Cover image courtesy of Keeneland
At A Glance
Carillo (USA) (Union Rags {USA}) sold for US$875,000 (AU$1.2 million) to bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client and is likely to join Tom Amoss’ stable.
West Point Thoroughbreds and DJ Stable teamed up to purchase Graded stakes winner Turned Aside (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}) for US$725,000 (AU$933,000) and is expected to join Mark Casse’s team.
Over the course of four days, Keeneland sold 963 horses for a total of US$45,522,100 (AU$58.6 million).
The average was US$47,271 (AU$60,855) and the median was US$15,000 (AU$19,300). Forty-four horses sold for US$200,000 (AU$257,500) or over.
Internet bidding continued to grow in popularity with a total of 1258 bids received and 109 horses sold online for US$3,106,900 (AU$4 million).
Fireworks end Sale
The dispersal of the Estate of the late Paul Pompa Jnr, along with the Sam-Son broodmare dispersal which dominated much of Tuesday’s action, provided the Sale with one last round of fireworks late in the day on Thursday with a bevy of high-priced racehorse prospects.
Leading the way was Carillo (USA) (Union Rags {USA}) (Hip 1566) who sold for US$875,000 (AU$1.2 million) to bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client and is likely to join Tom Amoss’ stable.
West Point Thoroughbreds and DJ Stable teamed up to purchase Graded stakes winner Turned Aside (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}) (Hip 1563) for US$725,000 (AU$933,000). That 4-year-old colt is expected to join the barn of trainer Mark Casse.
“The January Sale of 2021 went off very, very well,” said Keeneland’s Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell. “We appreciate the trust given to us by the people who had dispersals. Mr. Pompa’s racehorses sold very well, which we expected. They were well-received in the marketplace. Overall, I thought the Sale went very well.”
“We appreciate the trust given to us by the people who had dispersals." - Geoffrey Russell
Over the course of four days, Keeneland sold 963 horses for a total of US$45,522,100 (AU$58.6 million). The average was US$47,271 (AU$60,855) and the median was US$15,000 (AU$19,300). Forty-four horses sold for US$200,000 (AU$257,500) or over.
During the five-day 2020 January Sale, 1050 horses sold for US$40,453,300 (AU$52 million). The average was US$38,527 (AU$49,600) and the median was US$13,000 (AU$16,700). Forty-two horses sold for US$200,000 (AU$257,500), led by the US$640,000 (AU$824,000) broodmare prospect Enaya Alrabb (USA) (Uncle Mo {USA}).
“The continued stability of the market is a testament to the hard work of all our sales participants, who have adjusted their operations and their expectations to meet the challenges of this unprecedented time,” Keeneland President, Chief Executive Officer and Interim Head of Sales, Shannon Arvin, said.
Shannon Arvin | Image courtesy of Keeneland
Held as it was in the midst of a pandemic and the ensuing travel restrictions and economic uncertainties, consignors seemed content just to be holding an auction.
“Whether we like it or not, we are still in the middle of a pandemic,” said Hunter Valley Farm’s Adrian Regan. “And to be having a horse sale, one, is fantastic and then to have a market is even better. We wouldn’t be complaining about the state of the market considering what is going on in the world.”
Hunter Valley sold the top-priced yearling of the auction and enjoyed strong Book 1 results, but Regan acknowledged demand fell off in Book 2.
Internet bidding growing
The January Sale was the third auction at which Keeneland offered buyers the chance to bid online. The innovation, originally necessitated by the pandemic, continues to gain in popularity. A total of 1258 bids were received over the internet during the four days, with 109 horses sold online for gross receipts of US$3,106,900 (AU$4 million).
“It did prove popular once again,” Arvin said of the internet bidding. “That technology is important in 2021 and beyond.”
Russell added he was looking forward to welcoming crowds back to the normally bustling Keeneland sales pavilion.
“While we appreciate the ability to offer internet bidding for people who can’t be here, we are looking forward to the day when we can welcome everybody back to Keeneland,” he said. “We prefer them to be here. We enjoy their company and the hustle and the bustle it provides.”
