By Christie DeBernardis
The juvenile colt Federal Case (Gemologist) (hip 3495) lit up the ring at Keeneland November Tuesday, topping the closing session of Book 5 when selling for $650,000 to bloodstock agent Jacob West, who was acting on behalf of Robert and Lawana Low.
A total of 244 horses sold during Tuesday's session for a gross of $6,337,000, an average of $25,971 and a median of $12,000. Forty-nine horses failed to meet their reserves for a buyback rate of 16.72%. Throughout the first nine days of selling at KEENOV, 2,049 Thoroughbreds have changed hands for $184,287,600 with an average of $89,940 and a median of $37,000. A total of 665 horses have left the ring unsold for an RNA rate of 24.5%.
Bred by Kings Way Farm, Federal Case was purchased by the powerhouse trio of WinStar Farm, China Horse Club and SF Racing for $180,000 at last year's Keeneland September Sale. The Rodolphe Brisset trainee graduated on debut going seven furlongs on the Keeneland main track Oct. 19 and breezed five furlongs in 1:00.80 (5/22) Monday morning at the Lexington oval. Consigned by WinStar, the bay's $650,000 price tag makes him the most expensive offspring of Gemologist to sell at public auction and he will be transferred to trainer Todd Pletcher, who conditioned his Grade I-winning sire for WinStar.
“He was a big two-turn looking, dirt horse,” West said. “To me, Mr. and Mrs. Low and the team, he looked like the best prospect for buying something that was ready to go on and hopefully win big races.”
The top-priced racing/broodmare prospect of the sale was the 3-year-old filly Lady Suebee (First Defence) (hip 3305), who was purchased by bloodstock agent David Ingordo for $230,000 from the Elite consignment. Campaigned by Michael Dubb, Monomoy Stables, the Elkstone Group and Bethlehem Stables, the Chad Brown pupil has won three of her nine starts and earned $180,150 thus far. Out of SW Freeroll (Touch Gold), the $85,000 KEESEP buy most recently captured an Oct. 8 allowance sprinting on the dirt at Belmont.
The session's most expensive weanling was a $90,000 colt from the first crop of Speightster. Purchased by Machmer Hall, hip 3158 was bred by Ledgelands and Andrew Ritter and consigned by the former. Out of the SP mare Bear's Lightning (Maria's Mon), the gray hails from the family of Grade I winners Overanalyze (Dixie Union) and Meadow Breeze (Meadowlake).
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