Tag: midnight bisou

This Side Up: Where the Ice of Fashion Melts

What do these stallions have in common: Competitive Edge, First Samurai, Include, First Dude, Majesticperfection, Midnight Lute and Noble Mission (GB)? Okay, so you could also add A.P. Indy, Into Mischief, Lope de Vega (Ire), Medaglia d'Oro and Quality Road to the mix. But you would hope so, too, if you happen to be one of those highly paid advisors who tell their patrons that the only way to start a breeding program is with most expensive covers around.

Because these are the dozen sires responsible for mares that made seven figures at the Keeneland November Sale. And their overall complexion suggests a curious disconnect between this auction, and the one staged in the same ring back in September.

You can judge as much from a couple who have been through both sales. Proud Emma (Include) made $9,000 as a yearling, while sale-topper Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) notoriously failed to reach her reserve at $19,000. That's hardly typical, obviously, in that most of the yearlings trading for that kind of money struggle to pay their way; but we all know how few of the most expensive ones fare any better.

Admittedly we have just seen Flightline (Tapit) and Malathaat (Curlin) standing up for the seven-figure yearling. And the whole viability of our business hinges on enough of those investments working out, to keep the rich guy in the game, in equilibrium with enough stories like Rich Strike (Keen Ice) to give everyone else a chance.

 

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In the case of these valuable broodmare prospects, they have generally disclosed something–not blatant in their pedigree and conformation as adolescents–to secure elite caliber as runners. But while performance is demonstrably a critical indicator for their recruitment, their purchasers will often have contrived some retrospective discovery of genetic depth.

To be fair, we're all guilty of that. Once a horse demands attention on the racetrack, we will generally turn up some satisfactory, latent distinction in its family tree, especially one that flatters our prejudices. Rich Strike is a good example. His dam had been discarded for $1,700, and his half-sister was claimed for $5,000 the month before he won the Derby. Yet he turned out to have such an interesting background–by a grandson of Smart Strike out of a Smart Strike mare, for instance, and a third dam by a forgotten full-brother to Smart Strike's sire–that people like me could rationalize his emergence as a wholesome rebuke to the flimsiness of many commercial pedigrees.

We could hail his sire, similarly, as just the type that “should” be siring Derby winners–even if his only other stakes winner, at that stage, had come in Puerto Rico. Keen Ice's pedigree is saturated by old-fashioned influences, which sustained him to be better than ever in his fourth campaign. He soaked up nine races as a sophomore, rounding off with a strong-finishing fourth in the GI Clark H., and I'm duly delighted to see that Rich Strike is himself likely to make his own ninth appearance of the year in the same race. And don't forget that his campaign really began in the Gun Runner S., in the last week of 2021.

That race was won by Epicenter (Not This Time), who remained at Fair Grounds for all three of the local Derby rehearsals. In the process he emulated Mandaloun (Into Mischief) the previous year, when other local protagonists included Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow) and the lamented Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow).

New Orleans appears to be an increasingly important staging post on the Triple Crown trail since its trials were extended. I suspect that's because the extra distance redresses a loss of conditioning opportunity in the lighter schedule nowadays favored by so many trainers. As a result, the opening of the meet this weekend feels very much like the start of the next cycle in our community narrative. It will be interesting to see whether the traditional winter haven of Florida can respond to this squeeze.

Be all that as it may, producing a Kentucky Derby winner at the first attempt did not rescue Keen Ice's latest yearlings from neglect at the sales. But while he plainly owes fourth position in the second-crop table to a single earner, the fact remains that his maturing stock has included 70 other winners, equating to 58% of starters. That handsomely outranks all relevant competition, including the three feted names above him: Gun Runner (40%), Arrogate (46%) and Practical Joke (50%).

Keen Ice | Sarah Andrew

So while some of his farm's strategies are hardly aligned with commercial convention, I certainly wouldn't mind a daughter of a stallion who carries Deputy Minister 3×3 and Chic Shirine (Mr. Prospector) as fourth dam. That's because I believe that all matings should aim at a saturation of genetic quality, three or four generations back, as the best insurance against the unpredictability of inheritance. If you can't even be certain what color your foal's coat will be, then you must surely strive to make it a matter of indifference which strand comes through, in terms of ability, simply because it's all good stuff.

Yet the yearling market seems to be massively predicated on sire power. This, to a degree, is self-fulfilling: in order to warrant an expensive cover, a mare needs to bring commensurate performance or pedigree into the equation. Naturally there are stallions that have had to earn their stripes, and come up the hard way. Yet even Into Mischief reiterates the folly of disregarding 50% of a horse's genetic contribution, his dam Leslie's Lady famously having then come up with Beholder (Henny Hughes) and Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy).

Leslie's Lady had been an $8,000 short yearling by Tricky Creek out of a Stop the Music mare. Interestingly, though he ended up standing in New Mexico for $2,500, Tricky Creek was a source of exactly the kind of soundness breeders can expect from Keen Ice (and Rich Strike, when his time comes). Late in his stud career, a survey ranked Tricky Creek fifth among active sires by percentage of starters-to-foals; and seventh, by starts-per-starter. (You really shouldn't overlook this, when reflecting on the way his daughter produced Beholder to win Grade I races every year from two through six.)

Moreover Tricky Creek's dam was a half-sister to the dam of Soaring Softly (Kris S.) and in all produced 15 winners, six at stakes level. At one stage, Sheikh Mohammed gave $5.3 million for a Kingmambo half-brother to Tricky Creek at the yearling sales. So while Tricky Creek himself couldn't even muster 20 stakes winners, there was ample quality percolating that might be stoked back to life by the right alchemy.

Into Mischief | Sarah Andrew

Without getting too bogged down, the mother of Leslie's Lady was out of a half-sister to a Grade I winner, and the next dam won races like the Alcibiades S. and Schuylerville S. The point is that Leslie's Lady had nearly seamless quality from top to bottom in her fourth generation. Yet that stuff, for your average yearling speculator, is quite literally off the page.

The best breeders, however, know that it's a long and winding road to the summit. That's why the market for broodmares is far less beholden to nervous fads than the one for their offspring.

