Solid Start to Keeneland September Sale

Boosted by a broad-based international buying bench and the appeal of top-caliber sires Medaglia d'Oro  , Tapit  , and War Front  , the marathon Keeneland September yearling sale had a solid opening Sept. 12.

For the session, which was trimmed slightly in size from a year ago, Keeneland reported 108 horses sold for $34,531,000, compared with the $44,642,000 paid for 150 head during the 2015 opener. The average of $319,731 represented a 7.4% gain over the Day 1 figure of $297,163 last year; the median of $267,500 was up slightly from the $265,000 in 2015.

The 60 horses that did not sell represented an RNA rate of 35.7%, compared with 31.2% last year. There was one seven-figure yearling this year, one less than on Day 1 last year. There were 25 horses sold in the $500,000-$999,999 range, up from 19 in 2015.

Keeneland officials said they were pleased with the results and that the figures were indicative of stability in the marketplace.

“There was good strength at the top end of the market,” said Keeneland sales director Geoffrey Russell. “(There was) selective bidding as we anticipated and have seen in other markets.”

“The word stable feels like it might be appropriate here, because we saw our average up and the median was just a tick up over last year, with fewer offerings,” said Bob Elliston, vice president of racing and sales. “To have your $500,000-999,999 to be up and to have your average and your median comparable or a little better than last year, we’re pretty pleased with that.”

Russell said the diversity of buyers and stiff competition for the better horses were good signs going forward for the sale that runs through Sept. 25 (with an off day Sept. 15).

Topping the day’s action was a Medaglia d'Oro colt bought by M. V. Magnier on behalf of Coolmore Stud interests for $1 million.

Magnier said the colt reminded him of Australian champion 2-year-old Vancouver, a son of Medaglia d'Oro who won the 2015 Tooheys New Golden Slipper (Aus-I). Coolmore sold Vancouver at auction and later purchased the colt in partnership with China Horse Club.

MAGNIER ACQUIRES MEDAGLIA D'ORO COLT FOR $1M

 

Consigned as Hip 48 by Taylor Made Sales Agency, the colt was bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings and is out of Smart Strike's stakes-winning daughter Spring Party, a half sister to grade I winner Emcee   and to the dam of grade I winner Constitution  . Stonestreet purchased Spring Party for $525,000 from Taylor Made at the 2012 Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

A War Front filly who had a significant update in her pedigree brought the day’s second-highest price of $900,000 when bought by John Ferguson on behalf of Sheikh Mohammed.

FERGUSON TO $900,000 FOR WAR FRONT FILLY

Consigned as Hip 166, by Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Sweezey’s Timber Town, as agent, the filly is the first foal out of Aloof, a group III-winning daughter of top international sire Galileo. Second dam Airwave was a group I winner and is granddam of  group I winner Churchill.

On Sept. 11, one day before the first session of the Keeneland sale, Churchill won the group I Goffs Vincent O’Brien National Stakes at the Curragh in Ireland.

The filly was bred in Kentucky by Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm, which purchased Aloof for $3.9 million with the War Front filly in utero at the 2014 Keeneland November sale.

One yearling who could have been among the session toppers was a War Front ridgling produced from a half sister to Horse of the Year Zenyatta and three-time grade I winner Balance. Consigned by Claiborne Farm, he was bought back on a final bid of $950,000.

Claiborne’s Walker Hancock was surprised that the ridgling did not reach his reserve price, which he said was close to the RNA price.

"I don't really know; I'm shocked," Hancock said, adding that some buyers may be more reserved in their bidding during the sale's opening session with so many more days remaining.

Erin Shea contributed to this story