Astute active as demand continues through Session 2

Cover image courtesy of Keeneland Sales

After yet another day of strong trade at Keeneland, it was all in the vendor’s favour, with all metrics indicating hot competition for the quality bloodstock on offer.

“Today was pretty spectacular from start to finish,” said Keeneland's Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach.

“It was a very strong day all the way through. We sense some frustration on the part of buyers with the momentum from September carrying through to November.”

The clearance rate indicates such strength, up to over 80 per cent – an exceptional benchmark for any sale. Last year after three sessions the clearance rate was 71.47 per cent.

The average of US$161,112 (AU$220,000) is up 24.5 per cent from the 2020 Book 2, while the median rose 39.2 per cent to US$135,000 (AU$184,000).

Gainesway was Friday's leading consignor with 26 sold for US$5.31 million (AU$7.24 million).

“It's impossible to buy and it's really fun to sell,” admitted Gainesway's Brian Graves.

Consignor Neal Clarke of Bedouin Bloodstock expects the high demand to continue throughout the final week of the November Sale.

“I think it is just going to get stronger,” Clarke said. “There is a lot of enthusiasm and a big appetite for horses right now. I wish we had 50 more horses to sell.”

Six lots topped the US$500,000 (AU$682,000) mark, matching the 2020 figure.

Friday's action featured a diverse buying bench, with the day's top 10 lots selling to nine different entities.

“It is great to see the depth of the competition for the mares,” said Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy.

“I think that is very encouraging as we step forward. With the foal crops getting lighter, you see energised breeders. These are professional, established breeders, who are really investing and getting determined for the future.”

Astute purchases for Le Metayer

Sydney-based bloodstock agent Louis Le Metayer struck twice in the third day of selling, picking up two mares for US$545,000 (AU$744,000). He told TDN AusNZ that he was specifically on the hunt for good physicals with speed in their form and pedigrees, and believes he picked up two mares that nailed that brief.

The first was the Unusual Heat (USA) mare Stealthediamonds (USA), who was a Group-placed stakes winner. Her second dam Easy Action (USA) (Crafty Prospector {USA}) was also Group-placed and is the dam of stakes winner My Due Process (Henny Hughes {USA}).

Stealthediamonds was purchased for US$260,000 (AU$355,000).

“Stealthediamonds is by Unusual Heat who is a very good sire, striking at eight per cent stakes winners to runners, produced a handful of Group 1 winners and is a very established broodmare sire," Le Metayer said.

"She was tough, six winners, and nine placings in 20 starts, so she was very fast. A huge hip on her and from a speed on speed family. She is a magnificent type as you can see from her photo.”

The second purchase knocked down to Astute Bloodstock was the No Nay Never (USA) 3-year-old filly Amanzi Yimpilo (Ire) for US$285,000 (AU$389,000). Also a stakes winner, the filly was sold as a racing or breeding prospect.

“A stunning mare, great substance and strength with a lot of class and she’s built like a sprinter," Le Metayer said.

"She was a US$300,000 (AU$409,000) yearling and we’ve now paid US$280,000 (AU$382,000) as a Listed winner, and a Listed winner on firm tracks which is good for Australia."

"She’s by a world-class stallion, and she’s lightly raced, only four starts so she’s likely to come down to Australia and go back into work to see if we can get some black type for her down here too. She was trained by Wesley Ward who has encouraged us to put her back into training."

From the Galileo (Ire) mare Honourably (Ire), she decends from the D-branch of the Aga Khan Studs' broodmare band, with the top sire Darshaan (GB) a half-brother to this filly's third dam.

Gun Runner in demand

Chris Baccari from Breeze Easy made a final bid of US$725,000 (AU$989,000) to secure the broodmare J. Quirk (USA) (Unbridled's Song {USA}) Friday, then came right back to acquire the mare's weanling filly by Gun Runner (USA), the day's highest-priced foal, for US$375,000 (AU$511,000).

“We are just trying to collect some really good mares,” Baccari explained of the first purchase. “And she's a proven producer and by Unbridled's Song.”

Breeze Easy's Mike Hall added, “We liked the mare a lot. She has thrown a lot of good physical horses who have all sold well and done well.”