So I want to finish off with a tribute to two horses who attest to the merit of the long game. One is Tempesti (Ity) (Albert Dock {Jpn}), co-owned by the Razza Dormello Olgiata synonymous with the breed-transforming partnership of Federico Tesio and Mario Incisa della Rocchetta. In Milan last Sunday he became the first horse carrying the iconic red crossbelts to win the Group 2 prize that honors Tesio's memory.

As a coincidental snapshot of an immeasurable legacy, Tricky Creek represented just one of countless sire lines tracing to Nearco (Ity); while his damsire His Majesty, whose legacy as a broodmare sire also includes Danehill, was by another Dormello graduate in Ribot (GB). But you can equally find those names on either side of the pedigrees of, say, Frankel (GB) or Flightline.

Less cheerfully, this week marked the end of the road for Cambiocorsa (Avenue of Flags), once feted as “queen of the hill” at Santa Anita; and subsequently dam of five stakes winners, and second dam of European champion Roaring Lion (Kitten's Joy). Tragically, she had outlived both her celebrated grandson, when barely embarked on a stud career, and his dam Vionnet (Street Sense), who was also prematurely cut down.

Jan Vandebos with Cambiocorsa and Vionnet | Courtesy Jan Vandebos

Nobody cares for her horses more lavishly than Jan Vandebos, and this loss will doubtless poignantly renew the memory of others. But she should be proud of Cambiocorsa's contribution to the remarkable legacy of her dam Ultrafleet (Alfeet)–who also produced millionaire sprinter California Flag (Avenue of Flags) and the dam of GI Preakness winner Rombauer (Twirling Candy).

Ultrafleet was a $10,500 yearling at the September Sale, and made that look expensive on the racetrack. But she then founded a dynasty so regal that even her unraced daughter by Cowboy Cal could produce a Classic winner.

That won't surprise those who have been scouting the breeding stock sales not just for the past couple of weeks, but for many decades. It had been a similar story to Keeneland at Fasig-Tipton, after all: sires with seven-figure mares there included Awesome Patriot, Brody's Cause, Daredevil, Flower Alley, Karakontie (Jpn), Mucho Macho Man, Street Boss, Tale of the Cat (twice) and Wilko.

In the end, I think the obsession with sire power is often little more than a gesture–whether a practical gesture, or a merely irritated one–against the overwhelming complexity of this game. With their huge modern books, sires invite the illusion that you can get all the answers by having a more sophisticated software program than the next guy. That's always going to appeal to investors who come into this business expecting it to behave as coherently as those in which they made their money. A mare, with one foal a year at most, is little or no help to that way of thinking. But good luck to you, if you only bother seriously with one face of the coin–and need it to land that side up, every single time.

The post This Side Up: Where the Ice of Fashion Melts appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Keeneland November Closes With Gains in Gross and Average

With the Breeders' Cup returning to Lexington for the third time, headlined by the mighty Flightline (Tapit), the buzz in Lexington was electric from late October all the way through the nearly two weeks of breeding stock sales that followed the World Championships. Combine that with a deep and diverse buying bench and high demand and the result was gains in both gross and average for the 10-day Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, which ran from Nov. 7-16.

“With the close of the November Breeding Stock Sale, Keeneland is nearing the end of a remarkable fall season, and we send a sincere thank you to everyone who supported our September and November Sales, Fall Meet and Breeders' Cup,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “Since September, we have been hard at work to showcase the best in Thoroughbred racing and sales, and we are privileged to have had the opportunity to share Keeneland with a global audience. Our November Sale benefitted from the excitement of the Breeders' Cup, the sale of the Flightline interest and the fireworks of Book 1, creating positive experiences from start to finish.”

With the Horses of Racing Age Sale being separated into its own one-day auction, to be held Nov. 17, this year, 2,245 horses went through the ring over the last 10 days for gross receipts of $210,027,700. The 2022 November sale eclipsed the gross 2,470 horses achieved during 2021 of $203,585,500 on its eighth day. The cumulative average of $93,554 was up 13.5% from last year's average of $82,423, but the median was down a tick (5.41%) from $37,000 to $35,000. The RNA percentage also rose from 17.36% last year to 21.75% for 2022.

The November Sale was topped by champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), who summoned $5.5 million from Northern Farm's Katsumi Yoshida carrying her second foal by Tapit. She led a total of 12 seven-figure sellers, compared to seven in 2021, including three in Book 2, which previously had not seen a million-dollar horse since 2017.

“We really put an effort into building up the front end of the catalogue to make sure we have quality forward and the buyers were presented with the horses they expected to see and are here for,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “I think everybody responded to that. We appreciate our consignors and breeders for supporting us in that endeavor. I think the buyers really responded. It allows us more confidence to do the things we feel are important to do and develop. We are only getting started. Without making major changes at any point, we want to make sure the tweaks we do make work. I think overall we are on the right track. We have a responsibility to the industry.”

 

 

 

Flying Into the Future

Keeneland kicked off the November Sale with a first-of-its-kind offering, a 2.5% interest in unbeaten superstar Flightline, who scored a breathtaking victory in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic two days before the auction and was retired to the Lane's End stallion barn about 16 hours later. Keeneland and Lane's End employed virtual reality and the metaverse for this unique offering and buyers responded enthusiastically. Auctioned 30 minutes prior to the start of Book 1 in a jam-packed pavilion, the Flightline share summoned $4.6 million from Brookdale's Freddy Seitz, acting on behalf of “an undisclosed Seattle-based owner and client with interests in the coffee business,” Sid Fernando reported in his Taking Stock column Nov. 9. Coolmore was the immediate underbidder.

“We are trying to push boundaries all of the time,” Lacy said. “This is a situation where the stars aligned. Bill Farish mentioned that it might be a possibility and we were looking at virtual reality and the metaverse to bring a new customer base or at least a new fan base in. When Flightline won the Pacific Classic, things got real. Coming into the Breeders' Cup, the whole industry was absolutely in awe of what he was and what his future would be as a stallion. To be able to pull something together like that was a mammoth effort on the legal side, as well as the logistics side. It was exciting for us all to be involved in.”

