Momentum Continues at KEESEP Book 5 Opener

It was another strong day of trade at Wednesday's Book 5 opener at the Keeneland September Sale with 266 yearlings– three bringing $150,000 or above–grossing $8,839,600, good for an average of $33,232 and a median of $25,000. The RNA rate was 22.7%. While year-to-year comparisons are difficult due to this year's format change, the session's average was up 46.7% while the median rose 92.3% when lined up with 2016's corresponding 10th session of day one of Book 5.

Cumulatively, 2,006 yearlings have grossed $297,708,600 this year, for an average of $148,409 and a median of $85,000. The cumulative RNA rate is 27.8%.

Lane's End was the session's leading consignor, selling 34 horses for $1,171,200. Michael Neatherlin bought three yearlings for $285,000 to be the day's leading buyer.

“This is the first year in many that, to me, the sale's grounds have felt electric, really each day,” said Hill 'n' Dale President John Sikura, who sold the day's topper, a $175,000 filly from the first crop of Atredies. “Unfortunately, reality is that it's only a minority of the horses that meet all the physical and veterinary scrutiny of the buyers. But when you do, I believe that the horses were rewarded by selling for well in excess of appraised value and reserves and the trade was extremely competitive.”

Select Sales was responsible for day's top-priced colt, a $170,000 son of freshman sire Mucho Macho Man.

“It's very solid,” Carrie Brogden of Select Sales said of the market. “I'm very pleasantly surprised with how much strength there's been in the middle market. I think them hiking the commission, it ultimately did do what they wanted, which was get rid of the lesser [horses]. Looking around today, I thought most of the horses were professionally prepped, well-grown and well-raised. I think a lot of the lesser horses and some of the regional market horses have maybe stayed in their markets. It was a true trading horse sale. But things weren't nuts or crazy, they were solid and strong, which is what you really like to see in a healthy market. I love Book 3, 4 and 5 and all the back ring action that there was today. It was tremendous.”

Ben Glass, longtime advisor to Gary and Mary West, remained active Wednesday with a pair of purchases, including the day's second highest top-priced colt, a $165,000 son of Mineshaft.

“You know what, this might be one of the toughest Keeneland sales I've ever been to,” said Glass, who has signed for a total of 22 yearlings for gross receipts of $4.72 million. “I mean, it's tough, boy. They gave so much money for some of these horses. We went way over what we were going to go and we still got blown out of the water. It's been a tough sale. There's a lot of money here.”

KEESEP SHOPPING SPREE CONTINUES FOR GLASS

With dominant GI Travers S. hero West Coast (Flatter), a $425,000 KEESEP yearling graduate himself, a few days out from putting his four-race winning streak on the line in Saturday's GI Pennsylvania Derby, bloodstock agent Ben Glass remained active on behalf of longtime clients Gary and Mary West at Wednesday's Book 5 opener in Lexington.

Through the first nine days of trade, the Wests have acquired no fewer than 22 head–all colts–for a gross of $4.72 million, good for an average of $214,545 and a median of $147,500. Hip 533, a Candy Ride (Arg) colt, has been the priciest of the group at $525,000. Other purchases include: Hip 1356, a $425,000 Distorted Humor colt; Hip 459, a $425,000 Curlin colt; and Hip 327, a $400,000 Uncle Mo colt.

Glass signed for two more colts–Hip 2903, a $165,000 Mineshaft; and Hip 2929, a $65,000 Flatter, Wednesday. Does Gary and Mary West's racing manager normally stick around this deep into the marathon yearling sale?

“Never,” he responded with a laugh. “We're usually done after Book 4. I found a couple of nice ones today and I've got a couple of nice ones for tomorrow, too.”

Currently satisfied on the fillies end of the spectrum with a total of 44 yearlings already on the farm in Ocala, Florida, Glass said that he has only looked at colts this year at KEESEP.

“We have a lot of homebred fillies by nice sires out of nice mares already and we just didn't need any more fillies,” he explained. “I told Mr. West that we should just go for colts, and obviously he wants to win the colt races anyway.”

Recent standouts to carry the operation's pink-and-black silks include GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile hero New Year's Day (Street Cry {Ire}) ($425,000 KEESEP yearling) and GI FrontRunner S. winner Power Broker (Pulpit) ($360,000 KEESEP yearling).

You don't always have to spend a lot, to get a lot, says Glass, pointing out the exploits of recent $65,000 KEESEP yearling graduates like Mass Media (Touch Gold), winner of the GI Forego S., and GI Princess Rooney H. runner-up Keep the Peace (Touch Gold).

“You don't have to give all the money,” Glass said. “Other than Fusaichi Pegasus, can you think of another real expensive horse that won the Derby? They come from all different shapes, sizes, families and different places. We just try to find the athletes with Classic bloodlines that can, theoretically, run 1 1/4 miles.”

Glass concluded, “Mr. West is the greatest and understands the game so well. One time walking out of here, Jeff Kirk said, 'Wow, we got 21 nice horses.' Mr. West looked at Jeff and said, 'If we get one that turns out to be a graded stakes horse, we've beat the odds.'”

LEADING THE WAY WEDNESDAY

A filly from the first crop of Atreides brought $175,000 from Martin Anthony to top Wednesday's session. The daughter of the unraced mare Spooky Minister (Deputy Minister) was consigned as Hip 3077 by breeder Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent. She is a half-sister to graded stakes-placed runners Holy Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Moe Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}). Hill 'n' Dale purchased Spooky Minister, a daughter of 1993 GI Ashland S. heroine Lunar Spook (Silver Ghost), for $52,000 at the 2012 KEENOV Sale. Atreides, also represented by a $150,000 filly (Hip 2719) at KEESEP earlier this week, stood the 2015 season at Hill 'n' Dale for $6,500 and commanded a $5,000 fee this year.

“We're really happy for Atreides and the way his yearlings have been received,” Hill 'n' Dale's John Sikura said. “He bred a moderately sized first book and we do think he's an exciting prospect. To see good yearlings bought by astute horsemen, and to see how well they were received in the ring, it was really rewarding. Obviously, the key is that they have to perform on the racetrack, but very good indications so far. I'm hopeful that the buyers bought really good horses. They're certainly good physicals and different types, and some of them looked two turns with leg like [Thursday's session topper]. She was outstanding.”

A son of freshman sire Mucho Macho Man led the way for the colts Wednesday, registering a $170,000 winning bid from Michael Neatherlin. Hip 3213, consigned by Select Sales, Agent XXIII, brought $12,000 from Kim Seek as a short yearling at this year's KEEJAN Sale. Out of the winning Cherokee Run mare Dusty Rose, the May 2 foal was bred in Indiana by Robert L. Losey. Losey purchased Dusty Rose for $10,000 carrying this Mucho Macho Man colt at the 2015 KEENOV sale.

Mucho Macho Man stood the 2015 season at Adena Springs for $15,000 and commanded a fee of $10,000 this year. He's had three other yearlings bring $100,000 or more at KEESEP thus far.

“My client was concerned when he was catalogued in Book 5, but I reassured her, and because he's such an outstanding physical, said, 'Go where you can be the best,'” Carrie Brogden of Select Sales said. “He had 10 scopes. He was vetted tons of times and his reserve was $39,000. She was sobbing afterwards with pure joy and happiness. He was the real deal. When he came in the back ring he just owned it and people swarmed him. We were thrilled and really beside ourselves. I thought he'd bring $100,000 all day long. I was stunned that he brought $170,000. There was so much interest in him and Ciaran Dunne was the direct underbidder on him and was not too happy that he didn't get him, that's for sure.”