stakes winner Classy Class. The filly was bred in Pennsylvania by Forgotten Land Investment Inc.

“The fireworks are always going to take care of themselves,” Browning said when asked about the session's top sellers. “The fireworks are great, but it's the trading of 90 percent of the horses that walk through here (that's promising). The base and backbone of the industry is being able to support the men and women that are in the trenches. There's a lot of good horses tomorrow as well.”

During Tuesday's opening session, 198 horses sold for $6,598,800. The average was $33,327, up 13.3 percent over the two-day sale average in 2021, while the median rose 45 percent to $14,500 from $10,000. The session RNA rate was 16.1 percent.

The Kentucky Winter Mixed sale resumes Wednesday at 10 a.m. Results are available online.

Source of original post

Strong Start to Fasig February

The two-day Fasig-Tipton Winter Mixed Sale got off to a strong start Tuesday with 15 six-figure horses, topped by the $450,000 racing/broodmare prospect Bodhicitta (GB) (Showcasing {GB}).

The yearling market was especially strong Tuesday with youngsters accounting for half of the top 10, led by a $260,000 colt by City of Light. That yearling was the only offspring in the catalogue for his sire, who was very popular last year, topping Keeneland September with a $1.7-million colt.

Last term's champion freshman sire Gun Runner continued to be in demand on the back of a stellar first season and strong weekend at Aqueduct, where he had two new stakes winners. He sired the second-highest-priced yearling Tuesday, a $225,000 filly and a pair of mares in foal to the Horse of the Year summoned $150,000 and $135,000.

“Yearlings were stronger this year than last year for one simple reason… we had better yearlings,” said Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning. “It has become a very viable market. We saw a healthy demand for weanlings/short yearlings during November and January. We appreciate sellers for bringing high-quality short yearlings and they were very well rewarded.”

A total of 198 horses changed hands Tuesday for a gross of $6,598,800. The average was $33,327 and the median was $14,500. There were 38 horses led from the ring unsold for a buy-back rate of 16%.

During the equivalent session in 2021, 207 Thoroughbreds brought $3,956,330 with an average of $19,113 and a median of $8,000. Fifty-seven horses failed to meet their reserve that day for an RNA rate of 21.6%.

“Last year's first session was overshadowed by the second session, probably due to the supplements,” said Browning. “I don't know if the difference will be as dramatic this year as it was last year, but there are a lot of good horses tomorrow as well. Clearly, we are trending in a very favorable direction. The numbers are great, but even better is the level of interest and level or activity. Consignors were having horses blowing past their reserves. We are seeing a legitimate marketplace for all types of horses. The most encouraging thing is there a vibrancy even at the $50,000 level.”

The breeding stock market was exceptionally high during the November sales and numbers remained strong at last month's Keeneland January Sale. Sellers and buyers alike saw that trend continue at the February sale.

“It seems pretty solid,” said Archie St. George, who sold the day's top horse Bodhicitta. “It seems like the January Sale and before [in November]. If you have the right product, everyone wants it. There seems to be a buzz around the grounds and the market appears solid.”

Bodhicitta Headed to Japan

Grade II winner and MGISP Bodhicitta (GB) (Showcasing {GB}) (Hip 177) sparked some midday fireworks at Fasig Tuesday, hammering for $450,000 to Japan's K I Farm, which did its bidding on the internet.

“I think that is a fair price for her,” said Archie St. George, who consigned the racing/broodmare prospect. “I think everyone is happy. She is going to go to Japan. I'd like to thank the owners and Richard Baltas the trainer. We wish the new owners the best of luck with her. She is a beautiful filly and she deserved to bring money with her race record and physical. She is an exciting prospect for her new owners down the road.”

Owner Calvin Nguyen bought Bodhicitta for 60,000gns at the 2019 TATMAY sale and brought her to California. She was still a maiden of seven starts with several in-the-money finishes. She captured four races during her first year in California, including the 2020 GII Yellow Ribbon H. She placed in consecutive renewals of the GI Gamely S. and RNA'd for $775,000 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale. The chestnut made two starts this term, finishing second in the GIII Robert J. Frankel S. on New Year's Day and fourth in the Jan. 29 GIII Megahertz S. The 6-year-old mare's record currently stands at 23-4-5-3 with $370,808 in earnings.

“I had a great run with her,” Nguyen said. “She won a lot of races for us and to be able to sell her at this price was very exciting. My trainer [Richard Baltas] advised me that it is probably best to take some money off the table. We set a pretty good reserve on her. We wanted to test the market since all of the sales had been so strong. She is sound and still can do a lot of things going forward, but we wanted to capitalize on the market.”

Bodhicitta's second dam is stakes winner Klarifi (GB) (Habitat), who is the dam of MGSW & G1SP Fracas (Ire) (In The Wings {GB}).

City of Light Stays Hot at Fasig February

Offspring by City of Light were flying off the shelves at the yearling sales last year. He even produced the $1.7 million Keeneland September topper, which was the first time a first-crop sire had achieved that feat in at least a decade. With first 2-year-olds this year, the Lane's End resident's yearlings remained popular at Fasig February with a City of Light colt (Hip 42) bringing $260,000 from Peter Pugh, agent for Cherry Knoll Farm.