Lane's End's Allaire Ryan expressed similar sentiments, “It was a really unique way to start out the sale and the energy that it brought to the pavilion that afternoon was really fantastic. It had a domino effect on the subsequent purchases made in the sale, when you factor in the number of mares that were purchased specifically to be bred to Flightline. There were a few out of our consignment alone, like Shamrock Rose, Edgeway, Bayerness. Even though he is retired from racing, he is already impacting the industry from a commercial breeder standpoint. That has been an exciting wave to ride for sure.”

As Ryan stated, the retirement of Flightline made quite the impact on the November market. The partners on the no-doubt Horse of the Year were busy scooping up mares to breed to their once-in-a-lifetime horse, as were several other breeders. For example, Flightline's breeder and part-owner Jane Lyon of Summer Wind Farm was third-leading buyer for the sale, acquiring four mares for her new stallion for $4.625 million with an average of $1,156,250. Her purchases were topped by the aforementioned MGSW and GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint runner-up Edgeway (Competitive Edge) for $1.7 million.

Flightline wasn't the only new stallion impacting the November market, however. The partners on MGISW 'Rising Star' Life Is Good (Into Mischief), who gave Flightline all he had through swift fractions for the first mile of the Classic, were also actively acquiring mares for WinStar's new addition. For instance, the China Horse Club bought five mares for a total of $1.75 million for an average of $350,000.

Lane's End Leads All Consignors

Even without the $4.6-million boost provided by Flightline, Lane's End took the title of leading consignor for this year's November Sale. The Farish family's operation sold a total of 129 head, including Flightline's fractional interest, for $23,460,400 with an average of $181,864. Even excepting the share, Lane's End was still the November Sale's top seller. Their top-selling mare was champion female sprinter Shamrock Rose (First Dude), who brought $3 million from Japan's KI Farm carrying a foal by Curlin and is set to meet Flightline next year.

 

 

“It is super gratifying for us to be leading consignor even without the big sale of the Flightline share, which was a really fun way to start out the sale,” Ryan said. “We had some really quality offerings in Book 1 and Book 2, which set us out on the right foot. Where there is quality, there is plenty of depth in the market. People that did bring good horses were rewarded for it, which was great to see. We had some nice broodmare prospects. We had some lovely in-foal mare and a couple of standout weanlings. It had a trickle down effect from there.”

Bisou On Top Again

An Eclipse winner in 2019 and Fasig-Tipton November topper in 2020, MGISW Midnight Bisou was at the head of the class again at this year's Keeneland November Sale. Purchased by Chuck and Lori Allen for $5 million at the aforementioned Fasig sale, she is headed to Japan after bringing $5.5 million from Katsumi Yoshida with a Tapit filly in utero. Midnight Bisou was offered by John Sikura's Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, which also sold the $7-million Fasig-Tipton November topper, champion Gamine (Into Mischief), who went to Coolmore's M.V. Magnier in foal to Quality Road.

“It was a great thrill,” said Sikura. “We topped both the Fasig-Tipton and Keeneland sales. All the credit to our team and the people who supplied us with a great draft of horses. It is all about quality and we were fortunate enough to have had a fantastic sale at both sales companies. This is the second consecutive year we topped Fasig-Tipton and it was nice to do it at Keeneland as well. Credit to the horses. We had a good strong market. People can't get enough of quality.”

He continued, “Everyone is very specific about what they like. There are different categories of mares, but if you are going to sell a $100,000 mare, you want it to be an early cover and in foal to the right horse. If you want to sell sale toppers, you need to have pedigree and good race records with those early covers and the right sire. I thought everybody who brought quality was well rewarded. This trend has continued for the last many years and it looks like it is here to stay. ”

Weanlings In High Demand

John Sikura | Keeneland

After a record-setting Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the weanling market was very strong and competitive at the November Sale, producing North America's top-priced weanling for the fourth consecutive year. That youngster was a Medaglia d'Oro filly out of SW Serena's Cat (Storm Cat), dam of champion Honor Code (A.P. Indy), who was purchased for $1.5 million by Magnier.

“In Book 1, we grossed 45% more for weanlings than we did last year,” said Keeneland's Directory of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “We really appreciate the support of the breeders and consignors. We depend on them heavily. Your sale is only as good as the catalogue. It's been a terrific collaboration. The market has been bullish. We are enjoying a good time in the industry.”

That trickled down into the later books, creating a stronger middle market for weanlings with varying pedigrees.

“It is quite hard to sell a mare that is 12-15 even if they had a stakes-placed horse and a few winners,” Sikura said. “If they are good foal, it doesn't matter who they are by, how old the mare is or what their up-close pedigree is. Obviously, the more you have of all of that criteria, the more they make of it. I've seen foals walk through and bring $180,000 and you look at the sire and think, who is this? The pendulum has swung now so much toward the physical horse. I think that is the determining factor at the yearling sales and also at the foal sales. They have to vet. They have to have the smooth physical and great walk. Those kinds, they chase them hard.”

“Where you have quality, you had plenty of people interested,” said Ryan. “If for some reason a mare or weanling didn't tick all the boxes, it felt thinner. It didn't take long for that feeling to set in. I think there was still plenty of good competition in the weanling market, especially for good physicals. People were rewarded at the yearling sales this year and they were looking to reinvest, but they weren't willing to take a lot of risk if it didn't have a top physical or had some vet issues.”

The leading sire of weanlings for the 10-day auction was MGISW 'TDN Rising Star' and new Gainesway sire McKinzie (Street Sense) with 23 members of his first crop bringing $3.162 million with an average of $137,478.

Tapit, Into Mischief Rule Keeneland

Buoyed by the sale of the 2.5% fractional interest in his star son Flightline, Tapit led all sires with a gross of $9,507,000 and average of $365,654. Taking the Flightline share out of the equation puts super sire Into Mischief on top with 31 head bringing $6,961,500 with an average of $224,565.

