Stage Set for November Breeding Stock Sale

The Thoroughbred industry turns next to the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, which runs Nov. 7-17 in Lexington with 3,704 horses in the main catalog and 332 currently on offer for a Horses of Racing Age session on the final day.

"There's a lot of energy around the grounds," said Tony Lacy, vice president of sales for Keeneland. "The quality is increasing all the time, and the supplements we are getting are also really exciting. We've been getting mares like Midnight Bisou  (Hip 235) and supplements like Dreamloper  (Hip 239), a multiple group 1 winner in Europe this year. She's the highest-rated filly to be on offer this year for sale, to this point, with an official rating of 120.

"It's a very deep bench, and obviously, with the likes of Juju's Map  (Hip 214), we're very encouraged. The international presence here is incredible. It's like everything we do, racing helps sales, and sales help racing, which personifies everything we stand for."

Keeneland enjoyed 10 sessions of lights-out trade during the 2021 edition of this sale, with 2,534 horses sold of the 2,988 on offer for gross receipts of $207,835,500, the highest gross since 2016. An average price of $82,019 and a median of $37,000 were attained. There were 454 individuals failed to meet their reserve, representing an RNA rate of 15.1%.

"There are some extremely good weanlings, well connected to current runners on offer," said Cormac Breathnach, director of sales operations at Keeneland. "There is a filly from the first crop by Complexity  , a half sister to Jack Christopher , selling as Hip 151. I saw her two months ago when the entry was being discussed, and she's beautiful. She has just done everything right. She's forward, everything the market would like, and she has the right genes for residual value or any purpose down the road. She's one we're excited about, bred by Castleton Lyons, and Paramount Sales are selling her."

This year, as the first of its kind, a fractional interest will be offered to the Longines Breeders' Cup Classic (G1) winner and new Lane's End stallion Flightline . The share will be sold Monday at 12:30 p.m. ET, followed by the start of Book 1 at 1:00 p.m. Flightline, an undefeated 4-year-old son of Tapit  , finished his career 6-for-6, including four grade 1 wins for Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, breeder Summer Wind Equine, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Woodford Racing.

"The main sale, I think we're very encouraged by the support and feedback we're getting," Lacy said. "The partial interest in Flightline is incredibly exciting; it's unique. We want to encourage and emphasize buyers getting pre-registered for bidding. It's something that people might be a little confused about; people need to pre-register and be pre-approved before the bidding process. The syndicate members must sign off that they're comfortable with the partnership agreement."

The top-priced horse at the November Sale last year was Paris Lights , a daughter of Curlin   who lit up the ring with a $3.1 million hammer fall. Spendthrift Farm secured the filly, winner of the 2020 Coaching Club American Oaks (G1) at Saratoga Race Course and of the Distaff Handicap (G3) of 2021 at Del Mar. ELiTE consigned her on behalf of her breeder, WinStar Farm, which campaigned her with trainer Bill Mott.

Japan's Masahiro Miki took home three mares in 2021 for gross receipts of $3,675,000 to be the sale's leading buyer at an average price of $1,225,000. His purchases included La Signare , Pink Sands  (in foal to Into Mischief  ), and New and Improved  (in foal to Authentic  ).

Perennial leading consignor Taylor Made Sales sold 245 of the 287 horses it had on offer for final receipts of $23,848,200 to be the leading consignor by gross.

As of Sunday evening, Keeneland reported 49 horses withdrawn from Book 1. Selling starts for Books 2-5 daily at 10:00 a.m.