Bill Oppenheim: Opening Day

At last year's Keeneland September Sale, 473 yearlings (62.1% of the 762 catalogued) sold for a total of $142,153,000 and averaged $300,535 in the four-day Book 1. That means, if Book 1 had been a three-day sale last year, each day an average of 158 yearlings would have sold for $47,483,000 to average $300,000. In Monday's opening session of this year's three-day Book 1, 150 yearlings (62.2% of the 241 catalogued, almost the exact same percentage as last year) sold for a total of $44,642,000, and averaged $297,613. So if you compare this year's opening session with one-third of Book 1 last year, the number catalogued and number sold were each down by 5%; the gross was down by 6%; and the average was down by 1%. There are no 'official' figures which will show that comparison, but that's how we assess Monday's results.

Leading sire with more than one sold yesterday was Claiborne's War Front, who averaged $736,429 with seven sold of 11 offered, including the two fillies to bring $1-million or more. Five of his seven sold are headed for Europe, which wouldn't qualify as a huge surprise. Second on average was Darley's Medaglia d'Oro, with seven sold from nine offered, for an average of $440,714. WinStar's More Than Ready had four average $415,000, while Gainesway's Tapit had eight average $401,785, of 12 offered. He still had 34 more catalogued (before outs) Tuesday and Wednesday, so a lot could happen with that average.

Banstead Manor's superstar Frankel had one colt catalogued Monday, which brought $500,000 on a bid from Irish bloodstock agent Hugo Merry. Of the American first-year sires, Lane's End's Union Rags had two sell for an average of $275,000 from five sent through the ring, while WinStar's Bodemeister had six sell, from nine offered, for an average of $237,500. Darby Dan's Shackleford had two sell, from two offered, for an average of $175,000.