Hill 'n' Dale's new addition, MGISW 'Rising Star' Charlatan (Speightstown), was the sale's leading covering sire by gross with 27 mares carrying his first foals bringing $8.472 million and averaging $313,778. Lane's End stalwart Quality Road was second with 11 mares carrying his offspring summoning $7.675 million with an average of $697,727, easily tops among sires with five or more in-foal mares sold. Curlin and Tapit each averaged seven figures for their limited in-foal mares.

“Charlatan covered a great book of mares,” Sikura said. “The most elite mares did not go to public auction. I think the momentum is building and we are looking forward to his first foals. He bred outstanding mares.”

 

 

 

Foreign Buyers Boost November Market

A treasure trove of foreign buyers, led by Japan, gave the November market a significant boost, creating even more depth and diversity in the buying bench. Japan's Katsumi Yoshida led all buyers by gross at $9.7 million and average at $3,233,333. Each of the three mares purchased by his bloodstock agent Shingo Hashimoto fetched seven figures, highlighted by sale-topping Midnight Bisou.

“The international market was a critical part of the outcome of this sale,” Lacy said. “Japanese buyers were extremely active, especially at the top, despite the swing in the exchange rate, which is not in their favor. That was extremely gratifying to see. We had buyers from 29 countries participate at the sale. That is on the high end of what we would expect. With the dollar being so strong, it is great to get that international support. It's a global marketplace and we work on that very heavily. We've seen 60 or 70 Australians here, which we haven't seen in years. We've seen Europeans here that have not been in here in six or seven years and they were back and were active. They are energized by what they see. That is very encouraging for us.”

The top 20 horses, including the Flightline share, were purchased by 15 individual buyers, three of which were from Japan.

Domestic buyers also remained active at the November Sale. In addition to the aforementioned Coolmore and Summer Wind Farm, one of the most active American buyers was Pin Oak Stud, recently purchased by Jim and Dana Bernhard. They scooped up 15 mares for their new farm for a total of $4.354 million. Bloodstock agent Chad Schumer bought the most horses during the 10-day auction, taking home 51 head for $3,385,500 with an average of $66,382.

 

 

 

Final Session Stats

Wednesday's 10th and final session of the Keeneland November Sale, which was the third session of Book 5, was topped by a pair of $45,000 weanlings. Upper Mill Stable took home a filly from the first crop of Honor A.P. (Hip 3514) and J. T. Vill purchased a colt by Kantharos (Hip 3545).

A total of 154 horses sold Wednesday for $1,148,600 with an average of $7,458 and median of $3,600. Thirty-three horses failed to meet their reserves for an RNA rate of 17.65%.

Racehorses Moved To A Separate Sale

Horses of racing age have been a traditional part of the Keeneland November Sale, typically being sold in the middle of auction, except for last year when it they were offered during the final session. This year, Keeneland separated that popular section out and made it its own single-day sale to be held Thursday after the conclusion of Breeding Stock Sale.

“For the first year it is its own sale, for several reasons,” Breathnach said. “One is the later entry deadline. It is a more dynamic catalogue. We can give it a greater online presence with more Form, figures and data associated with each offering. That is something that is a little difficult to do when you have an Aug. 1 deadline like we do with the breeding stock sale. We are also confined by the number of horses in each session. Those horses were catalogued in the second half during Book 3 or Book 4, which took up spots breeders wanted their mares or foals to be in.”

He continued, “It is its own sale so it can have its own identity and own dynamic and build a stronger catalogue. It allows it to go forward. The horses in training market is very strong. Our position in the calendar year is when people are transitioning to new locations for the winter, so they got a chance to buy or sell stock that will fit where they are going or be better off elsewhere.”

The HORA sale, which begins at noon, has a catalogue of 356 racehorses of varying ages, including several promising juveniles and an array of black-type competitors. Last year's HORA portion, which was part of a mixed final of 10 sessions, was topped by the 2-year-old colt Strava (Into Mischief), who brought $825,000.

 

 

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Keeneland November Opener Starts … And Ends … With a Bang

by Jessica Martini, Christie DeBernardis & Christina Bossinakis

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale opened with a jam-packed pavilion and the $4.6-million sale of the fractional interest in superstar Flightline (Tapit) and hit another high late in the day with the $5.5-million sale of champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) to Katsumi Yoshida Monday in Lexington. By the end of the opening session of the auction, 136 head had grossed $66,980,000. The average of $492,500 was up 14.77% from a year ago, while the median dipped 12.12% to $290,000.

During the 2021 opening session of the Keeneland November sale, 118 head sold for $50,634,000. The average was $429,102 and the median was $330,000.

The buy-back rate Monday was 26.49%. It was 28.92% during last year's opening session.

“Everything goes back to the demand for quality,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “We saw the quality stock–Shamrock Rose brought $2.4 million right off the Breeders' Cup last time and she comes back here today in foal to Curlin and she brings $3 million. Midnight Bisou brings $5.5 million, she brought $5 million the last time she went through the ring. So I think there is a buoyancy in the market and we certainly see a focus on the quality.”

While the interest in Flightline was included in Monday's sales statistics, the session average would still be up 7.7% without its inclusion.

Of the dip in the median, Lacy said, “In certain areas, it would not be unexpected to see some correction in some point. I think there is a very discerning market. Something that is worth something is going to bring money and the ones that might have a little exposure might be more vulnerable. And that's just a function of the marketplace. It's likely an adjusting market, but the fact that we are up so much in gross and we are up on average and we are just a little down in the median, I still think we are making forward progress and a slight adjustment, I think, is to be expected.”

Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm was active as both a buyer and a seller Monday and Pope echoed Lacy's sentiments.

“As always, for the right horses, it's tough but it also has soft spots,” Pope said. “We tried to sell one, but didn't get it done. [The market] kind of woke up a little bit later during the day. This morning, it was too quiet. A lot of us didn't have a lot of time to do a lot of shopping with the Breeders' Cup and the sales all being on top of each other. It made it tough for some of the buyers.”

Seven horses sold for $2 million or more Monday, while 10 sold for seven figures. The entire 2021 auction had seven million-dollar transactions.

