By Christina Bossinakis
LEXINGTON, KY–With the Breeders' Cup squarely in the rearview mirror, the breeding stock sales take center stage this week, highlighted by the start of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale Tuesday.
This year's November Sale, which has cataloged 3,384 horses, spans a total of nine sessions through Nov. 13. The stand-alone Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale will take place Nov. 14.
In 2023, a total of 2,128 horses had sold through the ring for $176,571,000. The average was $82,975, while the median closed out at $32,000.
“It's a pretty broad-based and solid catalog that has been very well received,” said Keeneland's VP of Sales Tony Lacy. “We've had great feedback from the buyers so far that have been on the grounds.”
This year's catalog offers several highlights:
– Hip 220 Shotgun Hottie (Gun Runner–Re Entry, by Malibu Moon) – Grade III winner and earner over $ 1 million. Consigned by Taylro Made Sales Agency, Agent XX
– Hip 229 Anisette (GB) (Awtaad-Tutti Frutti {GB}, by Teofilo {Ire}) – 4X Grade I winner. Consigned by Bluewater Sales Agent X
– Hip 148 Charlee O (Tourist–Sataves, by Uncle Mo) – half-sister to three-time Grade I winner Thorpedo Anna (Fast Anna), in foal to Bolt d'Oro. Consigned by Grovendale Sales, Agent VIII
– Hip 2859 Weanling by Union Rags–So Stylish, by Johannesburg – half-brother to Gaming (Game Winner), runner-up in last weekend's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile. Consigned by Lane's End, agent
– Hip 979 – Weanling by Army Mule–Factor One, by the Factor – half-brother to GI Filly & Mare Sprint winner Soul of an Angel (Atreides). Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent
Additionally, this year's supplements to the sale include GSW Diva Delite (Repent), the dam of champion and $13.9-million earner Midnight Bisou and Expo Gold (Johannesburg), the dam of champion and $2-million earner Swiss Skydiver.
Both Diva Delite and Expo Gold are in foal to Uncle Mo, and both are consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent.
Offered as Hip 243, Diva Delite, also the dam of Grade III winner Verifying and stakes scorer Stage Left. She is out of stakes-placed winner Tour Hostess (Tour d'Or).
The dam of stakes-placed Miss Hot Legs, Expo Gold (Hip 251) is a winning daughter of Grade III-placed mare Clouds of Gold (Strike the Gold).
Also among the mares supplemented to the sale, Page Three (Dialed In) is a 5-year-old a half-sister to Grade I winner and millionaire Timberlake. In foal to Into Mischief, Hip 253 is consigned by Four Star Sales, agent. Out of stakes-placed winner Pin Up (Ire) (Lookin At Lucky), her family includes Irish highweights All My Loving (Ire), Yesterday (Ire) and Quarter Moon.
Stallions who will be represented by their first weanlings in 2024 include Flightline, Life Is Good, Olympiad, while sires whose first foals will arrive in 2025 are led by Cody's Wish, Elite Power, Forte, Mullion, Taiba and Up to the Mark.
“It's a very good group of horses and I think that is teeing up to be a very vibrant part of the market as well,” added Lacy.
Adding an extra dimension to this year's sale, Keeneland hosts several notable dispersals, including stock from Stuart Janney, the late Anthony Manganaro's Siena Farm, Ed Selzter and John Henrickson.
With over 30 head catalogued, the Siena Farm consignment will be overseen by Taylor Made Sales. Among those in offer are Hip 215 MGSW Isabella Sings (Eskendereya), in foal to Flightline and Hip 904, GISW Brabble (Bernardini), in foal to Practical Joke. The latter is responsible for GISW Telling (by A.P. Indy).
Janney has 15 catalogued for dispersal, including Hip 323. By War Front, GSW On Leave is a half-sister to MGSW Ironicus (Distorted Humor), Norumbega (Tiznow), Hunting (Coronado's Quest) and Quiet Harbor (Silver Deputy). Claiborne Farm handles the duties here.
Also through Taylor Made Sales, Seltzer's Solera Farm presents over 40 head, including stallion prospect Rogueish (Into Mischief), offered as Hip 3397.
Gainesway offers 18 head for the late Hendrickson, who passed away suddenly in Saratoga this summer. Among those set to sell, Hip 40, GSW Pretty Birdie (Bird Song), from the family of 3-year-old champion filly Bird Town and Classic winner Birdstone.
“It's a bittersweet moment when you see some of the very well established programs dispersing their stock for various reasons, like the sad passing of Mr. Manganaro and John Hendrickson,” said Lacy. “And Ed Selzter is dispersing after many years and of course Stuart Janney. It's significant.”
He continued, “That is something that obviously brings an added level of attention, so additional buyers. People like buying out of those dispersals because they are going through without reserve and it is genuine reason for selling. And the stock represents many generations of curation and they're well documented.”
“They're not culls and there is a genuine reason to sell and that typically brings a certain level of attention. We're honored to represent them. It's bittersweet, but we look forward to seeing the fruits of their labor come through the ring the next couple of weeks.”
In the 2023 renewal of Keeneland's November sale, Puca (Big Brown), carrying a full-sibling to GI Kentucky Derby winner Mage (Good Magic) and to GI Belmont Stakes hero Dornoch (Good Magic), was initially led out of the ring unsold only to be secured by John Stewart afterward for what would have been a sale-topping $2.9 million.
Overall, there were 91 post-sale transactions at the 2023 November sale, resulting in an additional $12,265,000 in gross. In 2022, an additional 84 post sales grossed $6,402,500.
“They can [skew] the final figures,” explained Lacy when asked about the impact of the post sales on the bottom line. “That's why to include the post sale numbers. It's hard to create consistency with some outliers like that. Last year was a little bit of an odd year in that some of the highest priced horses were sold after the fact. We have to be consistent in our reporting and we can't just be picking and choosing how we choose to report them. We resurge the post sale transactions at a later time or soon afterward. With the data and figures, we try to remain as consistent as possible for reporting purposes for the media and the general public.”
Tuesday's Book 1 session kicks off at 1:00 p.m. The remaining eight session begin at 10:00 a.m. daily.
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