Current stakes winner CHAMPAGNE EYES (Flatter) was purchased by Justin
Richardson for the top price of $95,000 at Monday’s seventh session of the
Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in Lexington, Kentucky. Consigned by
Bluewater Sales, agent, as a racing or broodmare prospect, the four-year-old
filly was cataloged as Hip No. 2352.
Champagne Eyes captured the Santa Lucia H. at Santa Anita in April, and two
starts ago, she just missed by a neck when second in the Las Madrinas H. at
Fairplex. In her most recent outing, she trailed in the October 11 Spinster S.
(G1) at Keeneland. The bay, who was also runner-up in the 2007 Sharp Cat S. at
Hollywood, has compiled a record of 12-3-2-0, $170,103.
Out of the multiple stakes-placed Corking (Sensitive Prince), Champagne Eyes
is a half-sister to Grade 2-placed stakes producer Betty Van (Broad Brush). This
is the family of Canadian Broodmare of the Year Primarily (Lord at War [Arg]),
the dam of Canadian champion two-year-old fillies Poetically (Silver Deputy) and
Primaly (Alydeed), as well as Grade 1 queen Citronnade (Lemon Drop Kid) and
Grade 3 winner Whiskey Wisdom (Wild Again).
The day’s best-selling weanling was Hip 2459, a Tapit filly who went to
Albert Davis for $82,000. The Iowa-bred was offered by Eaton Sales, agent. The
March 23 chestnut is the third foal from the unraced Jazzy Love (Jambalaya
Jazz), and she comes from the female line of Grade 1 heroine Mademoiselle Forli
(*Forli).
On Monday, 260 horses were sold for $6,039,700, down 18.6 percent from the
corresponding session last year, when $7,417,500 was realized by 240 head. The
average plunged 24.8 percent, from $30,906 to $23,230, and the median fell 20
percent, from $25,000 to $20,000.
Cumulatively so far, 1,545 horses have brought a total of $145,456,800,
recording a $94,147 average and a $45,000 median. The gross has declined 10.4
percent from the $162,319,700 brought by 1,397 horses in 2008. The average has
dropped nearly 19 percent from the $116,192 posted a year ago, while the median
is off by 25 percent from last year’s $60,000.
The 13-day auction continues Tuesday and runs through Sunday, with each
session opening at 10 a.m. (EST). For more information, as well as live video of
the sale, log onto keeneland.com.