The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued to boast positive numbers as the first session of Book 4, which is the eighth of 13 sessions of this sale, concluded Tuesday evening.
A total of 275 yearlings sold Tuesday for a gross of $15,036,900, which was an increase from last year's corresponding session when 292 youngsters brought $14,192,700. The session average was up 12.5% from $48,605 last term to $54,680 and median also increased 5.71% from $35,000 to $37,000.
A pair of colts, one by Midnight Lute and the other by Violence, shared top billing for the day at $300,000. Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent V consigned the son of Midnight Lute (Hip 2580) on behalf of his breeder Randal Family Trust and he was purchased here by Ruis Racing, who won the GI Del Mar Debutante S. with one of their recent 2-year-old purchases Union Strike (Union Rags).
Consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services LLC, Agent, Hip 2418, son of the young sire Violence, went to bloodstock agent Steve Young, who was the day's leading buyer having purchased three horses for $485,000. Bloodstock agents Hanzley Albina and Nick Sallusto, who purchased the yearling's Grade I-winning sire for $600,000 at this sale in 2011, bought this colt for $85,000 as a weanling at the Fasig-Tipton November sale after he was lead out of the ring unsold at $90,000.
“[Nick Sallusto and I] looked at a bunch of Violence babies because we bought Violence as a yearling and we had bred a few Violence babies, so we wanted to see what other people had done,” Albina said. “We thought this was a particularly nice one, especially for the price, so we bought him after he RNA'd for a client. He progressed nicely during his time with us and Ron Blake did a good job of prepping him. He even hand walked him himself. Our client was happy to have him. Nick and I bought Violence as a yearling and we thought he was the best representative we saw of the sire. The Violence yearlings are also selling quite well for a $15,000 stud fee.”
At the close of Tuesday's session, Keeneland had sold a total of 1,642 horses for a cumulative gross of $248,721,400 compared to 2015 when 1,796 horses brought $259,763,200. Average increased 4.73% from $144,634 to $151,475, while median was down 5.26% from $95,000 to $90,000.
The sale continues Wednesday with Session 9 starting at 10:00 a.m.
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