When asked what he liked about the colt, Pugh said simply, “A lot!” He added, “He is just a gorgeous horse.”

Buyers will get another chance at this colt as Pugh plans to send him back through the auction ring later this year. Pugh enjoyed pinhooking success with a young sire last year, selling a Practical Joke filly he purchased for just $90,000 at KEENOV for $520,000 at KEESEP.

Out of Spoken Not Broken (Broken Vow), the dark bay colt is a half to SP Eloquent Speaker (Flatter), who was supplemented to this sale as Hip 536. This is also the family of SW & GSP Bridgehampton (Bernardini) and stakes winners Stormy Novel (Bernardini) and Amundson (Curlin).

Consigned by Taylor Made, Hip 42 was bred in New York by Fred Hertrich and John Fielding, who had a sensational 2021. The duo bred last term's NY-bred GI Cigar Mile winner Americanrevolution (Constitution), GI Gamely S. heroine Maxim Rate (Exchange Rate) and GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity S. winner Pinehurst (Twirling Candy). They teamed up with Rob Tribbett to breed GI Hollywood Derby winner Beyond Brilliant (Twirling Candy) and Hertrich also bred 2021 Grade I winners Hit the Road (More Than Ready) and Juju's Map (Liam's Map).

Hertrich, Fielding and Tribbett also bred Hip 180, a $180,000 yearling filly by Speightstown.

Goff Fights for Cocktail Party

Dash Goff refused to be denied for the 7-year-old mare Cocktail Party (Mizzen Mast), determinedly fighting off a stubborn internet bidder to take home the gray for $240,000. Consigned by James Keogh, Hip 218 sold in foal to Liam's Map.

“I'm looking to buy three or four really nice mares and build up my broodmare band,” Goff said. “I bought two in November and three in January.”

The Arkansas businessman continued, “Some will go to Arkansas and some will stay here. This one will stay in Kentucky with the Welkers. The Welkers and I have done business for 35 to 40 years. I did business with his dad. We had a great night last night. We had two nice foals last night, a Mitole and an American Pharoah. So, I'm having a great day.”

Bred by the Herbener family, Cocktail Party won two of 10 starts for Michael Foster and was purchased by Fords Run Farm for $28,000 at the 2019 KEENOV sale. She has one previous foal, a 2021 colt by Connect. Cocktail Party is a full to MSW & GSP Barrier Reef and a half to stakes-placed Arctic Party (Eskimo) and Kissin Party (Kissin Kris).

“I liked everything about her,” Goff said. “Her former owner Jim Herbener was a good friend of mine. She may be the nicest mare on the grounds. I am real pleased with her.”

Goff struck earlier in the session for a pair of mares, securing Sweet Magic (Quality Road) for $14,000 (Hip 63) and A Change of Heart (Unbridled's Song) for $120,000 (Hip 124).

Gun Runner Filly Proves Popular

On the back of a stellar freshman season and two new stakes winners over the weekend, a filly (Hip 38) by champion freshman sire and Horse of the Year Gun Runner was in high demand during Tuesday's opening session, bringing $225,000 from Pick View's Joe Pickerell, who signed the ticket as Stock Thoroughbred LLC.

“She was probably the best filly in the sale,” Pickerell said. “For what we are looking for, she is the right kind. She is by the hottest young sire in the world. The kind that look like her and move like her are hard to buy.”

As for future plans for the filly, Pickerell said, “She will be a pinhook. We are not sure where yet. We will let her develop and make a plan for her.”

Bred in Pennsylvania by Christian Black's Forgotten Land Investment Inc., Hip 38 is the second foal out of the Discreetly Mine mare Sororitysweetheart, who is a full-sister to GSW Classy Class and GSP Full House. She was consigned by Taylor Made Sales.

“Anytime you sell a short yearling for $225,000, you have to be happy,” Black said. “She has been straight forward from the beginning. We are very happy she ended up in good hands with Joe Pickerell. We are looking forward to seeing her in another sale in the future.”

Black experienced success with Gun Runner in the past, selling a colt by that stallion to Lael Stables for $550,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale in one of the final consignments of his good friend, the late Mike Recio's South Point Sales. Black also sold Secret Quality (Elusive Quality) (Hip 7) in foal to Gun Runner for $135,000 to Hunter Valley Farm Tuesday.

Gun Runner topped the freshman sire list last year with 30 winners and six black-type winners, two of which were Grade I winners, including soon-to-be champion Echo Zulu. The dual Eclipse winner had another incredible weekend prior to this auction with his son Early Voting capturing Saturday's GIII Withers S. at Aqueduct and his daughter Shotgun Hottie taking that venue's Ruthless S. Sunday. The latter was catalogued to this sale as Hip 18, but was scratched following her breakout score.

“We were trying to take advantage of the fact that Gun Runner is a once in a generation stallion,” Black said. “You only see a sire like him maybe once every 50 years. She fit the bill. We are very happy with what we got. She was brought here to sell and showcase the mare a little bit too.”

The post Strong Start to Fasig February appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

Source of original post

Concrete Rose Tops Keeneland November’s Opening Session At $1.95 Million

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.

The post Concrete Rose Tops Keeneland November’s Opening Session At $1.95 Million appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

Source of original post

Verified by MonsterInsights