Double-Digit Increases As Book 3 Concludes at Keeneland November

LEXINGTON, KY -The two-session Book 3 section of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock concluded Saturday, producing double-digit increases in average and median compared to its 2023 counterpart. Keeneland sold 499 horses through the ring during Book 3 for a gross of $37,747,000. The section's average was $75,645–up 20.98% from last year's Book 3–and the median was $60,000, an increase of 20% from a year ago.

During the two Book 3 sessions in 2023, 494 horses sold through the ring for a total of $30,888,000. The section average price was $62,526 and the median was $50,000.

Bill Betz made the highest bid of Saturday's session, going to $280,000 to acquire Dreams are Made (Tapit) (hip 1799) in the name of his Avocet Bloodstock. The 8-year-old mare sold in foal to Gunite and was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.

Brian Graves, general manager of Gainesway, which was active buying and selling mares Saturday, said he saw selectivity in the mare market.

“Mares in foal to fashionable stallions still sell pretty well,” Graves said. “But if there are more than one or two foals out of her that you can't make a case for, it's not pretty.”

McKinzie, whose first crop to hit the track this year includes Grade I winners Scottish Lassie and 'TDN Rising Star' Chancer McPatrick, was represented by the session's top three-priced weanlings, with colts selling for $235,000, $210,000, and $195,000.

Graves purchased the session-topping weanling Saturday and admitted the foal market remained ultra-competitive as the Keeneland sale moved into Book 4.

“I think the foal market is savage,” he said. “It's tough to get the ones you like bought, especially up in the top end. It's almost impossible. Every nice foal brings $300,000 or $400,000. Which is good for the market, but it is tough to get the ones you want to get your hands on.”

During Book 3 this year, Keeneland sold 255 weanlings through the ring for a total of $19,551,500 for an average of $76,673 and a median of $60,000. Colts by Jackie's Warrior and Twirling Candy shared the section's top price for a weanlings when selling Friday for $250,000.

In 2023, a total of 190 Book 3 weanlings sold through the ring for a gross of $12,143,500 and an average of $63,913 and median of $50,000. The top price was $240,000 for a colt by Maxfield who was one of six weanlings to sell for $200,000 or more during the section. There were 10 to reach that mark in 2024.

Through five sessions of the November sale, 1,055 horses have sold for $163,353,500. The average of $154,837 is up 5.86% from the same point of last year's sale, while the median of $95,000 is up 18.75%. The cumulative buy-back rate stands at 25.02%. It was 27.39% at the same point a year ago.

The Keeneland November sale continues through Wednesday, with sessions beginning at 10 a.m.

'Biggest, Prettiest Bernardini:' Vucchella Sells for $270k to Cove Springs

Richard and Connie Snyder's Cove Springs celebrated its first million-dollar sale when selling a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner Randomized (Nyquist) at Keeneland in September. The operation had lost Randomized's dam to a paddock accident, but the Snyders will be hoping they found a possible replacement after going to $270,000 to acquire the 3-year-old broodmare prospect Vucchella (Bernardini) (hip 1685) from the Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consignment Saturday.

“She could be the biggest, prettiest Bernardini mare I have ever seen,” Richard Snyder said after signing the ticket on the filly out back.

Bred in Ontario by Anderson Farms, Vucchella was purchased by X-Men Racing for $230,000 at the 2022 Keeneland September sale. On the board in five of 10 starts, she won once and earned $92,047.

Vucchella's unraced dam, Heartofthematter (Medaglia d'Oro), is a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner It's Tricky (Mineshaft), who is the dam of Enticed (Medaglia d'Oro).

Of the filly's final price tag, Snyder said, “It's twice as much as I thought she would be. But it's a horse sale. You can't walk away empty handed.”

Earlier in the November sale, Cove Springs purchased Mystique Saboteur (Gun Runner) (hip 714) for $90,000.

Cove Springs's Richard Snyder with David Lanigan | Keeneland

'Not a Lot of Faults:' McKinzie Weanlings Prove Popular Saturday at Keeneland

After a bang-up year with his first crop on the racetrack this year, weanlings by McKinzie were in demand in the Keeneland sales ring Saturday. The Gainesway stallion had the top three-priced weanlings during the session, with Brian Graves's En Fuego pinhooking partnership purchasing a colt (hip 1602) by the sire for $235,000 from the War Horse Place consignment; Kinsman Farm going to $210,000 for a colt (hip 1861) from the Eaton Sales consignment; and the Big Bear Bloodstock pinhooking partnership going to $195,000 for a colt (hip 1795) from the Gainesway consignment.

Hip 1602 is out of Shirocca (Ire) (So You Think {NZ}), a half-sister to group winner Roman Turbo (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}). He was bred by Areion Thoroughbreds.

“I thought he was a select physical,” said Graves, who also serves as Gainesway's General Manager. “He had everything you look for, a long neck, beautiful shoulder, nice hip and of course the athletic walk and correctness.”

