KEESEP Numbers Up After Book 2

by Jessica Martini and Brian DiDonato

Trade at the marathon Keeneland September sale remained strong at the conclusion of Book 2 Saturday, with session-to-session, book and cumulative statistics all up from 2014. Top price of the day was the $485,000 paid by Steve Castagnola's Kempton Bloodstock on behalf of the Albaugh Family Stable for a son of Mineshaft consigned to the sale by Betz Thoroughbreds, Inc. as hip 1356.

A total of 267 horses sold Saturday for combined receipts of $32,095,000. Yearlings brought an average of $120,206, up 5.7% from last year's final Book 2 session, which took place one day later in the sale due to Book 1 being held over four days as opposed to three this year. The session median rose 11.11% to $100,000. The RNA rate rose this year from 27.45% to 31.51%.

For Book 2 overall, 525 head brought $70,557,000 for an average of $134,394 and median price of $105,000. The Book 2 average represented a 14.12% increase in last year's tally of $117,766, while the median rose by 16.67% to $105,000. The Book 2 buy-back rate in 2015 was 27%.

“Book 2 was very good–exactly where we thought it should be,” said Keeneland's Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell. “It picked up from the momentum created by Book 1, and continued on very well all the way through the last horses of the session. Money carried all the way.”

A total of 968 horses have sold thus far at Keeneland September for $204,918,000. The cumulative average is $211,692, up 4.4% from the first six sessions in 2014, while the cumulative median is unchanged at $150,000. The RNA rate has increased so far in 2015 from 27.15% to 29.29%.

With the altered format leading to later book horses arriving on the sales grounds earlier, Russell expects demand to continue to be strong as the two-day Book 3 begins Sunday.

“With the new set-up, a lot of people have had an opportunity to look at the Book 3 horses, which they probably hadn't had in the past,” Russell explained. “People that we normally see leave before Book 3 starts were here [Saturday], so we hope they have the opportunity to look at these horses. There are still a lot of people who say they haven't bought yet and have found it difficult to buy, so we hope the momentum carries on from two to three.”

Book 3 selling begins Sunday at 10 a.m.

Team Albaugh Shows Confidence in 'Outlaw'

The Albaugh Family Stable team showed just how highly they think of their GIII Iroquois S. third Unbridled Outlaw (Unbridled's Song) Saturday, as Kempton Bloodstock's Steve Castagnola went all the way to $485,000 to acquire that runner's Mineshaft half-brother (hip 1356) on behalf of the operation. The bay was consigned by co-breeder Betz Thoroughbreds.

“That was a little more, obviously, than we had hoped to spend, but we came up against some steep competition–Steve Young, I believe, was the underbidder,” offered a pumped-up Castagnola. “We own his half-brother Unbridled Outlaw, who was extremely unlucky in the Iroquois. He's with Dale Romans. We think the world of him and we're hoping to be able to run here in the Breeders' Cup if he gets in. He's a very special horse. This horse reminded us a lot of his older brother–a tremendous walk, a huge shoulder, great balance, a terrific mind. He was hard to pass up for us.”

A debut third sprinting at Churchill June 27, Unbridled Outlaw–a $330,000 purchase here a year ago–broke his maiden over a next-out winner at Ellis July 25. Given a 3-1 chance under the Twin Spires in last Saturday's Iroquois, the dark bay was shuffled from midpack back to nearly last before re-rallying valiantly to round out the trifecta (video).

“I wish Steve Young hadn't had been quite as strong on him, but when Steve Young is your underbidder, you feel like maybe you're in the right spot,” Castagnola continued. “With us owning the half-brother and having big aspirations for him, he was a horse that we really wanted. Sometimes you have to stretch for horses that you really want. I thought we were done about three bids before that. Barry Berkelhammer, Lisa McGreevy and myself all select horses for the Albaughs–we've got a great team. They wanted him, and thankfully we were able to get him.”

