Keeneland's January Sale Enters Homestretch

With Keeneland's January Horses of All Ages Sale entering the homestretch, trade during the Jan. 16 penultimate session mirrored that of the previous three sessions, with stiff competition for the better-quality racing and broodmare prospects and in-foal mares and continued demand for short yearlings.

Going into the sale's finale Friday, Keeneland has sold 952 horses for $41,118,900, compared with the $48,280,100 paid for 951 head at the same juncture a year ago when the auction was topped by the $5 million Abel Tasman.

The cumulative average of $43,192 is tracking 14.9% below the 2019 figure of $50,768, and the median is down 15% from $20,000 to $17,000. The 243 horses that failed to sell represent an RNA rate of 20.3%.

The top price of the Thursday session was the $180,000 paid by Cecil Seaman, agent for Jon Marshall, for Electricita, a 4-year-old Ghostzapper  filly from the female family of grade 1 winner Moreno consigned by Sam-Son Farm as Hip 1402.

Adrian Wallace of Stripes Stable went to $150,000 to acquire Tip Top Tap, a 5-year-old Tapit  mare who is a full sister to grade 1 winner and $1.5 million earner Ring Weekend. Cataloged by Gainesway as Hip 1272, the mare was sold in foal to Kantharos . Free the Magic, the stakes-placed Cryptoclearance mare who produced Tip Top Tap, is a half sister to British group 2 winner Forest Wind and stakes winner Three Generations and a full sister to stakes winner Flash of Joy.

Wallace, who handles nomination sales at Coolmore's Ashford Stud, said he bought the mare on his account.

"It's a lovely family, and she was very well covered," Wallace said of the mare's covering sire. "I think she will be a nice broodmare; she is a nice young mare."

Gainesway's Neil Howard said the mare had a lot to recommend her to buyers.

"Obviously, it is a very good family, and Tapit is making a name for himself as a broodmare sire," Howard said. "We're delighted that she brought that kind of money."

Two foals that went through the ring in succession were bought by Knockgriffin Farm to be the top-priced short yearlings on the day.

Knockgriffin purchased Hip 1485, a colt from the first crop of American Freedom , for $80,000 from the consignment of Stuart Morris, agent for Morgan's Ford Farm. The Virginia-bred colt was produced from the female family of multiple grade 3 winner Shawnee Country and such black-type runners as Realm, North Freeway, Take the One O One, and Square Deal.

The next horse through the ring, a 2019 son of Street Boss , was bought by Knockgriffin for $90,000. Consigned by Indian Creek, agent, the colt bred in Kentucky by Kingswood Farm is out of the winning Smart Strike mare Lotta Lolly, a full sister to grade 1 winner Square Eddie .

The sale concludes Friday, beginning at 10 a.m. ET.