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Conquest Enforcer leads eighth session at $785,000 Conquest Enforcer, a 3-year-old stakes-winning son of Into Mischief, sold to Zach Madden, agent for Ron Paolucci’s Loooch Racing, for $785,000 to be the highest-priced offering from the Complete Dispersal of Ernie Semersky and Dory Newell’s Conquest Stables on Tuesday and lead the eighth session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Horses from the dispersal accounted for the three highest prices and 13 of the 20 highest prices of the day, contributing to significant increases in gross sales and average price. Keeneland recorded total sales of $10,833,700 for 287 horses, up 49.59 percent from the comparable session last year when 253 horses brought $7,242,300. The average of $37,748 was 31.87 percent above last year’s $28,626, while the median of $20,000 was 9.09 percent below $22,000 in 2015. Through eight sessions of the 13-day sale, Keeneland has sold 1,695 horses for $204,011,000, nearly even with the $205,177,000 grossed for 1,715 horses through the same period in 2015. The average of $120,360 is slightly above last year’s $119,637, and the median of $52,000 equals last year. “The session was very, very good,” Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell said. “From start to finish, the Conquest Stables dispersal went very well. Full credit goes to Lane’s End (agent for the dispersal) and (Sales Director) Allaire Ryan, who did a spectacular job coordinating the dispersal. The prices were great across the board. Obviously the top-priced horses are exciting, but middle- and lower-tier horses sold well, too, and that’s very gratifying. “The horses of racing age session has gone along very nicely through the years thanks to WinStar (Farm) being a consistent supporter,” Russell said. “And I think at this point in the sale it’s refreshing for the mare and foal buyers to be able to relax a bit while the horses of racing age come in. It was very rewarding to see the good cross section of buyers. There was spirited bidding all along.” The Conquest Stables dispersal cataloged 111 broodmares and broodmare prospects, racing prospects, stallion prospects and weanlings to the November Sale. On Tuesday, 50 horses from the dispersal sold for $4.25 million, pushing cumulative sales so far for the dispersal to $11,113,000 for 96 horses. “Overall it went better than we anticipated,” said Bill Farish of Lane’s End, the day’s leading consignor who sold 61 horses for $4,631,500. “Our team did a super job with the logistics of it. Thanks to (former Conquest Stables trainer) Mark (Casse) and his team, it ended up grossing a couple million more than we thought. You always tend to be a little low when you’re guessing on (sales figures from) a dispersal. Ernie (Semersky) was happy with the results yesterday, and I think he’ll be happy with today, too.” “I thought they sold well,” Casse said. “I’m sad. I knew tonight would be sad, but this is a tough business. I was really proud, watching them all and seeing how many good-looking horses that we had bought. Ernie went in and out (of the racing industry) fast and furious. That’s him.” Session-topper Conquest Enforcer, a stakes winner out of the Victory Gallop mare Keen Victory, was third in this year’s Nearctic (G2) and Play the King (G2) at Woodbine. “He’s an unbelievably talented horse,” said Madden, whose lone purchase made him the session’s leading buyer. “I had the chance to spend some time with him (when he won the Charley Barley Stakes on July 3) on Queen’s Plate Day. He really gutted out that win. It is a rare opportunity to buy something like him. I bought him for Ron Paolucci of Loooch Racing Stables. He has a couple of friends in on the horse, too. He’s really excited.” The session’s second high seller was Conquest Farenheit, a 2-year-old son of Scat Daddy sold to David Meah, agent for Gary Hartunian’s Rockingham Ranch, for $735,000. Out of the Holy Bull mare Holy Smokie, Conquest Farenheit opened his career Aug. 26 at Woodbine with a five-length victory and was second in the Summer (G2) there on Sept. 18. “He is going to go to California; I think Peter Miller is going to be the trainer,” Meah said. “This is the first time I bought a horse for those guys, but we are kind