Elusive Quality colt sells for $425,000

Keeneland September picked back up on Saturday with an Elusive Quality colt leading the way (Keeneland Photo) The top seller came near the end of Saturday’s sixth session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, when Hip No. 1542, an Elusive Quality colt, went to Stonestreet Stables for $425,000. The Ontario-bred was consigned by Anderson Farms, agent for Rod Ferguson. “We knew we had a nice colt, and he’s just done everything right from the beginning,” David Anderson said. “This has just been a great horse sale. We had a lot of lookers. We just couldn’t be more thrilled for the Fergusons. They’ve been in the game a long time, and this is a real beauty.” The bay with the March 23 birthday is a half-brother to Southdale (Street Cry [Ire]), winner of last year’s Durham Cup S. (Can-G3) and Eclipse S. (Can-G3). An earner of $395,503 from a 14-4-1-3 record, Southdale has also placed in the Nijinsky S. (Can-G2), Dominion Day S. (Can-G3) and Plate Trial S. The yearling’s dam, the unraced Pinafores Pride (Saint Ballado), is herself a daughter of Canadian classic winner Pinafore Park (Ascot Knight), who defeated males in the 1998 Breeders’ S. and also placed in such events as the Sheepshead Bay H. (G2), Bewitch S. (G3), Wonder Where S. and Canadian Oaks S.

The colt’s third dam is the multiple stakes-placed Fleet Courage (Fleet
Nasrullah), Canada’s Broodmare of the Year in 1998. She is also responsible for
multiple Grade 3 victor Iron Courage (Caro [Ire]) and multiple stakes winner
Dance for Lucy (Dance Bid). Further back in the maternal line one finds Hall of
Famer and successful sire Swaps (*Khaled).

For most of the day, the leader was a $400,000 filly from the first crop of
champion War Pass, who was purchased by trainer Bob Baffert on behalf of Mike
Pegram. Sporting Hip 1290, the dark bay was offered by Lane’s End, agent.

The January 30 foal is out of the unraced Belong to Me mare Avenging Tomisue,
making her a half-sister to stakes winner Striking Tomisue (Smart Strike). The
Kentucky-bred’s second dam is stakes victress Tomisue’s Indy (A.P. Indy), and
her third dam is Chimes of Freedom (Private Account), Europe’s champion
three-year-old filly miler of 1990.

Chimes of Freedom has produced millionaires and sires Aldebaran (Mr.
Prospector) and Good Journey (Nureyev). Aldebaran was honored as champion
sprinter in the wake of major victories in the 2003 Metropolitan H. (G1), San
Carlos H. (G1) and Forego H. (G1), while Good Journey’s landmark win came in the
2002 Atto Mile (Can-G1). Chimes of Freedom, herself a half-sister to multiple
Grade 1-winning millionaire Denon (Pleasant Colony), comes from the immediate
family of Irish classic-winning millionaire and sire Spinning World (Nureyev), a
French and Irish highweight and the hero of the 1997 Breeders’ Cup Mile (G1).

Because of a format change in this year’s sale, Saturday’s sixth session was
the beginning of Book 3. Keeneland sold 280 horses on Saturday for $20,613,500,
a 24 percent increase from the Book 3 opener a year ago when 284 yearlings
brought $16,636,500. The session average of $73,620 was up 25.6 percent from
$58,579 in 2010, while the median increased 2 percent, from $50,000 to $51,000.

Cumulatively, 1,033 horses have been sold for $165,830,000, an increase of
4.5 percent from $158,624,000 in 2010. The average rose 24 percent from $129,489
to $160,532. The median of $110,000 is up 37.5 percent from last year’s $80,000.

Trading continued to be brisk, reflected by the 10 percent decrease in the
cumulative buyback rate of 26.1 percent.

The 13-day sale picks up again on Sunday and runs through September 24.
Sessions begin daily at 10 a.m. (EDT).

For the complete catalog, results and live video of the auction, log onto
keeneland.com.