Through five session, 13 weanlings by McKinzie have sold at Keeneland for an average of $152,077 and a median of $180,000.

“We have seen a limited number of McKinzies come through and it looks like the market is really receptive to them,” Graves said. “He had a good group here. It's part of what we like about McKinzie. He puts a good physical on the ground and something with not a lot of faults to it. It's good to see him carrying on and selling well. We just hope that he keeps rolling.”

Capstone Thoroughbreds Hits Home Run with $120k McKinzie Filly in Sales Debut

With a career in government and communications under her belt, Jennifer Durenberger decided to satisfy her curiosity about the Thoroughbred industry and signed up to work an auction for Taylor Made Sales Agency. What followed was “three years of wow,” Durenberger said Saturday, a day after watching the first foal she and longtime friend Tracy Plummer had ever bred sell for six figures at the Keeneland November sale.

“I've always followed the races and I've always ridden, but not competitively or anything,” Durenberger explained. “I worked in politics and media relations for years. But I think I was just at the age where, you know what, why not find out about it? I worked a sale for Taylor Made three years ago, just on a fluke.”

The experience only served to pique her interest and she soon included Plummer, who had been her college roommate at the University of Alabama.

“We started talking about maybe buying a mare three years ago. I told [Tracy], 'You need to come up in and work a sale,'” Durenberger said.

The two business partners made their first acquisition when purchasing Mamma Kimbo (Discreet Cat) from Marie Jones.

“Mrs. Jones was culling her broodmare band, so in August of 2022, we were able to get Mamma Kimbo,” Durenberger recalled. “We tried to get her pregnant that first year, but she didn't catch.”

Durenberger, Plummer and Lady Beth Ashley and her McKinzie filly | Courtesy J Durenberger

Despite the momentary setback, Capstone Thoroughbreds–a nod to their university days–was born and Durenberger and Plummer threw themselves into the new endeavor.

“Tracy and I are both detail oriented,” Durenberger said. “We both worked in government and politics and are both very research- oriented. We did all this research about what mare we were going to buy in foal last November. We would sit up for hours. Our husbands would laugh at us when we went to visit them.”

After the hours of research, the actual purchase of a mare at Keeneland last November was really more a spur-of-the-moment type of thing.

“In the back ring a year ago tomorrow, Jeff [Hayslett] and Mark [Taylor] came up to me at the reserve desk and said, 'You need to take a look at this Bernardini mare back here. With the way the market is today, we think she would be a great buy for you.'”

The mare was Lady Brett Ashley (Bernardini) and the then 4-year-old was carrying her first foal. The two women purchased the mare for $32,000.

“She was in foal to McKinzie,” Durenberger said. “And we had wanted a McKinzie the year before, but didn't take the risk trying to breed Mamma Kimbo to her. Sure enough, sight unseen, we buy this Bernardini mare in foal to McKinzie.”

The investment only looked better when Chancer McPatrick, a colt from McKinzie's first crop and also out of Bernardini mare, won the GI Hopeful Stakes and GI Champagne Stakes.

Lady Brett Ashley's first foal (hip 1478) went through the sales ring at Keeneland Friday and brought a final bid of $120,000 from McMahon & Hill Bloodstock.

“We weren't sure, but there was a last-minute vetting,” Durenberger said of expectations as the first foal she had bred headed to the ring. “I told Tracy, 'My heart is beating out of my chest,' and she said, 'What heart?”

In addition to its sales success Friday, the fledgling Capstone Thoroughbreds is celebrating its initial acquisition, the 15-year-old Mamma Kimbo, who is in foal to Arabian Lion and whose 2-year-old Dream On (Not This Time) was third in the Sept. 14 GI Summer Stakes and was fifth after setting the pace in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Turf.

Lady Brett Ashley is in foal to Vino Rosso.

“We keep our mares at Shawhan Place , so I would be remiss not to thank Courtney Schneider over there and the whole Shawhan team,” Durenberger said. “I think we have surrounded ourselves with a good team.”

Durenberger's place at Taylor Made, meanwhile, has gone from a fluke to a full-time position.

“I kept in touch with Katie [Taylor] and I said here is my background. I am not looking for anything full time, but if you ever have anything where you could use my help–it's more marketing communications, but I don't know, I would love to find out more about this business. So she offered me a part-time job. I assisted her in different projects. And then they offered me a full-time job doing contracts, nominations, entries. I wasn't thinking full time, but it's been a blessing because I've learned so much. It's a wonderful team.”

Looking ahead, Durenberger admitted she and Plummer were keeping their eyes out for another broodmare to add to their band. And now they are working with a cushion, thanks to Lady Brett Ashley's first foal.

“It really is a blessing that that happened,” Durenberger said. “Now we can take it one step at a time next year. That covered our care for everybody and our stud fees for next year.”

Morning magic. #KeeNov pic.twitter.com/RBQ0MEAB6h

— Keeneland Sales (@keenelandsales) November 9, 2024