Keeneland November Sale Continues at Steady Pace

Topped by a weanling Dialed In  colt, the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale continued on a steady pace during the eighth session Nov. 12, with the cumulative average and median prices tracking well ahead of 2017 as Book 5 began.

Keeneland reported 234 horses sold for $5,197,600, at an average price of $22,212 and a $14,500 median. The 64 horses that went unsold represented 21.5% of the total through the ring.

Through eight sessions, 1,807 horses have been reported sold for an aggregate $178,090,600, a $98,556 average and median price of $45,000. The cumulative RNA rate is 25.4%. At the same juncture in 2017, Keeneland reported 2,424 horses had averaged $83,342 on total receipts of $202,021,700, with a $30,500 median.

The session-topping Dialed In colt was purchased by Archie St George in the name Brookstone Farm for $145,000 from Frankfort Park Farm as a pinhook prospect. 

"He's a very straightforward horse," St. George said. "He had a big update to his pedigree. He walked well and had a lot of presence to him. Dialed In is a good stallion."

Out of the Giant's Causeway mare Belle Chaussee, the colt is a half sister to grade 2-placed Belle Laura, who finished third in the JP Morgan Chase Jessamine Stakes (G2T) Oct. 10 at Keeneland. 

The day's second highest-price of $110,000 was paid by BG Stables and David Meah Racing for the 3-year-old War Front  colt War Chest, the final horse in the ring. Consigned by Lane's End, agent, War Chest is out of the Ghostzapper  mare Wine Princess, a grade 2 winner whose dam is Horse of the Year Azeri.

David Meah, of Meah-Lloyd Bloodstock, said the maiden winner would resume racing at Santa Anita Park for trainer Anna Meah, his wife.

"We got him under budget, and we are happy," Meah said. "He is the one horse of the day we wanted. If he wins (allowance races in California), he will make his money back in two races. If we get super lucky and get some black type, we have a chance to do things in the future (with him at stud). BG Stables stands stallions in California."

In the horses of racing age section at last year's November Sale, Meah, as agent, paid $190,000 for Next Shares, who went on to win Keeneland's $1 million Shadwell Turf Mile (G1T) in October.

"He helped us a lot," Meah said about Next Shares. "He proved we can find extreme value in a tough market. I have a great team. They are the ones out there searching day in and day out. I just get to see the short list and make the final decision."

Among the most active buyers Monday was California-based agent Bruno De Berdt. Buying on behalf of client Khalid Mishref, De Berdt purchased five horses for $139,000 at an average price of $27,000.

De Berdt said Mishref has breeding and racing interests in the U.S. and England and that he is shopping Keeneland for different purposes. The Monday acquisitions brought the number of horses Mishref has bought during the sale to 14 for total receipts of $606,000.

"We're buying for three different programs," the agent said. "We're buying weanlings for re-sale, mares that we will keep and foal out, and some inexpensive mares to send overseas. It has been especially been a very good market for foals. We're just trying to slowly grow."

De Berdt, who is also buying some pinhook prospects for his own account, said he has been patient in his buying pattern.

"You have to do your homework," De Berdt said. "We probably overpaid for some horses we really liked and underpaid for some that we thought would bring more."

Another satisfied buyer was trainer Philip Sims, who took home a winning 3-year-old Shanghai Bobby filly for $25,000 from a female family in which he has more than passing interest.

Consigned as Hip 3051, Summer Fling was produced from multiple stakes winner and $336,981-earner Summer Song, a half sister to Don't Tell Sophia. Bought by Sims for $1,000 as a yearling, Don't Tell Sophia went on to win the Juddmonte Spinster Stakes (G1) and earn $1.38 million for Sims and his partner Jerry Namy. The Congaree filly was then sold to Katsumi Yoshida for $1.2 million at the 2015 Keeneland November sale, with her earnings and sale price resulting in a major windfall for Sims.

"I was looking for something to replace a couple of other horses I sold and I thought I'd be able to take this filly to Oaklawn Park," said Sims of Summer Fling who is the only horse he has purchased during the Keeneland sale. "I wanted a Shanghai Bobby and this one came along and I knew the family."