The top buyers represented another deep and diverse buying bench.

“We see a broadness in the marketplace,” Lacy said. “The top 15 horses that went through the ring were bought by 11 different buyers. So that's always good to see. And there was a good mix of domestic and international.”

The Keeneland November sale began just days after the track hosted the Breeders' Cup championship weekend.

“We are coming off a very successful Breeders' Cup,” Lacy said. “Our team put in a huge effort to turn this around from putting on the largest racing event in North America to switching to have the second largest horse sale in the world within a few hours. I have to commend everybody who is here.”

The Keeneland November sale continues through Nov. 16 and is followed on Nov. 17 by a horses of racing age sale. Bidding begins daily at 10 a.m.

A Bittersweet Goodbye to 'Bisou'

The connections of champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) (Hip 235) were overcome with mixed emotions when she topped Book 1 of the Keeneland September Sale after summoning $5.5 million from Japan's Katsumi Yoshida late in the session. A supplement to the auction, the dark bay sold carrying a Tapit filly, who will be her second foal.

Jeff Bloom, who picked up the mare for $80,000 at OBS April for his racing partnership, was among the first to congratulate Yoshida's bloodstock agent Shingo Hashimoto, even asking to exchange contact information so he could check on his star mare.

“It is hard to let her go, but the timing was right,” Bloom said. “She will go to a wonderful home and we look forward to seeing her babies out there. She will forever hold an incredible place in my heart, my family's hearts and my partner's heart. It is impossible to describe the journey she has taken us on. That is the beautiful thing about these horses. They afford us the opportunity to have these life experiences that we wouldn't be able to have. I have to sneak back down to the barn and give her a big hug. It's going to be weird to not be able to just go visit her whenever I want, but it's not that long of a flight to Japan, so there is that.”

Midnight Bisou was the topper after her first trip through a November sale ring back in 2020 at Fasig Tipton's Night of the Stars, where she was bought for $5 million by Chuck and Lori Allen, who were part of the original racing partnership on the mare. The Allens were right on Bloom's heels after the sale, shaking hands with Hashimoto. Lori Allen was quick to hand him a bag of peppermints, making sure the bloodstock agent knew they were Midnight Bisou's favorite.

When asked about the decision to bring their Eclipse winner back to auction, Lori Allen was too overcome with emotion to speak.

“We knew it was the right thing to do,” Allen said before rushing off to say goodbye to her clearly beloved Midnight Bisou. “The market was just really strong and we felt like we should just give her the opportunity for someone else to enjoy her. We have always been proud of her. From watching her at Del Mar when Jesus Camacho would get on her and she would just stand and watch everything. She was always very interested in things, very alert. All of the races she ran, she did just as much as she needed to to get the job done. She knew what she had to do and she did it and she loved it. I don't know if I've ever seen a racehorse that loved being a racehorse as much as she did.”

She continued, “Steve Asmussen and his crew did such a great job with her. One of her grooms just came and saw her a bit ago, which was really, really neat. She touched so many lives. She changed so many lives. She had such a fan club and it was really neat to see people here taking pictures of her and getting to see her again. She is such an elegant, feminine filly with a beast motor in her. She moved into motherhood really easily. She was a great mom to her first baby.”

Hashimoto was the underbidder on Midnight Bisou that day at Fasig-Tipton and was thrilled to get another chance to take home the star mare.

“We will take her back to Japan most likely,” said Hashimoto, who was back in action just four hips later for $2.7 million Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) (Hip 239). “I am kind of speechless. The first time I saw her was in Saudi, when she was running in the Saudi Cup. I already knew of her race record. She was at Fasig-Tipton in 2020 and if my memory is correct, we were in until $4.75 million and she ended up at $5 million. We were happy to see her again this year and were very lucky to purchase her.”

Midnight Bisou retired in 2020 with an impressive record of 22-13-6-3, earnings over $7.47 million and an Eclipse award as 2019's top older mare. All 13 of her wins came in graded stakes, even breaking her maiden in a Grade II, and five of those wins were Grade Is. The fleet-footed mare hit the board in her two trips to the Breeders' Cup and was a valiant second that day in Saudi Arabia against colts. The Allens have retained her first foal, a weanling colt by Curlin.

Midnight Bisou's Grade III-winning dam Diva Delite (Repent) (Hip 182) preceded her into the ring, RNA'ing for $775,000 while carrying a foal by Gun Runner. Her 2-year-old half-brother Verifying (Justify), a $775,000 KEESEP yearling, was second in the GI Champagne S. in October and finished sixth in a salty renewal of the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Friday in Lexington. Midnight Bisou is also a half to SP Stage Left (Congrats).

—@CDeBernardisTDN

West Point Forms Breeding Partnership

West Point Thoroughbreds is known primarily as a racing partnership, but they have a very good reason to delve into breeding partnerships and did so Monday, going to $2 million in partnership with Determined Stud and Lane's End to secure Salty As Can Be (Into Mischief) (Hip 154). The 4-year-old is currently in foal to Quality Road, but will visit…you guessed it…Flightline (Tapit) next year. One of West Point's Flightline partners, Jane Lyon of Summer Wind Farm, was the direct underbidder on the mare and she got her turn just two hips later, taking home MGSW Edgeway (Competitive Edge) for $1.7 million.

“She is for a breeding partnership we put together,” West Point's Terry Finley said. “She will go to Flightline. We are going to buy a couple of others. The idea came internally. Our partners were like let's do something with Flightline when he retires. That's what we are doing. Determined Stud is taking a piece of the deal. Lane's End will be part of it. It is a great partnership. The power of the partnership going to Flightline. A lot of people want to be part of this horse and I do too.”

West Point has five shares in Flightline to use and will also be buying mares to go to other stallions.

Chris Baccari was the co-breeder of Salty As Can Be and stayed in for a piece when she sold for $800,000 at FTSAUG. She won two of six starts and was stakes-placed before being bred to Quality Road. Salty As Can Be is out of SP Theycallmeladyluck (Dixie Union), making her a half-sister to Grade I winner Salty (Quality Road), who brought $3 million at the 2018 FTKNOV sale.