of excited about it. (He) is just a gorgeous horse. I think he can win a Grade 1 and go on to be a stallion.” David Ingordo signed the ticket for Conquest Smartee, a 2-year-old Smart Strike colt who is a full brother to Grade 1 winner Square Eddie, on behalf of Martin Anthony of California for $390,000. Anthony also purchased Grade 2 winner Conquest Daddyo, by Scat Daddy, for $120,000. Conquest Smartee finished second in his career debut at Woodbine on Oct. 10. “He’s a lovely colt; we’ve watched him run,” Ingordo said. “He ran well first time out and we put a star next to his name. He’s got a very good pedigree, and he is by Smart Strike. This is one we have been following. We’ll try him on the dirt. Very fair price. If he had broken his maiden (on Oct. 10 at Woodbine) that could add a couple hundred thousand to his price with his pedigree and looks.” Ingordo said John Sadler would train the colt. Conquest Superstar, a 3-year-old son of Uncle Mo, sold to Jan and Jerry Hawthorne’s Double J H Stables for $185,000. He is out of the Aldebaran mare Being Anna. “He is beautiful and he has good breeding. He looks like a winner to me,” Jan Hawthorne said. “We are going to race him in California, at Santa Anita. We have about five (racehorses) in training right now and some broodmares here. Gary Mandella is our trainer and so I leave (choosing prospects) pretty much up to him. He has a good eye.” Other notable horses from the Conquest Stables dispersal were Conquest Tsunami, a 4-year-old stakes-winning son of Stormy Atlantic who brought $140,000 from TM Investments; Conquest Lunar, a 2-year-old son of Malibu Moon sold to Brendan Heeney, agent for Matthew Schera, for $120,000; and Conquest Typhoon, the 2014 Canadian champion 2-year-old colt sold for $115,000. Casse signed the tickets for Conquest Lemonraid, a 2-year-old Lemon Drop Kid colt, for $135,000 and Conquest Typhoon, a 4-year-old son of Stormy Atlantic, $115,000. Out of Swanky Bubbles, by Ascot Knight, Conquest Typhoon has won three races and earned $554,614. He was fourth in the 2014 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G1) at Santa Anita. “Banana sales will be up,” Casse said, referring to Conquest Typhoon’s favorite treat. “He has been a good racehorse for us and he is going to run. He will go to Florida (Gulfstream Park or Palm Meadows training center), and we will go from there.” During the session, WinStar Racing, agent, sold Diversify, an undefeated 3-year-old gelding by Bellamy Road, to Lauren Evans and her father, Ralph M. Evans, for $210,000. The son of the Street Cry (IRE) mare Rule One will return to trainer Rick Violette at Belmont Park and race for the Evanses. “We got lucky we are taking him home,” Violette said. “I’m thrilled to death. (The purchase price) was close (to the price we thought). If they pressed us a little more, I’m not sure we would have him. He is pretty fast, and he has done everything very fast and easily in the morning. He’s a pretty handy horse.” Steven W. Young, agent, paid $160,000 for the 3-year-old Arch filly If You Say So cataloged as a racing or broodmare prospect. Consigned by Elm Tree Farm, agent, she is out of the stakes-winning Thunder Gulch mare Whisper to Me and is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Overheard. Ted Bowman’s Triton Thoroughbreds paid $135,000 for the 3-year-old Trappe Shot gelding Admiralty. Mill Ridge Sales, agent, consigned Admiralty, a half-brother to Grade 1 winner and sire Tapizar. “I ran against him at Ellis Park (when he won on Sept. 5) and he was making up ground that day when no one else was,” trainer Ron Moquett, who signed the ticket, said. “When I saw him in the (catalog), I was really excited about the opportunity to buy him.” Moquett, who trained Bowman’s 2006 Stephen Foster (G1) winner, Seek Gold, said Admiralty will go with him to Oaklawn Park. Tuesday’s top-priced weanling was the colt by Revolutionary sold to Whitechurch Bloodstock for $105,000. Warrendale Sales, agent, consigned the son of the High Yield mare Diamondsareforesta from the family of Grade 2 winners Foresta and Victory U. S. A. The November Sale continues through Sunday, Nov. 20. Sessions start at 10 a.m. ET. The entire sale is streamed live at keeneland.com.
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