By Alan Carasso
A well-proportioned colt by the expatriated stallion Majestic Warrior fetched a final bid of $225,000 from Tommy and Bonnie Hamilton's Silverton Hill LLC to top Wednesday's ninth day of trade at the Keeneland September Sale in Lexington, Kentucky. Consigned to the sale by Hidden Brook, agent, as hip 2887, the chestnut was one of eight yearlings to fetch $150,000 or more–versus six in 2015–during yet another statistically strong session.
Nearly three of every four horses offered Wednesday changed hands for gross receipts of just over $11.1 million. The average of $40,584 improved by a healthy 6.4% over the corresponding 2015 session, while the median price of $25,000 represented a 20% increase. Book four concluded with an average price of $47,645, a 9.6% improvement from last fall, while the book four median price of $32,000 was up 6.6%. From a cumulative perspective, the average price of $135,617 was ahead by 4.1% from 2015, while the $80,000 median remained static. The overall buyback rate sits at 27.6%, a number which compares favorably with the nine-session figure of 26.5% in 2015.
The first of two book five sessions begins Thursday morning at 10 a.m. For the full catalogue and results, visit www.keeneland.com.
Fledgling Relationship Proves Fruitful…
Bloodstock agent Bob Feld, who only in the last three days began selecting horses for the Hamiltons, signed the ticket on hip 2887, the second foal from Hearts On Fire (Lion Heart), runner-up in the 2011 GIII Iowa Oaks. The Apr. 10 foal was bred by Dianne Connell, who acquired the colt's dam in partnership with Nolan Creek Farm for $77,000 at the 2009 September sale. Hearts On Fire's first produce, Fire Commissioner (Lemon Drop Kid), was purchased by Marc Wampler for $100,000 at this venue 12 months ago.
“I was referred to the Hamiltons and we talked and Mrs. Hamilton said that she'd be interested if I found any horses I liked,” Feld commented. “I texted her four horses and I had Mr. Hamilton on the phone during the bidding process.”
Of his newest acquisition, Feld enthused, “I just loved the colt. He had a huge walk and so much presence. Some people may question the sire, but when the physical outruns the pedigree, that can be a serious horse.
He continued, “He has a huge shoulder and he lowered his head and walked like you'd want to see. This is a total physical play. If you believe in physicals over pedigree, which I do, that's where you get value and we went after it. He's the type of horse I don't mind overspending on, he was that good a physical.”
When asked for his view of the September market through book four, Feld agrees with the notion of polarization and buyers landing on the same horses.
“It's feast or famine and it's getting more so,” he offered. “You either have the goods and people will overspend or they won't. People sometimes have to pay double what they want to.”
Silverton Hill is no stranger to success up the hill at the local racetrack and further afield. The Hamiltons have campaigned, among others, Dominican (El Corredor), who upset next-out GI Kentucky Derby hero Street Sense (Street Cry {Ire}) in a frenetic renewal of the GI Toyota Blue Grass S. in 2007. Their pink silks with black fleur-de-lis were also carried by their homebred Havelock (Great Notion) to a trio of graded stakes wins sprinting over the Keeneland turf, while they tasted European success with champion, G1 National S. hero and Keeneland September graduate Pathfork (Distorted Humor), now a sire at Highlands Stud in South Africa.
Godolphin-Breds Remain Popular…
A decision by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum to pull back on his worldwide Thoroughbred portfolio has translated into a infusion of Darley pedigrees deep into the sale, and the youngsters have been well received at Keeneland. Just two days prior, during Monday's book three finale, a son of Bernardini (hip 1928) out of a half-sister to monstrous GI Met Mile and GI Whitney S. hero Frosted (Tapit) sold to agent Ben Glass for a session seven top price of $600,000.
The results weren't quite as spectacular Wednesday afternoon, but a Blandford Stud-consigned daughter of Elusive Quality proved the best of her sex on a bid of $160,000 from the Louisiana-based Whispering Oaks Farm of owner Carrol Castille. Cataloged as hip 2930, the bay filly is a maternal granddaughter of dual Grade III winner Parade Queen (A.P. Indy), whose daughter Untouched Talent (Storm Cat) is the dam of GISW and multiple Classic placed Bodemeister (Empire Maker), himself a promising young sire. Whispering Oaks stands six stallions–including D'wildcat and Closing Argument–at its Carencro, LA, farm, just south of Evangeline Downs.
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