Cumulative numbers remain steady as Keeneland September
wraps up
The Keeneland
Gross receipts for the 13-day sale, held September 8-21,
Cumulatively, the average price of $99,312 was down 2.8 percent from $102,220
“The success of this sale flows from the fact that we
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Trade in the upper middle market, defined as horses sold
for $400,000 or more, proved exceptionally strong despite 113 fewer horses
cataloged in the premier Book 1. Thirteen yearlings sold for $1 million or more,
including two for the sale-topping price of $2.2 million each, compared to 18
last year. During Book 1 and Book 2, 121 yearlings brought $400,000 or more each
versus 105 sold in that price range in 2013.
Further indication of the sale’s strong performance lies in
the fact that during the first weekend and Week 2 of the sale, the
highest-priced yearling of each session exceeded the top price for the
corresponding session in 2013. In each of those sessions, a yearling sold for
$100,000 or more.
“There was all-out competition for horses from start to
finish, and buyers were more determined to go home with horses,” Keeneland
Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell said. “There was no change in the level of
enthusiasm or participation from buyers through the very last day of the sale.
They swept up everything, and consignors told us the level of interest exceeded
their expectations.”
Alex Rankin of Upson Downs Farm, which sold 19 yearlings
for $1,486,000, including a Scat Daddy filly for $350,000, agreed.
“The market is strong in the middle,” he said. “Our sale has been solid, and
we’ve sold in pretty much every book.”
The depth and diversity of Keeneland’s buying bench were
evident throughout the sale, which featured participation by the world’s major
foreign and domestic buyers. In addition to the United States, Europe and Dubai, buyers
from Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Japan, Korea, Russia, and Central and South America
were active at the sale.
The auction’s top 10 leading buyers were fairly equally
divided between U.S. and international interests, and included such established
buyers as John Ferguson, Gary and Mary West, Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier, Shadwell
Estate Company Ltd., Jack Wolfe’s Starlight Stable, Juddmonte Farms and Mandy
Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm.
“Keeneland promotes the Thoroughbred industry 52 weeks a
year to buyers in nearly every state and all four corners of the world,” Russell
explained. “It’s a global strategy we’ve employed for many years to build and
sustain relationships with horsemen. It’s very gratifying to see those efforts
translate into huge crowds.”
Ferguson, bloodstock adviser to Sheikh Mohammed bin
Rashid Al Maktoum of Dubai, was the sale’s leading buyer, acquiring 22 yearlings
for $7.88 million. The second-leading buyer was Ben Glass, agent for leading
U.S. owners Gary and Mary West, who purchased 29 horses for $7,805,000.
Leading North American and international trainers also were
prominent, buying yearlings to fill client orders. Among the most active was
Mark Casse, who bought eight horses over the course of the sale for $3,545,000.
“We tell friends who don’t understand the horse business
that this is our draft,” he said. “It’s a very intense 10 days or two weeks, but
what you do in these 10 days or two weeks will have a bearing on how well you do
for the next two to three to four years.”
Casse noted that the September Sale is an important source
of runners. He helped select yearlings for Ernie Semersky and Dory Newell’s
Conquest Stables, which purchased 12 yearlings for $3.78 million. This year,
Conquest and Casse are represented by two 2013 September Sale graduates pointing
toward the 2014 Breeders’ Cup World Championships — Natalma (Can-G2) victress Conquest Harlanate
(Harlan’s Holiday) and Summer (Can-G2) hero Conquest Typhoon (Stormy Atlantic).
This year, colts by two of the world’s most successful
stallions each brought the sale-topping price of $2.2 million. Both were sold
during the fourth and final session of Book 1.
First up was Hip No. 680, a son of War Front
For the third consecutive year, Tapit, who stands at
Moyglare Stud Farm paid $1.5 million for the sale’s
Consignors of several top-priced yearlings are operations
“There are a lot of us around,” Walker Hancock said. “It’s exciting. It’s
Family ties also extended to the sale’s leading consignor,
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Proceeds from the sales fund purse money for Keeneland’s
elite race meets. The upcoming fall meet will attract top owners, trainers and
jockeys and offer average daily purses of nearly $600,000, among the richest in
the world.
“World-class sales create a world-class racing program at
Keeneland,” Russell said. “We thank our consignors, who did a superb job of
bringing their best horses to Keeneland. We look forward to many of these horses
returning to race at Keeneland.”
Keeneland enhanced customer service for its sales clients
during the September Sale, expanding its hospitality team, placing food and
coffee trucks in the stable area, and providing chauffeured golf carts to assist
guests with moving around the sales grounds.
Keeneland also introduced two unique offerings to promote
the September Sale to the local community and to showcase Central Kentucky to
clients from around the world.
Keeneland and Country Boy Brewing collaborated on
Keeneland Sale Ale, a small-batch beer produced by the local brewery which was
sold throughout Central Kentucky. On September 10, Keeneland and VisitLEX’s Beyond
Grits presented the Jefferson Street Soiree, which drew large crowds of locals
and out-of-town guests to celebrate one of Lexington’s culinary and cocktail hot
spots.
During Sunday’s final session, Keeneland sold 178 horses
for $1,913,300, at an average of $10,749 and a median of $6,000. There was no
comparable session for last year’s 12-day sale.
Lisa Orth paid the day’s top price of $120,000 for FORT HOPE, a chestnut colt by Fort Prado out of the
unraced Zindi (Vindication). The colt was
consigned by MJK Bloodstock, agent, as Hip 4054.
Keeneland’s next sale will be the November Breeding Stock
Sale, to be held November 4-14.