Albaugh Family Stables is the nom de course of Iowa-based Dennis Albaugh and Jason Loutsch. Albaugh sold his pesticide company, Albaugh Inc., for $1.3 billion in 2010. The stable has campaigned the likes of GSW Miss Macy Sue (Trippi), and bred recent GI Woodward S. winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Liam's Map (Unbridled's Song) out of her. Liam's Map was an $800,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2012.

Hip 1356's dam Letgomyecho (Menifee) annexed the 2005 GII Forward Gal S. She sold for $135,000 at the 2011 Keeneland November sale in foal to Congrats. The resulting filly was a $100,000 September yearling and $300,000 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic juvenile. –BDiDonatoTDN

Something Divine for LNJ Foxwoods…

A filly by Divine Park will be joining the burgeoning LNJ Foxwoods stable after bloodstock agent Alex Solis, II signed the ticket on hip 1342 at $475,000. The yearling, bred by Brereton Jones and consigned by his Airdrie Stud, is out of Kittery Point (Include) and is a half-sister to GI La Brea S. winner Sam's Sister (Brother Derek). The yearling's half-sister Heart of Midway (Stephen Got Even), racing for Jones, currently has a two-race win streak after victories at Delaware and Monmouth Park this summer. The filly is expected to start in the GII Commonwealth Oaks at Laurel next weekend.

“From the first time we saw that filly, she's been a star,” Solis commented. “We've been waiting for one more for LNJ and that was the one. If you look at the family, the mare threw a Grade I winner by Brother Derek, she's that good. It sounds like the other filly, who is going in the stakes, is pretty good. I think it's just a family you want to be in. She's gorgeous.”

The filly's price tag wasn't a surprise for Solis.

“When I walked back there and I saw the players who were back there, I said, 'This is real money,'” he said. “But that filly is worth it.”

Of the competition in Book 2, Solis said, “It's spotty. The really good ones are bringing a lot of money, as always. You just have to vet everything and be there because there are spots where you are finding good value. You have to do your homework and be there.”

The 11-year-old Kittery Point, out of the Jones-bred Lucy Sims (Northjet {Ire}), is a half-sister to the dams of Grade I winners Sweet Talker (Stormin Fever), Include Me Out (Include) and Check the Label (Stormin Fever).

“It's a thrill to be able to breed and raise a top-notch filly,” Jones said. “Yes [Solis] paid a lot of money for her, but if you put her right back through the ring again next week, I bet she would bring more than she brought this week because a lot of people didn't realize how good that filly was. If you look at that page, at all the Grade Is, it goes all the way down from top to bottom with Grade I winners. And that is what people are really looking for. Plus the conformation went with it. So I'm very proud of the filly and I think very good people got her and will give her every opportunity. She's a great filly.” @JessMartiniTDN

Wests Get Their Flatter…

Ben Glass failed to land the Flatter colt he was aiming for late in Friday's session when Bob Baffert scooped up hip 1094 for $550,000, but Gary and Mary West's longtime advisor found another son of the Claiborne resident Saturday in hip 1206. Glass went to $425,000 for the bay, who was consigned to the sale by Hermitage Farm.

“I got outbid on a Flatter last night for $550,000, so I was happy to get this one,” Glass revealed. “I thought he'd bring a lot of money.”

Flatter also had a filly who brought $425,000 from Steve Young during the first Book 2 session.

He has been represented this year by the likes of MGISP GII Holy Bull S. romper Upstart and

GIII Commonwealth S. winner Kobe's Back.

“Flatter just got popular all of a sudden and everybody's been trying to buy them,” Glass said. “This one has a good family, and the one that Baffert outbid me on obviously had a good family. Everybody wants a Flatter–Mr. West wants a Flatter.”

Hip 1206 is a son of 2000 champion juvenile filly Caressing (Honour and Glory), and was bred by Carl Pollard, who also campaigned his dam. Caressing's previous produce includes GSP Gold Hawk (Empire Maker)–a $450,000 KEESEP yearling of 2012–and Juan and Bina (Indian Charlie), a $145,000 buy here two years ago who was third in the GIII Carry Back S. at Gulfstream in July.