“She's a very special mare,” Baccari said. “That family breeds that look. They all look that way. She was a very high-dollar sale filly, her other sister brought $1.4 million. It's just a family I've been very lucky with. Theycallmeladyluck has been very good to me. I'm very fortunate.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Rose Picking at Keeneland

Continuing the trend of Breeders' Cup winners being offered up at the November sales, Shamrock Rose (First Dude), the 2018 winner of the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint, joined an elite rank bringing $3 million during Keeneland's Book 1 session Monday. Stepping up to the plate for the champion sprint filly of 2018 was Tomoyuki Nakamura's KI Farm. Consigned by Lane's End, she sold in foal to Curlin.

“The physical and race record are what stood out,” said Nakamura through interpreter Sean Toriumi.

According to Nakamura, breeding plans have yet to be finalized, although there is a possibility she will remain in the U.S.

“[Curlin] is a top sire and that is something that stood out as well,” he said.

In regard to the hefty pricetag, he added, “It was in the rough range of what he was expecting. Right now, [Nakamura] is deciding whether to take to Japan or leave in the states. There are a lot of options for us.”

A winner of Woodbine's Ontario Debutante S. in her career debut at two, Shamrock Rose came into her own in the latter part of her sophomore season while under the tutelage of Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. Reeling off four wins in a row, she capped off her 2018 season with wins in the GI Lexus Raven Run S. at Keeneland and her Breeders' Cup victory at Churchill Downs.

Lane's End's Allaire Ryan added, “She was a little bit of a difficult mare for us to appraise just based on how things have been selling the past couple of nights. Her activity level really picked up today at the barn, and we knew she was going to be going overseas wherever she goes. It certainly surpassed our expectations, which just goes to show you how strong this market is when something ticks all the boxes for two people.”

She continued, “It's so difficult to appraise mares like her. They could bring any kind of money and it's just how much two people want them. I would love to see her stay here (in the U.S.). She is a sweetheart. She was a farm favorite, even though we didn't have her for a long while, but we've had her for the past couple years. It's a little bit bittersweet, but of course she's going into great hands again so we can't be anything but happy for everyone.”–@CBossTDN

Walker's 'Dream' Run Ends with $2.7M Score

Offered at the tail end of a robust Book 1 session at Keeneland, Group 1 winner Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) stole the late act with a $2.7-million final bid from the uber-active Katsumi Yoshida. The 5-year-old was consigned by her trainer Ed Walker, acting as agent on behalf of owner-breeder Olivia Hoare. Offered as Hip 239 in the supplemental catalog, she represented the fourth highest-priced offering of the session.

“Mixed emotions really. I'm very sad to see her go but amazing to make that kind of money; great for all,” said Walker. “I'm a racehorse trainer in Lamborn, England and to be selling her as a potential mare for millions of dollars at Keeneland is something I really never thought I'd do. It's been a novel experience and luckily, a successful one.”

Walker, who started training in October of 2010, enjoyed his first lifetime Group 1 victory with Starman (GB) (Dutch Art {GB}) in last year's July Cup. However, Dreamloper gave signs of greater things to come while annexing last term's G3 Valiant S. at Ascot. Kicking off this season with a victory in the G3 Dahlia S. at Newmarket, she achieved a career high taking the May 29 G1 Prix d'Ispahan. Off the board in her next two Group 1 tries, she rebounded to take the Sept. 4 G1 Prix du Moulin de Longchamp. Prior to her engagement in the Keeneland sales ring, she finished 12th in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile Saturday.

“It's been a special story,” he continued. “After [the Prix du Moulin], I think it was kind of decided that she'd be sold. The plan was very much the Breeders' Cup, and obviously we were very much hoping to win the Breeders' Cup and then come here. It sort of felt like a natural move. Sadly, the Breeders' Cup didn't go to plan.”

The first runner for the trainer at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the Irish-bred also offered additional sentimental value as the daughter of another horse conditioned by Walker, listed winner Livia's Dream (Ire) (Teofilo {Ire}).

“She's extra special because she's out of a mare called Livia's Dream, which was the first filly I ever trained,” he said. “It goes back a long way, so it's mixed emotions.”

Asked what prompted the decision to bypass the upcoming European bloodstock sales in favor of a U.S.-based sales venue, he explained, “With her European form and pedigree, Newmarket was obviously a very strong candidate. However, with her running in the Breeders' Cup and the volume of potential buyers over here, it made sense to have her go [to Keeneland]. I think the fact that she didn't run better in the Breeders' Cup probably took out a few of the local buyers, but I'm still very happy with that result.”–@CBossTDN

Coolmore Buying Spree Continues with Marion Ravenwood

Coolmore continued its frenetic buying spree Monday at Keeneland, going to $2.6 million to acquire Marion Ravenwood (A.P. Indy) (hip 187) shortly after purchasing a weanling filly by Medaglia d'Oro (hip 161) for $1.5 million. The 14-year-old mare is the dam of Nest (Curlin) and sold carrying a full-sibling to that likely 3-year-old filly champion.

“I was watching the videos with Michael [Tabor] just beforehand and Nest is just an incredible filly for Mike Repole and all of them,” M. V. Magnier said. “[Marion Ravenwood] produced very good animals and let's hope she continues to do so.”

Nest was a three-time Grade I winner in 2022 and was second in both the GI Kentucky Oaks and GI Belmont S.

Marion Ravenwood is also the dam of GI Santa Anita H. winner Idol (Curlin) and this year's Sapling S. winner Lost Ark (Violence). She was consigned by the Lyster family's Ashview Farm, which purchased the mare in partnership with Rich Santulli's Colts Neck Stable for $400,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale.

Magnier said Marion Ravenwood would likely visit Triple Crown winner Justify next year.

Of the mare's final price, Magnier said, “It was plenty of money for her, but she's in foal to Curlin and that's a full-sibling to a very good filly.”

