Numbers down for penultimate session

A colt from the first crop of Archarcharch was the session’s only six-figure seller (Matt Wooley/EquiSport Photos) A colt from the first crop of Grade 1 hero Archarcharch sold to John Brocklebank, agent for Bill Peeples, for $110,000, topping Saturday’s trade at the 12th and penultimate session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Cataloged as Hip No. 3730, the Kentucky-bred was consigned by Burleson Farms, agent for Lakland Farm. Numbers were down across the board on day 12, which had been the final day at last year’s sale. On Saturday, Keeneland sold 199 yearlings for $2,625,700, a decrease of 9.9 percent from the $2,913,200 brought by 195 horses in 2013. The $13,194 average price was off by 11.7 percent from $14,939. The $8,000 median represented a drop of 27.3 percent from $11,000. A late foal arriving on May 7, the session topper is the first registered offspring from the Grade 3-placed Wild Forest Cat (D’wildcat). His dam, whose career highlight was a near-miss second in the 2009 Debutante (G3) at Churchill Downs, is a half-sister to stakes victress and Hollywood Park track record-setter Glitter City (City Place) as well as current stakes-winning sophomore Here’s Johnny (Colonel John). Further down the page, this is the female line of multiple Grade 1-winning millionaires Jostle (Brocco) and Ruhlmann (Mr. Leader).

No other yearling came close to reaching the six-figure mark. Rounding out
the top three on the day were a $65,000 Stroll colt and a $62,000 Hat Trick
filly.

The Stroll colt, offered by Cara Bloodstock (Bernard McCormack), agent, as
Hip 3843, went to Allistar Roden, agent. The Ontario-bred bay is out of the
unraced Giant’s Causeway mare Good Religion, a half-sister to Grade 3 victor
Drama Critic (Theatrical).

The dark bay Hat Trick filly was purchased by Solis/Litt from the consignment
of KatieRich Farms. Sporting Hip 3805, the Kentucky-bred was produced by the
Grade 3-placed Daisyago (Affirmed), and is thus a half-sister to Victory Nor
Defeat (Unbridled’s Song), who just finished third in the September 6 Super
Derby (G2).

With only one day remaining in the megasale, 2,641 yearlings have changed
hands for $278,047,200, down a scant 0.9 percent from the $280,491,300 grossed
by 2,744 horses. The cumulative average and median, however, are up 3 and 4
percent, respectively. This year’s average of $105,281 has improved over the
$102,220 posted a year ago, and the median has crept up from $50,000 to $52,000.

Sunday’s concluding session opens at 10 a.m. (EDT). For complete results, the
catalog, updates, outs, and live video of the sale, log onto
keeneland.com.