Cover image courtesy of Keeneland
Written by Jessica Martini, TDN America
At A Glance
Through the two Book 3 sessions, Keeneland sold 462 head for US$26,185,000 (AU$35.8 million). The average was US$56,677 (AU$77,600), down just slightly from last year’s figure of US$57,032 (AU$78,000).
The median of US$42,000 (AU$57,500) dipped 6.7 per cent from US$45,000 (AU$61,600) a year ago. Fifteen horses sold for US$200,000 (AU$273,700) or more during Book 3.
During last year’s Book 3 section, 499 head sold for US$28,459,200 (AU$38.9 million). The book’s top price was US$325,000 (AU$444,900) and there were nine offerings who sold for US$200,000 (US$273,700) or more.
While only 292 of the 401 catalogued head went through the ring Friday, 235 sold for a buy-back rate of just 19.52 per cent.
Bill Betz struck late to secure Divine Queen (USA) (Divine Park {USA}) (Hip 1764) for a session-topping US$270,000 (AU$369,600) from the consignment of Tom Evans’s Trackside Farm
Pleasing weanling trade
The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale’s two-session Book 3 section concluded with another day of steady trade Friday in Lexington.
Through the two Book 3 sessions, Keeneland sold 462 head for US$26,185,000 (AU$35.8 million). The average was US$56,677, (AU$77,600) down just slightly from last year’s figure of US$57,032 (AU$78,000) and the median of US$42,000 (AU$57,500) dipped 6.7 per cent from US$45,000 (AU$61,600) a year ago. Fifteen horses sold for $200,000 or more during Book 3.
During last year’s Book 3 section, 499 head sold for US$28,459,200 (AU$38.9 million). The book’s top price was US$325,000 (AU$444,900) and there were nine offerings who sold for US$200,000 (AU$273,700) or more.
“It was a lot better than I anticipated,” Summerfield’s Francis Vanlangendonck said of the November market. “For the babies, it’s been really, really good. The weanlings sold much better today than earlier in the week. Yesterday we averaged about 80 showings per weanling for horses we were selling today.
"Yesterday we averaged about 80 showings per weanling for horses we were selling today." - Francis Vanlangendonck
“The buyers were pretty aggressive. It seems like for these lower-valued weanlings there is a world of people wanting to buy. With people worried about what the markets were going to be like, there were a lot of scratches.
“Those well-conformed weanlings that vetted good sold really well. Even some that had issues are starting to sell. I looked at the outs, so by the time we got to the sales ring, I knew where we were. I knew there would be a market, but thought it would be a little timid… when the supply started lowering, I felt we might do okay. Even with the mares I thought they did well.
Divine score for Bradley
Bill Betz struck late to secure Divine Queen (USA) (Divine Park {USA}) (Hip 1764) for a session-topping US$270,000 (AU$369,600), signing for the mare in the name of Avout Bloodstock. Tom Evans’s Trackside Farm consigned the 5-year-old racing or broodmare prospect on behalf of co-owner/breeder and trainer Buff Bradley.
“We bred her, foaled her, raised her and raced her and we just sold her,” said Bradley. “Pretty much like we did [two-time sprint champion] Groupie Doll. We were very excited to race this filly and then sell her as a mare and knew she was going to go somewhere good.”
Racing for Bradley and co-breeder Carl Hurst, Divine Queen won the 2019 Open Mind S. and 2018 Dogwood S. and won six of 23 starts.
“She had a lot of class,” Bradley said. “She showed it in the ring, walking up here, she’s just all class. And a very sound race mare. Never once did she have a problem. I think we are very proud of that. We bred a nice, sound racehorse.”
From the same family, Bradley and Hurst bred stakes winner and graded placed Queen’s Award (USA) (Medaglia D’Oro {USA}), a half-sister to Divine Queen, and also bred and campaigned multiple graded winner The Player (USA) (Street Hero {USA}), who is out of a half-sister to both mares.
Coteau Grove strikes
Bloodstock agent Andrew Cary remained busy buying mares for the account of Keith and Ginger Myers’s Coteau Grove, going to US$240,000 (AU$328,500) to acquire the broodmare prospect Gottahaveaholiday (USA) (Harlan’s Holiday {USA}).
The 6-year-old got a big update when her juvenile half-sister Dayoutoftheoffice (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) won the GI Frizette S. and finished second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies last week.
“The update is just huge,” Cary said after signing the ticket on the mare, who was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency. “That filly ran such an amazing race in the Breeders’ Cup and winning the Frizette. It gives us a nice filly to root for next year.”
Gottahaveaholiday was purchased by Samantha Siegel’s Jay Em Ess Stable for US$230,000 (AU$314,750) at the 2015 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She finished second six times in 10 starts.
“The mare was gorgeous,” Cary continued. “She was an expensive yearling herself. We will breed her to a really nice stallion and have options moving forward.”
Pinhooking partnership
Headley Bell purchased a colt by Nyquist (USA) for US$225,000 (AU$308,000) and the weanling (Hip 1586) is part of a pinhooking partnership he has been busy buying for at the Keeneland November sale.
“I liked that he was an athlete and I liked the family,” Bell said. “And obviously we like Nyquist. It’s hard to ignore the start he has made. We put together a partnership and we are just trying to put some athletes in the bucket and see if we can get lucky.”
Watch: Hip 1586 parade
The chestnut is out of the unraced Senorita Corredora (USA) (El Corredor {USA}) and he is a half-brother to multiple stakes-placed Holiday’s Angel (USA) (Harlan’s Holiday {USA}). Bred by Gary and Anne Smith’s Elm Racing and Mulholland Springs, the weanling was consigned by Mulholland Springs.
Weanling-to-yearling pinhookers have come up against plenty of competition from end-users at this week’s Keeneland November sale, particularly from Larry Best’s OXO Equine, which has purchased eight foals.
“For Larry Best to come into the weanling market as strong as he is, he is obviously very competitive and makes it tough,” Bell said. “But listen, we are all trying to do the same thing.”
Practical Joke popular
A pair of weanlings by young Coolmore sire Practical Joke (USA) set the pace for foal prices early in Friday’s session of the Keeneland November sale. Brian Graves of Gainesway went to US$185,000 (AU$253,200) to acquire a colt by the Grade I winner (Hip 1512) from the Eaton Sales consignment. Bred by Forging Oaks, the pinhooking prospect is a half-brother to multiple graded winner Secret Gypsy (USA) (Sea Of Secrets {USA}).
Practical Joke | Standing at Coolmore America
“I bought Practical Joke as a yearling, so if anybody was going to be inspired to stretch for them a little bit, it’s me,” Graves said. “They’ve all been well-balanced, good movers and athletic. You’ve got to believe in Into Mischief and Practical Joke has a good chance. Hopefully, he will come out with some early runners and we’ll be in good shape.”
Graves agreed the weanling market has been very competitive this week in Lexington.
“I am not shocked,” he said of the strong weanling market. “Everybody saw there were fewer on offer and maybe the nice ones that have come through have been fewer and farther between. The laws of supply and demand take over.”
