December 23, 2024

Massive increases keep Keeneland sales going strong

Last updated: 1/13/06 7:25 PM


Keeneland set a new sales record of $68,174,100 during Friday’s fifth session
of the January Horses of All Ages sale. The previous high of $66,694,900 was
recorded during the 1988 January sale, which was fueled by the Nelson Bunker
Hunt dispersal that generated $46,912,800 of the gross.

“The strength of the sale is reflected in the fact that we surpassed the
record January gross with a solid, middle-market catalog,” said Geoffrey
Russell, Keeneland’s director of sales. “This is a major international sale,
considered to be a continuation of the November (breeding stock) sale.”

SECRET FOREST (Forestry) brought the high price when Robert Courtney Sr. went
to $600,000 to purchase the five-year-old mare. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales
Agency, agent, as Hip No. 1486, the bay mare is out of the winning Half Secret
(Upper Nile). Secret Forest, who was sold as a broodmare prospect, is a
half-sister to multiple Grade 2 winner Top Secret (Afleet) as well as stakes
queen and Grade 2-placed Tate (Afleet). The high-priced mare also hails from the
same female family as Grade 3 victress Megascape (Cape Canaveral).

Secret Forest sports a record of 12-3-4-2 from two years of racing with
$134,905 in earnings and includes a second in last year’s Garland of Roses H. on
her resume.

Blackjack Stables paid $575,000 for the second-highest priced seller of the
day, a five-year-old Kris S. mare named DIVINE LADY. Consigned by Taylor Made,
agent, as Hip 1651, the dark bay is out of the stakes-placed Divine Dixie
(Dixieland Band), making her a half-sister to Blue Grass S. (G1) hero and
Fountain of Youth S. (G2) runner-up Bandini (Fusaichi Pegasus). Divine Lady’s granddam, Hail
Atlantis (Seattle Slew), produced stakes winner and noted sire Stormy Atlantic
as well as stakes victor Mr. Katowice. She also comes from the same female family as
Knickerbocker H. (G3) winner Atlando (Ire) (Hernando [Fr]), who finished second
in this year’s San Gabriel H. (G2).

Sold as a racing or broodmare prospect, Divine Lady compiled a record of
4-1-1-1 from 2004 to 2005 while amassing $40,520 in earnings.

There were 234 horses who sold during Friday’s session for $5,378,500, a
dramatic increase of 261 percent from last year’s comparative session when 187
horses sold for $1,489,800. The average shot up 188.5 percent, from $7,967 to $22,985,
while the median price rose 88.9 percent, from $4,500 to $8,500.

To date, 1,213 horses have been purchased for an aggregate $68,019,900. This
total is up 30.3 percent from 2005 when 1,196 horses were sold for $52,220,600
by this point of the sale. The average price has jumped 28.4 percent, from $43,663
to $56,076, while the median increased 56.3 percent, from $16,000 to $25,000.

The seven-day sale continues Saturday beginning at 10 a.m. (EST). For complete results,
visit www.keeneland.com.