Dispersals draw crowd
Tuesday’s second session of the auction was dominated by the dispersals of Sam-Son Farm and the estate of the late Paul Pompa, Jnr. The two dispersals shared the co-top price of the auction, with Sam-Son Farm’s Danceforthecause (USA) (Giant’s Causeway {USA}) (Hip 587) selling for US$925,000 (AU$1.2 million) to Gainesway Farm and Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm paying that same amount for Regal Glory (USA) (Animal Kingdom {USA}) (Hip 587) from the Pompa dispersal.
Eleven horses sold for US$500,000 (AU$644,000) or over at the January Sale and all were from the two dispersals. A total of 21 Sam-Son broodmares sold for US$6,733,000 (AU$8.67 million) and an average of US$320,619 (AU$412,550).
The Pompa dispersal, handled by Lane’s End Farm, was responsible for the top six offerings during Thursday’s final session of the Sale. Overall, 38 horses from the late owner’s dispersal grossed US$6,790,200 (AU$8.74 million) for an average of US$178,689 (AU$230,000).
“The Sam-Son and Pompa dispersals are the legacies of two wonderful operations, and they infused a lot of positive energy into the January Sale,” Arvin said. “Dispersals are always bittersweet, but we are honoured that their families and connections entrusted Keeneland to present these dispersals and showcase their excellence.”
Lane’s End Farm was the auction’s leading consignor by gross, with 78 head sold for US$8,741,200 (AU$11.25 million).
Carillo stars in two roles
It was just a week ago that Carillo (USA) won at Aqueduct for trainer Chad Brown and followed that effort with a star turn in the sales ring at Keeneland on Thursday, selling for a session-topping US$875,000 (AU$1.2 million) to the bid of bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle.
Carlisle declined to name the client for whom she was buying, but said the Paul Pompa homebred will now head south to the New Orleans winter base of trainer Tom Amoss.
Pompa purchased Carillo’s unraced dam Proper Mad (USA) (Bernardini {USA}), with the future Rising Star in utero, for US$185,000 (AU$238,000) at the 2017 Keeneland November Sale. The yearling’s third dam is Private Status (USA) (Alydar {USA}), dam of G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Secret Status (USA).
“For just running last week and then coming on a van from New York for 12 hours, I thought he looked pretty good,” Carlisle said of her impressions of the colt at the sales barn. “He is a good-sized colt and fit. I would expect nothing less coming from Chad. He does a great job.
“When you are shopping for a 3-year-old colt before the Derby who broke his maiden like that, they are not going to be cheap. We knew that. You always want to buy them for less when you are at a live auction, but I wasn’t entirely surprised by the price.”
Turned Aside popular
Talented turf sprinter Turned Aside (USA) (American Pharoah {USA}) proved quite popular, selling for US$725,000 (AU$933,500) after a spirited round of bidding. David Ingordo signed the ticket on Hip 1563 on behalf of a partnership between West Point Thoroughbreds and D J Stable.
“What a lovely horse,” West Point’s Terry Finley said. “We are partners with D J Stable. This is the second horse that we’ve bought together. We bought a newly turned 3-year-old right before the turn of the year. They are wonderful people.
“He will go to Mark Casse. When I said to Mark that he was a beautiful horse, he said, ‘I know. I know. He beat me several times in the last year.’ We are very excited.”
Hip 1563 - Turned Aside (USA) | Image courtesy of Keeneland
Consigned by Lane’s End as part of the complete dispersal of the Estate of the late Paul Pompa, Jnr., Turned Aside captured two of his five starts during his 2019 juvenile campaign and kicked off 2020 with a second in the Sir Cat S. at Belmont in June.
A decisive winner of the G3 Quick Call S. next out in July, the Linda Rice trainee did not seem to take to the unconventional course at Kentucky Downs, finishing fifth in the G3 Franklin-Simpson S. in September. The Pompa homebred rebounded with another good-looking score in the Aqueduct Turf Sprint Championship S.
The Pompa dispersal consisted of 39 horses, a mix of racehorses, broodmares and yearlings, who sold with no reserves. One horse did not receive any bids, but the other 38 sold for a gross of US$6,790,200 (AU$8.74 million) for an average of US$178,689 (AU$230,000).
“Mr. Pompa’s program has been meticulously managed and it shows,” Lane’s End Sales Director Allaire Ryan said. “It is nice to see the top agents and buyers giving these horses the respect they deserve. Mr. Pompa would be pleased.”