“He's an excellent colt,” offered Hermitage General Manager Bill Landes. “He really came along well for us after Keeneland inspected him in the first part of June. There are two ways he could have gone–he could have regressed or flourished, and he came that way. He's a nice colt. The mare's a champion–maybe this will be the next one.”

Carl Pollard became principal owner of Hermitage in 1994. The former Churchill Downs Inc. chairman sold his is interest in the historic Goshen, KY, nursery to Laura Lee Brown and Steve Wilson in 2010, but remains its primary boarding client. –BDiDonatoTDN

Sugar Rush for Bell…

Gatewood Bell doesn't remember ever buying anything by Candy Ride (Arg) before, but within the space of some 10 minutes at Saturday's session of the Keeneland September sale, the bloodstock agent doubly rectified that, first going to $425,000 for a colt by the Lane's End stallion and then acquiring a filly by the sire for $210,000. Both yearlings were consigned by Arthur Hancock's Stone Farm and both were bought to race on behalf of separate unidentified clients.

The colt (hip 1493), bred by Stone Farm, is a half-brother to stakes winner Clear Sailing (Empire Maker), while the colt's winning dam Steady Course (Old Trieste) is closely related to GSW & GISP Jump Start (A.P. Indy).

Asked what he liked about the dark bay colt, Bell said, “Mostly the people who raised him.” Then he added, “He was an athlete. He was one of the best movers that I saw all day. He had everything I want in a horse.”

Hancock, whose Stone Farm sold two-time Group 1 winning juvenile Air Force Blue (War Front) for $490,000 at this sale a year ago, knew he was leading a special colt into the Keeneland sales ring Saturday evening.

“I just knew he was a really nice colt with a great attitude and so good looking,” Hancock, who purchased Steady Course for $20,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November sale, said. “He looked like he could be any kind of horse. We had six scopes and a heart scan or two and some really good people looking at him. We just hoped he would sell well. The way I look at this, the world is here and they're a lot smarter than me. So I was hoping he might bring between $200,000 and $300,000 because he's a really nice colt. Gatewood Bell bought him and that's special to me because the Hancocks and the Bells go way back. It was a good sale and a good horse.”

The Candy Ride filly, hip 1498, is out of Strawberry Sense (A.P. Indy) and is a half-sister to stakes placed Distillery (Dixie Union). Strawberry Sense is a half to juvenile champion Vindication (Seattle Slew) and a full to graded stakes winner Scipion. The yearling was bred by Payson Stud.

“I honestly don't think I've ever bought a Candy Ride before,” Bell said. “I just loved both of these. And I love Arthur.”

Bell admitted the Candy Ride colt was the first horse he had to stretch to buy.

“With the colt, that was the first time that I bid one more time than I had planned on,” Bell said. “The ones I've gotten have been for less [than expected], but that's the way an auction works. At the end of the day at an auction, when you buy a horse, you're the only one in the world who thinks it's worth that much money. You've overvalued them compared to every other person here until time tells differently.” @JessMartiniTDN

Top Sale for Tait…

Olly Tait, who became a well-recognized figure at Keeneland during his tenure as chief operating officer of Darley, enjoyed a highwater mark as a commercial breeder during Saturday's session of the September sale when he sold a colt by Hard Spun for $330,000.

“I was delighted,” Tait said. “It was a great result. He was a lovely horse and very popular. Selling a horse for that amount of money was a big thrill.”

Hip 1147, who was consigned by Brookdale Sales, is out of stakes winner Yes She's a Lady (Yes It's True). The mare, who was purchased for $190,000 at the 2011 Keeneland January sale, has now produced three foals bred by Tait. She was bred back to Bodemeister this spring.

The yearling was purchased by Whitehorse Stable.

“I've got about half a dozen mares and I breed to sell,” Tait explained. “I bought some mares when I first came to America to work for Darley in 2008.”

Tait, who left Darley last fall, is based in England.

“I've been working on a few different projects since I departed Darley and things are good,” he said.

Tait was clearly enjoying his role as breeder Saturday.

“I love it–it's a great game,” he smiled. “To be involved in this way, obviously there are lots of disappointments, but then you get a thrill like this today and it makes up for it.” @JessMartiniTDN