Steven W. Young, agent, purchased the session topper for a second straight day at the 2017 Keeneland September Yearling Sale when going to $625,000 to secure a dark bay colt by first-crop sire Verrazano on Sunday.
Young had the winning bid of $525,000 on a Pioneerof the Nile colt Saturday that ended up the top price for the day.
Sunday’s highlight entered the ring as Hip No. 1921 from the consignment of James M. Herbener Jr., agent. The Kentucky-bred is out of the Unbridled’s Song mare Allegory, making him a half-brother to Copper Bullet. That More Than Ready colt romped by four lengths in last month’s Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) and filled the runner-up spot in the Bashford Manor Stakes (G3) at Churchill Downs on June 30.
Sunday’s session topper counts as his fifth dam English champion Lupe II, from whom is descended the likes of Group 1-winning French highweights Loup Sauvage and Loup Solitaire, among others.
The second-highest price on the day was Hip 1846, a Will Take Charge colt out of the Smart Strike mare Smart Believer. Oussama Aboughgazale’s International Equities Holding purchased the Ontario-bred dark bay for $500,000 from the Anderson Farms, agent, consignment. The colt’s second dam is Grade 1 victress I Believe In You.
Hips 1653, 1680 and 1727 tied as the highest-priced fillies on Sunday when selling for $400,000 each.
The first, a chestnut lass by Scat Daddy, came from the Hermitage Farm, agent, consignment and was purchased by Mike Ryan, agent. The Kentucky-bred miss is out of the Speightstown mare Goforitmrsmilller, making her a half-sister to stakes-placed Bandwidth. Goforitmrsmilller is herself a half-sibling to Grade 2 winners Miss Isella and sire Sir Cherokee.
Everett Dobson’s Cheyenne Stables was the top bidder on Hip 1680, a Cairo Prince filly from the Brereton C. Jones/Airdrie Stud Inc., agent, consignment. The bay miss is out of the Indian Charlie mare Incarnate Memories.
The third, Hip 1727, sold to West Point Thoroughbreds LLC & Vosburgh LLC from the Anderson Farms, agent, consignment. The Hard Spun filly is out of the Vindication mare Loving Vindication, making her a half-sibling to Grade 2-placed stakes hero Solemn Tribute.
Sunday’s sixth session saw 245 yearlings purchased for $26,875,500, at an average of $109,696 and a median of $80,000. A total of 269 yearlings sold for $23,243,000 at last year’s comparative session for an $86,405 average and $70,000 median.
With half of the 12-day sale now in the books, 1,179 yearlings have brought $254,913,000, as compared to 1,081 selling for $212,749,000 a year ago at this point. The average stands at $216,211 and the median $150,000, while the 2016 average and median equaled $196,808 and $130,000, respectively, after the sixth session.
“Book 3 (Saturday/Sunday) went very well,” Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell said. “It was nice to have a big-priced horse today. Overall, the comments from both consignors and buyers were that the good horses sold very well and the buyers complained that they were hard to buy. So that’s a positive note.”
The September Sale continues through Saturday, September 23, with all sessions beginning at 10 a.m. (ET). Please visit www.keeneland.com for full results and to watch live streaming of the auction.