During Sunday's Fasig-Tipton sale, Magnier signed for four horses, including the $7-million sale-topping Gamine (Into Mischief), for $4,475,000.  @JessMartiniTDN

Pope In a State of Grace

Mandy Pope would not be denied when it came to MGSW & GISP Four Graces (Majesticperfection) (Hip 192), fending off all comers to acquire the 5-year-old for $2.3 million.

“She was a hell of a racehorse,” said Pope. “Not only is she a graded stakes horse, but the numbers that she ran were legit. And this family, all of the family, they all ran very legitimate speed numbers, so the quality is absolutely there and they're breeding it for it. I'm very excited.”

Pope has not selected a stallion for the dark bay yet, but she said it would be “someone nice.”

Bred and raced by the Whitham family, Four Graces captured a pair of Grade IIIs sprinting on the dirt and was second in the GI Derby City Distaff. She retires with a record of 15-4-4-1 and earnings just shy of $500,000.

Out of GSP Ivory Empress (Seeking the Gold), Four Graces is a half to MGSW & GISP young sire McCraken (Ghostzapper), MGSP Bondurant (War Front) and GSP With Dignity (Declaration of War).

“It's pretty special isn't it? She is a classy filly,” said Four Graces' former trainer Ian Wilkes. “That was great. It was above expectations. That's a great family. You have to look at what Mrs. Whitham and Clay have done to offer something out of the family like this and get rewarded.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Edgeway Poised for Flight

Fresh off a big GI Breeders' Cup Classic victory with Flightline (Tapit) Saturday, Summer Wind Equine's Jane Lyon was shopping for mates for the horse of the moment at Keeneland Monday. Catching her eye was Hip 156, MGSW and GSP Edgeway (Competitive Edge), and Lyon extended to $1.7 million for the mare. She was consigned by Lane's End.

“I think she's a beautiful mare and very fast,” said Lyon.    “Unfortunately, I get a little carried away now and then. We'll see what happens.”

The 5-year-old's dam, SW Magical Solution, is a half sister to Grade I winner The Lumber Guy (Grand Slam).

According to Lyon, plenty of time and effort goes into choosing the right companions for the likely Horse of the Year.

“We're still doing research on pedigree to see which bloodlines will or will not suit him and we thought she would,” she explained.

On the board in all four starts at two, including a win in the GIII Dogwood S., Edgeway added a trio of victories at three, highlighted by the GIII Rancho Bernardo S. and a runner-up effort in the GI Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Sprint. This season, she repeated in the Rancho Bernardo and also added wins in the GIII Las Flores S. and Kalookan Queen S.

“She is beautiful and obviously a very good racemare. Along with her pedigree, those things really boosted her in the sales ring,” said Lane's End's Bill Farish. “Jane Lyon likes to buy those pretty mares and she's had amazing success with them.”

—@CBossTDN

Coolmore Scoops Up Regally Bred Filly

It was no surprise to see a Medaglia d'Oro half-sister to champion Honor Code (Hip 161) summon $1.5 million. It was also no surprise to find Coolmore's M.V. Magnier signing the ticket on the regally bred weanling.

“She's a lovely, athletic filly,” said Magnier. “John Sikura, Dell Ridge and everyone are fantastic breeders. She is an exceptionally well-bred filly. She is a lovely filly. She is a sister to some very good horses. Honor Code was a very good horse.”

Hill 'n' Dale co-bred the filly's stakes-winning dam Serena's Cat (Storm Cat), a daughter of MSW Serena's Tune (Mr. Prospector). Dell Ridge Farm bought Serena's Cat from them for $1.4 million as a weanling at the 2003 KEENOV sale.

Serena's Cat's first foal was MGSW & GISP Noble Tune (Unbridled's Song) and her next foal was champion, MGISW and multi-millionaire Honor Code, who is now a member of the Lane's End stallion barn. Her 2014 Tapit filly, Serena's Harmony, summoned $3 million at that year's renewal of this auction. Her 2015 War Front colt Declarationofpeace brought $2.6 million here the following year and went on to be a stakes winner.

Serena's Cat continued her trend of seven-figure offspring here in 2016 with a $1.05 million Tapit colt now named Seclusive. He was followed by a $700,000 Tapit colt and $600,000 Curlin filly, all sold at this auction. Serena's Cat's 2019 Medaglia d'Oro colt was never offered at auction and she did not produce foals in 2020 and 2021. —@CDeBernardisTDN

Jouster to Japan

Jouster (Noble Mission {GB}), a graded stakes winner and 'TDN Rising Star' for Starlight Racing and Glen Hill Farm, will be heading to Japan after selling for $1.5 million to Katsumi Yoshida. Starlight had purchased the 4-year-old for $360,000 as a Fasig-Tipton Saratoga yearling in 2019 and she won four of 12 starts including the GII Appalachian S. at Keeneland, and earned $326,105.

“I thought she might bring right in there,” Starlight's Jack Wolf said of the final result. “With the bottom side of her pedigree and being a Grade II winner, especially here at Keeneland, I am excited she brought that.

Jouster, who was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, is out of Playtime (Street Cry {Ire}), a daughter of champion Storm Flag Flying (Storm Cat).

“Tonight it was business in deciding what to do with her,” Wolf said. “[Glen Hill Farm's] Craig Bernick and Starlight owned the horse together. It's our program to do the racing and Craig does both the racing and the breeding, but it's our game plan just to race.”

Wolf did admit there was a time he dabbled in the breeding half of the industry.

“When we had Harlan's Holiday, I bought 13 mares to support him,” Wolf said. “I decided after about five years of that I didn't want to do the breeding business.”

Yoshida purchased five mares for $8.05 million at Fasig-Tipton Sunday. His purchase of Jouster proved to be just a warm-up Monday, with his team following the session-topping $5.5-million purchase of Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) with the $2.7-million acquisition of Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}).  @JessMartiniTDN

Best Strikes Early and Still Swinging Late at Keeneland

It didn't take long for things to get going at Keeneland Monday as OXO Equine's Larry Best got into the swing of things, extending to $925,000 for GSW Bees and Honey (Union Rags). Offered as Hip 18, the 4-year-old filly was consigned by Gainesway.

