A.P. Indy-Balance colt commands $4.2 million

"He was obviously a spectacular individual and a great mover," Todd

Pletcher described the colt after watching the action from the back of the pavilion. "He has a

great presence about him, and obviously from a family that's as live as a family

can be right now."

Buoyed by the $4.2 million colt, the numbers were encouraging for the opener,

which was moved to Sunday and transformed into an evening session this year. The

first session also featured a slimmed-down set of 105 yearlings, compared to the

207 cataloged for the Monday daytime opener in 2009.

Nevertheless, the $23,965,000 raked in by 69 yearlings on Sunday was off by

just 3.9 percent from the $24,949,000 realized by 107 horses one year ago. The

average shot up nearly 49 percent from $233,168 at the 2009 kickoff, which

witnessed no million-dollar seller, to $347,319. The median also increased a

healthy 25 percent, from $200,000 to $250,000.

"We're encouraged with how things went tonight," Keeneland Director of Sales

Geoffrey Russell said. "The fact that we sold a horse for $4.2 million -- the

highest price paid for a yearling since 2006 -- was great. Congratulations to

Mr. Leon, who purchased him, John and Jerry Amerman, who bred him, and the Mill

Ridge team who consigned him. He's a gorgeous colt out of a great family.

"Our goal when we changed the format was that we would see a difference and I

think we did tonight," Russell continued. "The pavilion was filled with people

who were bidding and clearly enjoying the night. There was electricity in the

air. It was nice. Our hope is that this momentum continues into the next

sessions.

"A lot of credit goes to our consignors," he added. "They've been supportive

of the format changes and really brought some good stock to market."

The session topper is the first foal from Balance, who amassed a bankroll

worth $1,048,491 from her 16-6-2-5 mark. The winner of the 2006 Santa Anita Oaks

(G1) and Las Virgenes S. (G1), she added the Santa Margarita Invitational H.

(G1) and La Canada S. (G2) to her resume the following year. Balance, who also

captured the Sharp Cat S. as a juvenile, compiled seven stakes placings over her

three seasons of racing. Most notably, she finished second in the Hollywood

Starlet S. (G1) and Vanity Invitational H. (G1) and third in the Ashland S. (G1)

and La Brea S. (G1).

Balance's accomplishments have since been eclipsed by her younger

half-sister, Zenyatta, who sports a perfect 18-for-18 record and a gaudy

$6,254,580 in earnings. The two-time Eclipse Award winner as champion older mare

has claimed two Breeders' Cup trophies, landing the 2008 Ladies' Classic (G1)

prior to defeating males in the 2009 Classic (G1). Zenyatta's other 14 stakes

scores comprise three-peats in both the Vanity and Clement L. Hirsch S. (G1)

(the first as a Grade 2); two apiece in the Apple Blossom (G1), Lady's Secret S.

(G1) and Milady H. (G2); and single titles in the El Encino S. (G2) and this

year's Santa Margarita. The all-conquering six-year-old is gearing up for a

three-peat in the October 2 Lady's Secret at Oak Tree at Hollywood.

Zenyatta and Balance were produced by the winning Vertigineux (Kris S.),

honored as the 2008 Broodmare of the Year in light of her dynamic daughters. The

yearling colt's fifth dam is the influential matron Mrs. Peterkin (Tom Fool),

whose descendants include champion, Irish Derby (Ire-G1) hero and noted sire

Shareef Dancer (Northern Dancer) and Grade 1-winning sire Mizzen Mast (Cozzene).

The February 13 bay colt is also a three-quarter brother to multiple Grade 3

winner Alumni Hall (A.P. Indy) and a half-brother to stakes victress Private

Gift (Unbridled). His dam, Private Status, is herself a half-sister to Chilean

champion Maria Candela (Chi) (*Balconaje) and multiple Group/Grade 1 victress

Miss Brio (Chi) (Semenenko), both classic winners in their homeland.

Shadwell Estate Co. secured a Distorted Humor ridgling, also from the Lane's End

consignment, for $700,000. Touring the ring as Hip 79, the March 25-foaled

chestnut is the second registered foal from the stakes-placed Oneofacat (Deputy

Minister), who is herself a half-sister to European champion juvenile colt Hold

That Tiger (Storm Cat) as well as Belmont S. (G1) winner and millionaire

Editor's Note (Forty Niner).

In an evening dominated by colts, the top filly, and fifth best seller

overall, was a $685,000 daughter of Unbridled's Song who went to Flag Lake #2.

Yet another Lane's End offering, the gray sported Hip 94. The January 26 filly

is the first foal from Soul Search (A.P. Indy), who placed in the 2006 editions

of the Spinster S. (G1) and Personal Ensign S. (G1). Soul Search is a

half-sister to Grade 2-placed Irish stakes queen Reform Act (Lemon Drop Kid).

The yearling's second dam, the winning Solar Colony (Pleasant Colony), is a full

sister to champion juvenile filly Pleasant Stage and Grade 2 victress Colonial

Play, who is the dam of current multiple Canadian Grade 1 hero Marsh Side (Gone

West). Solar Colony is also a full sister to the winning Meteor Colony, the dam

of Canadian Grade 1-winning sire Changeintheweather (Gone West).

The auction continues Monday night at 7 p.m. (EDT) and runs through September

26, with the lone dark day being Saturday. All other sessions start at 10 a.m.

daily.

For complete results, as well as live video of the sale, log onto

keeneland.com.