Uncle Mo Colt Leads Way in Keeneland's Third Session

The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale entered a new phase with Book 2 during the Jan. 15 third session, with a yearling by prominent sire Uncle Mo  leading the way at $400,000.

Purchased by Springhouse Farm, the Uncle Mo colt (Hip 830) consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency is the highest price paid for a yearling on Day 3 in Keeneland January sale history, according to BloodHorse MarketWatch.

Keeneland reported 232 grossed $5,207,200, for an average of $22,445 and a median of $12,000. During the comparable session a year ago, 244 head averaged $16,956 on gross receipts of $4,137,300 and an $8,000 median price.

Cumulatively, 703 horses have grossed $37,624,800 for an average of $53,520 and a median of $25,000. At the same juncture a year ago, when the sale was topped by the $5 million Abel Tasman, 731 horses grossed $44,408,100, with an average price of $60,750 and a median price of $24,000. The 204 horses that have not sold represent an RNA rate of 22.5%.

The day's second-highest price of $240,000 was paid by Doug Arnold of Buck Pond Farm for Elle's Town (Hip 1035), a 4-year-old Speightstown  filly who finished second in the Dec. 28 Pago Hop Stakes at Fair Grounds Race Course & Slots to improve her bankroll to $114,615, with one win and nine placings in 16 starts. Consigned by Bluewater Sales, agent, the filly represented a healthy profit for Three Diamonds Farm, which bought the filly for $77,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale.

Bred in Kentucky by Forging Oaks, Elle's Town was produced from the stakes-winning, grade 3-placed Midnight Lute  mare Irish Presence.

"She's beautiful and has a great pedigree," Arnold said, noting his client planned to keep the filly in training.

Bringing the third highest price of the day, a colt by Constitution  (Hip 908) sold to Solis/Litt for $210,000 from the Taylor Made consignment. The New York-bred yearling is the first foal out of the Tiznow mare Tiz Willy.

Folk Legend, a racing or broodmare prospect with two major recent updates in her female family, was purchased by Healthy Wood from Taylor Made for $150,000.

Cataloged as Hip 1054, Folk Legend is a 4-year-old daughter of Tapizar  produced from champion and multiple grade 1 winner Folklore. Folk Legend, bred in Kentucky by the Robert and Beverly Lewis Trust, broke her maiden Dec. 11 at Turfway Park since the catalog was published.

Her half sister, the Unbridled's Song mare Rhodochrosiste, is the dam of Contrail. A son of leading Japanese stallion Deep Impact, Contrail is one of Japan's leading 3-year-old prospects after winning all three starts as a 2-year-old. Since the Keeneland catalog was published, the colt won the Dec. 28 Hopeful Stakes (G1) to go with a victory in the Tokyo Sports Hai Nisai Stakes (G3).