Top End Propels November

Led by a $3.9 million mare and a North American- record $3 million weanling, Book 1 closed at Keeneland 
November yesterday with continued evidence of a vibrant market for high-end Thoroughbreds. “It was a heck of a session today,” Keeneland Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell said succinctly when the curtain fell. 

Building on the first session’s momentum, Day 2 saw 138 horses traded for $54,454,000, an average of $394,594. That was a 15% boost from last year’s session-two average. The session median of $235,000 was up 6.8%, while the session RNA was 22.5% from 40 horses not sold. Last year’s session RNA was 19.9%. 

Cumulative figures are now roughly equal to last year’s numbers. In total, 273 horses sold in Book 1 for $95,852,000. The $351,106 average was down 1.8%, while the median of $200,000 was down a more substantial 9%. The cumulative RNA is 24%; last year it was 20.4%.

Current-year figures were especially encouraging considering the 2013 sale was propelled by the E. Paul Robsham Stables dispersal and, to a lesser degree, the dispersal of Eric Kronfeld’s equine holdings. The 2014 November Sale doesn’t include any significant dispersals. 

Topping yesterday’s session, and the sale so far, was the $3.9 million Aloof (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), a group-winning daughter of champion Airwave (GB) who sold in foal to War Front. Whisper Hill Farm’s Mandy Pope beat out representatives of Moyglare Stud Farm for the 5-year-old mare. Paramount Sales consigned Aloof as Hip 246. 

Maybe the star of the show, however, was a weanling Tapit filly from Serena’s Cat (Storm Cat) who sold to Bridlewood Farm’s George Isaacs for $3 million, a North American record for a weanling. Pope was the direct underbidder. Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm co-bred the filly with Dell Ridge Farm and sold her as Hip 402. The filly was the second-highest yesterday, edging out another Hill ‘n’ Dale-sold horse, the $2.85 million broodmare Modeling (Tapit), who sold in foal to Distorted Humor to Don Alberto Corp. as Hip 353. The record filly’s great granddam is the Hall of Famer Serena’s Song (Rahy). 

“It’s the old adage that quality sells,” said Russell. “The filly comes from an exceptional family that everyone wants to get into. It’s hard to get into. We told people this would be the only opportunity they would get to buy her. She’ll never be resold. And obviously, two end-users like Ms. Pope and George Isaacs went at it, and a new North American record [was established], and obviously a record for ourselves, too. So we appreciate the opportunity to sell her and we’re glad we were able to do it well.” 

In all, 11 different buying entities have purchased 18 seven-figure horses at November. Last year, 12 different entities bought 14 seven-figure horses. 

“There’s been very good diversity at the top of the market,” said Russell. “It was great to see Don Alberto back again after being our leading buyer last year. China Horse Club bought a couple today, and Stonestreet is still punching away, and so is John Malone of Bridlewood. It’s great to see new people in there and establishing their farms and building good broodmare bands.” 

If you’ve had a well-pedigreed mare with foreign bloodlines, you’ve likely been well rewarded at November. Two mares by Galileo (Ire) brought seven figures. In addition to yesterday’s $3.9 million Aloof, the Coolmore stallion was represented by the $1.8 million Precious Stone (Ire), who sold in foal to War Front to Don Alberto. Reversing that cross, meanwhile, was Peace Preserver, a stakes-winning War Front mare who sold in foal to Galileo (Ire) for $1.9 million. Bridlewood purchased her. Adding to the international flavor of the sale was the Group 2 winner Strawberrydaiquiri (GB) (Dansili {GB}), the rare mare selling in foal to Dubawi (Ire), who commanded a $1.45 million bid from Al Shaqab Racing. 

“I think it shows how global our market is,” said Russell. “And what the state of Kentucky can offer the international market. Keeneland is considered the core of it, and everyone knows this is where people come to buy. We get the international pedigrees, and those sort of pedigrees stand out here.” 

Post time for today’s Book 2 opener–and for the remainder of the sale–shifts to 10:00 a.m. For catalogue, outs and results, or to watch the sale live, visit www.keeneland.com.