Summer Wind Goes to $1.45M for Park Avenue

On Day 2 of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, Summer Wind's Jane Lyon returned Nov. 8 to purchase Park Avenue  for $1.45 million from the Lane's End consignment. She became the first horse to reach seven-figure territory deep into the session.

Lyon's sole purchase on Day 1 was grade 3 winner Edgeway , which took her to $1.7 million. She was also consigned by Lane's End.

Park Avenue, consigned as Hip 478, is a 4-year-old daughter of Quality Road   who was graded stakes-placed this year for trainer John Sadler and Hronis Racing. She earned $330,887 from 14 starts with a record of 4-3-2.

Bred in Kentucky by Peter Blum Thoroughbreds, the filly was a $450,000 yearling purchase for Martin Anthony from the Bridie Harrison consignment to the 2019 Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

"I need some good mares," Lyon said. "I've been outbid on several I wanted but I was pretty determined not to get outbid on her. I'm always surprised (at the price)."

Lane's End sales director Allaire Ryan said of the price: "When two people want them, anything can happen. In this group, she was a standout for us. That was beyond our expectations and a super sale all the way around. She was a beautiful filly who obviously had plenty of talent and ability on the track.

"Her looks just surpassed that. She took your breath away when you saw her. She's a classy filly. She was popular at the barn, and people kept coming back to look at her multiple times. We knew we had the right players on her. It's nice to see everyone get rewarded."

Lyon said she was an underbidder on Monday's sale topper, Champion Midnight Bisou , who went to Katsumi Yoshida for $5.5 million.

"I'm looking for good quality mares, preferably if they had raced and been successful, that's good. I came here saying I was going to buy mares in foal, but I bought two who aren't. I'm going to have to sit down and rethink this."

Park Avenue will head to the breeding shed, but Lyon said she has yet to pick out a mate.

"We're going to debate that with people who know, certainly not me," Lyon said with a chuckle.

Park Avenue is out of the Indian Charlie mare Remarkable, who has two winners from four foals to race. Her last foal is a 2-year-old son of Mastery   named Premium. The dam was bred back to Gun Runner   for 2023.