Spirits High Ahead of Keeneland January Sale Start

The Thoroughbred industry, much like the rest of the world, turned over the last pages on their 2020 calendars with a sigh of relief. With the promise of a forthcoming vaccine, a recovering global economy, and renewed sense of optimism, many are hoping that 2021 will bring with it a return to normality—at least as much as possible. 

In Kentucky, the most welcome hallmark of the new year is the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale. This year, the four-day auction will span Jan. 11-14 and with the market seemingly on the mend, consignors and breeders are hopeful that the new year will not disappoint. 

"Heading into 2021, I think that everybody is a little bit relieved that the market held on and was as resilient as it was in 2020," said Mark Taylor of Taylor Made Sales. "I can remember back when COVID was just starting, we didn't know for sure if we were going to be able to have the sales. If we did have the sales, we didn't know what the international participation would be like. We didn't know anything. My worst fear was that we would be down 50% in the beginning but as time went on we thought it would be down 20-30% and that ended up being accurate.

"I think 2020 was a survival year for a lot of breeders, pinhookers—everybody really. I think as we turn the corner we are starting to get vaccines out and hopefully we are starting to see the light of the tunnel with COVID." 

A total of 1,608 horses were originally cataloged to the Keeneland January sale. As of Jan. 10, 309 had been withdrawn bringing the final count to 1,299.

This year, the sale will feature three dispersals from Sam-Son Farm, the Estate of Paul Pompa Jr., and the Spry Family Farm. While Sam-Son Farm will consign as 21 of their mares under their own banner, Lane's End will consign all 39 horses entered by the Pompa estate and Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency will handle all 42 entries on behalf of the Spry Family Farm. 

As dispersal horses are sold without reserve, consignors representing the respective farms have said they've seen increased traffic from buyers knowing that their wares will be first come, first serve. 

"People know that those horses are here to sell as a dispersal so there won't be reserves," said Allaire Ryan of Lane's End. "People have been putting their time in and going through them knowing that if they want them, they have to be here. There has been plenty of activity on the mares we have and the short yearlings which is great to see because you come into this sale knowing it's a smaller sale and people haven't been able to travel as much. Maybe it is the dispersals that have added a bit more interest, but I've been really pleased with what I've seen. Hopefully that translates to a strong market." 

Among the broodmares from the Pompa estate is Hip 725, Mary's Follies, a More Than Ready  mare and proven producer whose foals include grade 3 winner Night Prowler, grade 2 winner Regal Glory, and grade 3 winner Cafe Pharoah, who has won four of his six starts in Japan and banked just shy of $1 million in purses. 

Another Pompa horse full of promise is Hip 1563, Turned Aside, an American Pharoah  colt listed as a racing or stallion prospect. Out of the War Front  mare Sustained, Turned Aside won the Quick Call Stakes (G3T) and Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship Stakes in 2020. His yearling half brother by Connect  is also offered through the consignment as Hip 464. 

Lane's End has also consigned a variety of attractive pedigrees for other clients including Hip 800E, a daughter of recently pensioned Lemon Drop Kid  named Exotic Notion. Out of the Dehere mare Paris Notion, the 9-year-old is a half sister to multiple grade 1 winner and Lane's End stallion City of Light , who has his first crop of yearlings this year. She is offered in foal to Quality Road , the sire of City of Light.

Those shopping for short yearlings will likely have passed through Lane's End, who will offer the only foal by Triple Crown winner Justify . Consigned as Hip 532, the colt was bred in Ontario by Peter A. Berglar Racing Interests and Anderson Farms out of the Street Cry mare Back to Love. 

Ryan said she's been surprised and delighted by the amount of foot traffic on the grounds and Keeneland so far and hopes the numbers translate to sales come Monday. 

"Coming out of the November sales, I thought that in the first part of the sale horses were outselling what they should have been valued at," said Ryan. "In terms of a clearance rate, it was very achievable all the way through and that was a positive sign. The nature of a four-day sale is that the people who are here at the beginning of the sale are usually here to the end. You don't see as much of a change in the demographic of buyers. We've been very busy so I hope that means this will be a good sale for everybody." 

With 136 horses set to go through the ring across a two-day selling span, Mark Taylor said the January sale presented a particular kind of challenge for consignors looking to get horses moved before the madness of the breeding season—and flu season—really gets underway. 

"From a consignor's point of view, it's a four-day sale and we only sell two days so everything we had had to be condensed," said Taylor. "That creates some logistical problems as far as staff. This year, as far as the flu season, we had a lot of staff defect from other states that couldn't come in because of COVID restrictions so it's really strained us a bit there. Then we have the elements. For a lot of these babies the ground is frozen and it's hard on their feet. You have to make sure all of your horses are drinking and eating and that they don't get dehydrated or colic with the very cold weather. Handling horses in this environment, where they aren't getting out as much as in November, is another challenge. It's common sense stuff, but January is a different animal. Plus you could always have mares foaling so you have to have the foaling kit and everybody is on alert." 

Among the Taylor Made horses is recent winner Mrs. Orb (Hip 363), a now 6-year-old daughter of Orb  who most recently won the Jan. 3 La Verdad Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack. Bred in New York by Rhapsody Farm, she is out of the Silver Train mare Gypsy Angel and from the family of graded stakes winners Killer Graces, Chocolate Ride, and Michigan Bluff. 

"She's a beautiful mare who has some pedigree down the page," said Taylor. "She's been on a tear on the racetrack and she's one someone could take back to the track and possibly run out a big chunk of her purchase price and have some fun this year." 

Taylor Made will also offer an attractive broodmare in Hip 149, Bahama Babe, a 5-year-old Point of Entry mare offered in foal to Omaha Beach , whose first foals will be born this year. Bred in Kentucky by Woodford Thoroughbreds out of Kalahari Cat (by Cape Town), the mare is a half sister to graded stakes winners Independence Hall and Black Onyx. 

"We've got a nice assortment of a little bit of something for everyone," said Taylor. "We have a few very nice foals. We have a couple short yearlings now by really nice sires—More Than Ready , Mendelssohn , Practical Joke , Nyquist , and Sharp Azteca . We have some really nice in-foal mares and I think in general it's a consignment where the quality is going to jump out." 

With spirits high ahead of Monday's 10 a.m. ET auction start, Taylor said it's important for horsemen to keep things in perspective and remember that the market, however relatively healthy it may seem to appear, will still have its challenges going forward. 

"I still think sellers have to be realistic," said Taylor. "If you still have something in the bottom 45-50% of the market, you need to set conservative reserves if you want to get your horse sold. Otherwise you hang on, ride it out, and see how this thing plays out. 

"I think going into the year there is some optimism and a refresh button turning the corner. I still think our sellers in this market know there are a lot of horses here for a reason, people are trying to tighten up their broodmare band, add quality, and get rid of a little quantity. There will be a market for it, but you can't be overly bullish on your bloodstock." 

Sessions will begin each day at 10 a.m. starting Jan. 11.