Paramount Sales

by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis, & Jill Williams LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale opened Tuesday in Lexington with a solid Book 1 session punctuated by nine million-dollar mares purchased by a diverse, international buying bench. Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm made the session's highest bid when purchasing graded-stakes winner Roses For Debra (Liam's Map) for $2.4 million from the Candy Meadows Sales consignment. "It was a very solid, vibrant marketplace," said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. "It was a really diverse buying bench. We had...

Keeneland's first flash sale in three years closed Thursday afternoon, resulting in Harlee Honey (Harlan's Holiday) selling for $240,000 to Miss Vicky Stables and Ocean Honey (West Coast) going to Ocean Honey Partners for $48,000. The former is the dam of G2 Richmond Stakes winner Black Forza (Complexity), while the latter is Black Forza's 4-year-old half-sister. The 2-year-old Black Forza is headed to Sunday's $1-million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint after clearing quarantine from the UK Monday. "Keeneland is thrilled to have had the opportunity to showcase these two outstanding individuals...

Keeneland will offer an August Flash Sale featuring the 'Black Forza Collection' which will include Harlee Honey (Harlan's Holiday), the dam of G2 Richmond Stakes winner Black Forza (Complexity) as well as Ocean Honey (West Coast), his 4-year-old half-sister. Online bidding will begin Monday, Aug. 26 at noon ET and will close at 3 p.m. ET on Thursday, Aug. 29. More detail on each of the horses, including pedigree pages, walking videos, conformation photos and repository information is available by clicking here. It is the first Keeneland Flash Sale since...

Last year's renewal of Leopardstown's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden was garnered by subsequent G3 Gallinule Stakes victor Chief Little Rock (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Thursday's latest edition witnessed the 'TDN Rising Star' performance of Adrian Murray trainee and G1 Vincent O'Brien National Stakes entry Hill Road (Quality Road--Exotic Notion, by Lemon Drop Kid). Hill Road, a $350,000 Keeneland September yearling who registered a May 27 Naas barrier-trial 'win' between missed engagements at the Curragh in May and June, broke well and raced in a handy third after the initial...

An additional five horses have been added to the catalogue for next Monday's Fasig-Tipton July Selected Horses of Racing Age Sale at the company's Newtown Paddocks in Lexington. Catalogued as hip 520 is the 2-year-old filly Fortuna Mia, who won her maiden by four lengths at Horseshoe Indianapolis at first asking May 13 to become the first winner for her freshman sire Vekoma (by Candy Ride {Arg}) and most recently finished third in a muddy renewal of the Debutante Stakes at Churchill Downs June 30. Out of a half-sister to...

Paddy Campion has joined Paramount Sales, the operation announced Wednesday. Campion, who grew up on Dundrum Farm near Midway, Kentucky, graduated with a dual degree in Accounting and Spanish from the University of Kentucky in 2020. After University, Campion completed the Irish National Stud course in Co. Kildare, Ireland. Campion said, "Since graduation, I've held a role where I was able to use my Spanish in a business setting and also had the opportunity to get some skin in the game doing a couple of pinhooks and having a small...

The Keeneland November Breeding Stock concluded its nine-day run in Lexington Thursday with numbers off from its 2022 renewal in what Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy called a "pragmatic, solid sale." At the close of business Thursday, 2,128 horses had sold through the ring for $176,571,000. The average of $82,975 was down 16.94% from a year ago, while the median of $32,000 was down 20.00%. "Overall, it's been a very pragmatic, solid sale," said Lacy. "Demand for quality is extremely strong, probably as strong as ever, and that's...

A pair of late entries have been added to Tuesday's Fasig-Tipton November Sale. Stakes-placed Malibu Mischief (Goldencents), in foal to Triple Crown winner Justify, is catalogued as hip 270. The 7-year-old mare is consigned by Paramount Sales. The 3-year-old filly Make the Boys Wink (More Than Ready) won a Churchill Downs allowance race Saturday for Phoenix Thoroughbreds and trainer Brendan Walsh. Consigned as hip 271, she is consigned by Denali Stud. The Fasig-Tipton November Sale will be held Tuesday, beginning at 2 pm.

A filly by Bolt d'Oro brought $127,000 from Choctaw Racing to lead the way during Thursday's Book 5 finale at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. A son of Frosted was the highest-priced colt on the day and the session's second-highest priced yearling, realizing $110,000 from the Korea Racing Authority. Ten yearlings brought $100,000 or more during the session while 13 hit that mark last year. Keeneland sold a total of 289 yearlings through the ring Thursday for $9,276,500, good for an average of $32,099 and a median of $25,000. The...

A colt by Twirling Candy broke clear of the pack when selling for $925,000 to Jim and Dana Bernhard's Pin Oak Stud during an otherwise steadily consistent conclusion to the Book 4 section of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Tuesday in Lexington. Through both sessions of Book 4, Keeneland sold 606 yearlings for $46,078,000. The book average of $76,036 declined 5.0% from last year, while the median dipped 8.3% to $55,000. During last year's Book 4 section, 609 yearlings sold for $48,726,500. The section's average was $80,011 and the median...

Jim and Dana Bernhard's Pin Oak Stud continued its buying spree at the Keeneland September Yearling sale, going to $925,000 to acquire a colt by Twirling Candy (hip 2555) from the Paramount Sales consignment Tuesday. Bred by Alice Bamford and Highfield Investment Group, the yearling is out of stakes-placed Hiking (First Defence). Pin Oak has now purchased 19 yearlings at the auction for a total of $8,835,000.

LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued to produce steady, competitive bidding as the 12-day auction's Book 3 section concluded Sunday in Lexington. A total of 562 yearlings sold during the two Book 3 sessions for a gross of $86,894,000. The Book 3 average was $152,251--down 4.0% from last year's corresponding figure--and the median fell 8.0% to $115,000. During last year's Book 3 section, 573 yearlings grossed $90,919,500 for an average of $158,673 and a median of $125,000. A colt by Constitution brought the section's top price when...