“I expected anywhere from $750,000 to $1 million,” said Best. “It's always higher than what you want, but when you look at the page, you expect to pay a premium. She is a beautiful filly that would fit a lot of different breeding programs.”

Campaigned by Gainesway and Andrew Rosen, the Shug McGaughey trainee won the GIII Comely S. during her sophomore season. The chestnut is out of Wickedly Smart (Smart Strike), a half-sister to GI Alcibiades S. scorer Wickedly Perfect (Congrats).

“I thought she'd be a nice mare for my broodmare band,” said Best. “She was very fast on the track. She had a nice pedigree and is young and she fits with my stallions.”

Best remains invested in Taylor Made stallions GISW Instilled Regard, GSW and GISP Instagrand and MGISP Rowayton.

“I'll probably breed her to all three of my stallions and go from there.”

Still active later in the session, this time shopping for weanlings, Best went to $700,000 for Hip 194, a colt by Quality Road. The Mar. 7 foal is out of unraced Donatella (Bernardini), who sold one hip later for $900,000 to WinStar Farm. This represents the family of late superstar sire and GI Florida Derby winner Scat Daddy.

“The physical was very good and he is by Quality Road,” Best said of the colt. “With a horse like this, you're at the top of the market. Given the pedigree, the price is supportable.”

Commenting on the overall market despite the depressed worldwide economy, he said, “Based on the latest sales, it seems like there is still a lot of money on the sidelines. There are people that have just done so well over the last decade or so and are just flush with cash. The stock market over the last decade has been almost unbelievable. Many people in the horse population benefitted from that. A lot of them are in it to have fun but also to meet the challenge of competition. I think it's rarified space.”

Based on the recent strength of Thoroughbred bloodstock markets, does Best expect to walk into the pavilion and spend more on horses?

“Not really, but I think you come into these sales and you evaluate each horse based on the individual. But after you understand what the market is, you just have to understand that you will have to pay more than you want or than you think. At some point it will turn around. It always does.”–@CBossTDN

Uncle Mo Colt Keeps LNJ Foxwoods Hitting on All Cylinders

The Roth family's LNJ Foxwoods has steadily built up an elite broodmare band and after years of success on the racetrack is now enjoying success in the sales ring, with a weanling colt by Uncle Mo (hip 157) selling for $575,000 to Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo Monday at Keeneland.

The weanling is out of Sensitive (Divine Park), a $475,000 KEESEP yearling purchase who won the 2019 Ellis Park Turf S. in the Roths colors.

“It's everything we hoped for,” LNJ Foxwoods' advisor Alex Solis said of the result. “We bought her as a yearling and loved her then. We won a stakes with her. Her first foal is very nice and her second foal, we get that. We are just trying to make room because we can only keep so many foals.”

Sensitive's first foal is yearling colt by Into Mischief and the mare was bred to Constitution this year.

The LNJ Foxwoods broodmare band is populated by the likes of champion Covfefe (Into Mischief), graded stakes winners Luck (Kitten's Joy), Fancy Dress Party (Munnings), and Boardroom (Commissioner), as well as Grade I-placed Dogtag (War Front).

“It's almost impossible now,” Solis said of the decision of what to keep and what to sell. “It's become, where can you rank them anymore? It's a high-class problem and we're lucky and fortunate.”

Hartley and DeRenzo, signing as AAA Thoroughbreds, purchased three weanlings at Sunday's Fasig-Tipton November sale. They purchased colts by Gun Runner for $675,000 (hip 97)  and $550,000 (hip 153) and a son of Tapit (hip 38) for $275,000.

Hartley said Sunday the plan would likely be to pinhook the weanlings as yearlings. @JessMartiniTDN

Caravel to Return to Races in 2023

Two days after Caravel (Mizzen Mast)'s wire-to-wire victory in the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint, she had been expected to make an appearance in the Keeneland sales ring Monday, but connections opted to keep the 5-year-old mare and continue racing her in 2023.

“I spoke to my brothers, who own her with me, and the whole family, and they decided that they think she needs another year of racing,” said Sheikh Fahad of co-owner Qatar Racing. “We thought we would give her another year and then she will probably come back to the sale next.”

Qatar Racing, Marc Detampel and Madaket Stables purchased Caravel for $500,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton November sale. In addition to her Breeders' Cup win, she also added the GIII Franklin S. and GIII Intercontinental S. to her resume this year.

“You don't get many Breeders' Cup winners, especially a filly beating the boys in the Sprint is incredible,” Fahad said. “And the way she did it was very exciting.”

Also at Fasig-Tipton last year, Qatar Racing was part of a partnership which purchased Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) for $5 million. After racing the 2020 GI Kentucky Oaks winner last year, the 5-year-old was put back through the ring at Fasig-Tipton Sunday and Mandy Pope bought out the partners at a matching $5-million price tag.

“At a price we were going to try to keep her ourselves,” Sheikh Fahad said of Shedaresthedevil. “Mandy was a great partner with us on the filly and think she is going to go to a good home. So I am happy enough with that.” @JessMartiniTDN

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Yoshida Goes on Late Session Spending Spree at KEENOV

Katsumi Yoshida of Northern Farm went on a late session buying spree during the supplemental portion of Keeneland November Monday, purchasing champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute) for $5.5 million as hip 235 and then adding 2022 French two-time Group 1 winner Dreamloper (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) for $2.7 million as hip 239.

Midnight Bisou had previously sold for $5 million at the conclusion of her racing career to partner Chuck Allen at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November sale. Since then she produced a Curlin colt Feb. 12 and was offered back in foal to Tapit. Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consigned the 7-year-old, whose juvenile half-brother Verifying (Justify) was second in this year's GI Champagne S.

Dreamloper, meanwhile, was consigned by her trainer Ed Walker, having finished 12th in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Mile. The Mrs. Olivia Hoare homebred took the G1 Prix D'Ispahan in May and romped by 5 1/2 lengths in the G1 Prix de Moulin de Longchamp in her most recent European start. She was offered as a racing or broodmare prospect.

Yoshida also paid $1.5 million for GSW 'TDN Rising Star' Jouster (Noble Mission {GB}) as hip 198.

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