Gross sales for the five-day auction, held January 11-15,
“The sales continue to bear two positive signs: market stability, despite a
The January Sale marks the close of an extraordinary sales
That demonstrated buying power is evident in the fact that
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The depth and breadth of Keeneland’s buying bench produced
22 seven-figure horses at the 2015 November Sale, led by the most expensive
Thoroughbred sold at public auction in the world last year: champion TAKE CHARGE
BRANDI, who brought a final bid of $6 million. Additionally, a filly by War
Front from the family of Take Charge Brandi commanded a North American weanling
record price of $3.2 million. Eleven yearlings sold for $1 million or more at
the 2015 September Sale, topped by the $2.1 million paid for a colt by leading
sire Tapit.
“There is plenty of money for quality,” said Mike Ryan, who
as agent spent more than $1 million during the January Sale for various clients.
“People are very shrewd. They know what they want and they’re prepared to step
up and buy them.”
While the market remains stable, the increasing level of
selectivity among buyers coupled with increasing foal crops in North America and
Europe raise notes of caution from sales officials.
“Demand remains strong for premium horses, but it’s a different story for the
less commercial end of the market,” Keeneland Director
of Sales Geoffrey Russell said. “By their selectively, buyers are sending a
clear message that they want quality, commercially viable horses.
“This year, we cataloged an extra day each for our November
and January sales, which translates to more than 600 additional horses,” Russell
said. “Keeneland is here to serve the market, and we work throughout the year,
around the world, to provide a marketplace that represents both established and
emerging racing markets. But even the emerging markets have developed to the
point where buyers seek quality rather than quantity. We as an industry don’t
want to lose sight of the hard lessons we learned just a few short years ago.”
Domestic buyers dominated the 2016 January Sale, a noted
market for young broodmares and broodmare prospects and an increasingly popular
venue for quality short yearlings. Prominent breeder and owner Virginia Kraft
Payson acquired the two highest-priced horses, the half-sisters SUMMER SOLO, in
foal to Ghostzapper, for $700,000, and SUMMER SWEET, by More Than Ready, for
$550,000, both consigned by the Part Dispersal of the Estate of Sarah J. Leigh,
for which Denali Stud was agent. Two yearlings each fetched $450,000: a filly by
Arch, also purchased by Payson from the Leigh dispersal, and a colt by leading
sire War Front, bought by Cromwell Bloodstock from the consignment of Greenfield
Farm, agent.
Payson’s three purchases, two made in the name of her
Payson Stud, totaled $1.7 million to make her the sale’s top buyer.
During Friday’s final session, Keeneland sold 197 horses
for $1,790,100, for an average of $9,087 and a median of $5,000. There was no
comparable session in 2015.
A two-year-old colt by Uncle Mo out of the winning Cashel
Castle mare Amor de Palacio brought the day’s highest price, selling for $80,000
to Eico Ventures. The colt was consigned by Brandywine Farm, agent for the
Dispersal of the Estate of Eric A. Delvalle.
For the third consecutive year, and 14th time since 2001,
Taylor Made Sales Agency ranked as the January Sale’s leading consignor, selling
92 horses for a total of $4,359,500.
“Keeneland thanks all the consignors and buyers who support
our sales,” Russell said. “The breeding season begins soon, and we wish everyone
the best of luck.”
Keeneland’s next auction is the September Yearling Sale, to be held September
12-24.