Unbridled's Song Filly Tops Keeneland Sale Session

Stormy's Song, a winning Unbridled's Song filly from the family of millionaire Lady Tak, was sold for $102,000 to top the Nov. 14 session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale that continued at a steady pace.

Keeneland reported 237 horses grossed $2,903,800 for an average of $12,252 and a median of $7,000 during the session that comprised Book 6. The RNA rate was 23.1%.

The cumulative number sold has been 2,286 for gross receipts of $187,191,400, an average price of $81,886 and a $32,000 median. At the same point of the 2017 sale, 2,197 head had averaged $91,316 on gross receipts of $200,620,600, with a $40,000 median.

Hidden Brook, agent, consigned Stormy's Song as a racing or broodmare prospect. She is out of the Stormy Atlantic  mare Stormy Tak, a daughter of multiple grade 1 winner Lady Tak.

Jared Burdine, general manager of Hill 'n' Dale Farms, signed the sales receipt, noting the filly is among a group being purchased to breed to Army Mule , the undefeated grade 1 winner who enters stud at the farm near Lexington next year for a $10,000 fee.

"She's a big, beautiful mare and will be going to Army Mule, who we are supporting heavily along with (St. Elias Stable owner) Vinnie Viola," Burdine said. "We are trying to be selective. We're excited about him as a stallion. We're real familiar with the whole family; we bred Stormy Tak (in a partnership)."

Two horses sold for $85,000 each to be the day's second-highest prices.

Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm purchased Paulownia, in foal to Keen Ice , for $85,000 from Select Sales, agent. A 7-year-old mare by Quiet American out of the Lyphard mare Misty Dancer, Paulownia is a full sister to Quiet Dance, dam of Horse of the Year and sire Saint Liam; grade 1 winner Funtastic; Quiet Giant, dam of Horse of the Year Gun Runner ; grade 3 winner Congressionalhonor; and stakes winner Dance Quietly.

"We owned a lot of that family and just wanted another one from it," Whisper Hill's Scott Kintz said. "The mare looks like everything out of that family. It was a value for that kind of money and that kind of mare. It's the only mare we've bought for a few days."

Rustlewood Farm also paid $85,000 for Commentary, a 3-year-old filly by The Factor  sold as a broodmare prospect. Out of the Unbridled's Song mare Siren Serenade, Commentary is a half sister to grade 1-placed Luminance and from the immediate family of grade 1 winners Versailles Treaty and George Vancouver. She was consigned by Summerfield, agent.

A filly from the first crop of Tourist  was the day's highest-priced weanling, selling for $50,000 to Stafford Pond Farm. Consigned by Endeavor Farm, agent, the filly is out of the stakes-placed Skip Away mare Blondz Away and is a half sister to stakes winner Colonel Samsen and stakes-placed Summer Share.

As the marathon sale soldiers on to its Nov. 16 conclusion, trade Wednesday remained robust, considering the price point was at a level below the previous sessions.

"There is still pretty good trade overall," said consignor Zack Madden of Buckland Sales. "The rubber has kind of met the road a little bit. A lot of people are here who want to sell everything, and it has held up a little bit. There are a lot of mares who have had only three or four foals, and on paper they may look like culls, but you never know which one can hit. I feel like there is still value here, in any price range."

The sale continues Thursday, with a session beginning at 10 a.m. EST.