The 10-year-old J. Quirk, who sold in foal to Game Winner (USA), is from the family of Tiznow (USA). Her 3-year-old daughter Lady Mystify (USA) (Bernardini {USA}) sold for US$325,000 (AU$443,000) at last year's OBS April Sale and won this year's G3 Remington Park Oaks.

Hall was on the phone and giving Baccari instructions as bidding on the weanling progressed.

“We are going to race the filly,” Hall said of the day's highest-price foal. “We were here for the mare and at the last minute decided to get the weanling. I was a little shocked on the price. I stopped several times.”

Mare and foal were consigned by Denali Stud on behalf of Scott and Evan Dilworth. The Dilworths purchased J. Quirk for US$260,000 (AU$355,000) at the 2016 Keeneland November Sale.

Scott Dilworth, buying Hall and Baccari a congratulatory drink after the mare and foal sold, said the strong market had led him to offer the duo Friday at Keeneland.

“When it's raining, you sell umbrellas,” Dilworth said. “The market was so strong and I thought the mare and baby would complement each other if I sold them together. That's why I put the package together. Unbridled's Song is one of the top broodmare sires right now and there is a lot of blue skies for these guys with the Bernardini filly who is running right now. So I thought it was a great time to sell.”

Asked about the strength of the market, Dilworth shook his head and said, “It's unbelievable. I've been chasing weanlings all week. They are just running away. It's crazy. But it's a beautiful thing.”

Orglandes to Japan

Orglandes (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) will be heading to Japan after selling to bloodstock agent Nobutaka Araki, bidding on behalf of Shimokobe Farm, for US$440,000 (AU$600,000) late in Friday's session of the Keeneland November Sale. But the mare will likely remain in America to be bred next spring and she may return to the barn of trainer Chad Brown to race again.

“Originally, we were going to buy her as a broodmare prospect and then send her to Japan next year,” Araki said. “But thanks to Elite consignment, they gave me a list of possible races for her. So I was getting Chad Brown's number from Liz and I will call Chad and say we might send her back. If she hits, we'll get some money back.”

Racing for the partnership of Michael Dubb, Madaket Stables, Wonder Stables and Michael Caruso, Orglandes won last year's G3 Red Carpet H. and she entered the Keeneland Sale off a win in last weekend's Zagora S. at Belmont Park.

“She is a lovely mare, with size and a beautiful head. So we are very happy to get her,” Araki said. “Hopefully, her foals will come back for the Breeders' Cup.”

Woodford continues buying spree

John and Susan Sykes' Woodford Thoroughbreds has been quite active all week and they struck late in Friday's session for a pair of US$400,000 (AU$545,000) mares in foal to Horse of the Year Authentic (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}).

“We bought quite a few mares in the last few days, just trying to get the numbers up and have a go at having some good yearling sales,” said bloodstock agent Lincoln Collins, who signed the tickets while seated between John and Susan Sykes.

When asked if the shared covering sire was a factor in their purchases, Collins said, “Absolutely. We love Authentic. We think he is going to be a good stallion and we hope we are going to get good-looking ones out of the mares we bought in foal to him. We bought a mare out of Mrs. Abercrombie's (Pin Oak) dispersal in foal to Authentic, so now, I believe, we have four mares in foal to Authentic.”

The Woodford team's first purchase Friday was Mucho Amor (USA) (Mucho Macho Man {USA}) from the Paramount Sales draft, the next acquisition came just seven hips later in the Elite-consigned New York Groove (USA) (Verrazano {USA}). The bay was a perfect four-for-four as a juvenile, including wins in the Presque Isle Debutante S. and Woodbine's Glorious Song S.

Gallery: Some of the mares purchased by Woodford Thoroughbreds

“In the case of both mares, they are both stakes winners,” Collins said. “The Verrazano mare is a very useful 2-year-old, which I think is quite important. The other mare was a stakes winner and they were very, very good-looking. Looks are everything in the yearling game now. There is nothing that says that good-looking mares will get good-looking foals, but it is all about trying to increase your probability of getting a good-looking one.”

Woodford has purchased 10 mares so far at Keeneland November for a total of US$2.92 million (AU$3.98 million).