A colt by Medaglia d’Oro and a filly by War Front shared the top of the
leaderboard at the conclusion of Tuesday’s trading at the Keeneland September
Yearling Sale. Hall of Fame trainer Bob Baffert, acting as agent, secured the
Medaglia d’Oro for $200,000. Offered by Adena Springs, the April 1 bay toured
the ring as Hip No. 2597.
Produced by the unraced Delve (Seeking the Gold), the colt counts as his
second dam French Group 3 winner Korveya (Riverman), the dam of French
highweight Hector Protector (Woodman), multiple English highweight and producer
Bosra Sham (Woodman) and Group 1 winner Shanghai (Procida). All three were
classic winners, with Hector Protector and Shanghai victorious in the French Two
Thousand Guineas (Fr-G1), while Bosra Sham scored one of her three Group 1 wins
in the One Thousand Guineas (Eng-G1).
Korveya, a full sister to German highweight Keos and a half-sister to Italian
champion Proskona (Mr. Prospector), is also the ancestress of Grade 1 winners
Ciro (Woodman) and Internallyflawless (Giant’s Causeway). Grade/Group 1 winners
Act One (In the Wings [GB]) and Red Giant (Giant’s Causeway) also hail from this
female line.
Also selling for $200,000, to Glen Hill Farm, was an April 12 filly by War
Front. Consigned by Longfield Farm, agent, the Kentucky-bred was offered as Hip
2603.
The yearling was produced by the stakes-placed Dominica (Housebuster), a full
sister to stakes winner Find the Treasure (Housebuster). The yearling’s third
dam, Grade 1 winner Past Forgetting (Messenger of Song), produced Grade 3 winner
Codified (Lear Fan). Others descending from this female line are Grade 2 winners
Concerto (Chief’s Crown) and Sweet Fervor (Seeking the Gold), and Grade 3 victor
Illusioned (Woodman).
Adena Springs was also prominent on the buying end Tuesday as they went to
$175,000 to secure a filly from the first crop of champion and dual classic
winner Big Brown. Offered by Trackside Farm (Tom Evans), agent, the February 8
chestnut sported Hip 2640.
The filly is the first registered foal from the winning Galway Lass
(Victory Gallop), a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Pure Clan (Pure
Prize) and Grade 2 scorer Greater Good (Intidab). All were produced by the Grade
3 winner Gather the Clan (Ire) (General Assembly), who is also the second dam of
2008 Frizette S. (G1) winner Sky Diva (Sky Mesa).
The Indiana-bred, whose third dam was 1977 champion sprinter What a Summer
(What Luck), was a successful pinhook having brought $10,000 at the Keeneland
January sale.
After surpassing last year’s total gross during Monday’s session, the sale
continued to climb on Tuesday as 302 yearlings sold for $9,579,400. That
represented an increase of 38.4 percent over the corresponding session a year
ago when 275 head sold for $6,921,900. The session average spiked 26 percent,
from $25,171 to $31,720, while the median rose 31.6 percent, from $19,000 to
$25,000.
Cumulatively, 1,933 horses have sold for $208,217,600, an increase of 10.4
percent from this point a year ago when $188,672,000 had been realized from the
sale of 2,093 yearlings. The average has risen 19.5 percent, from $90,144 to
$107,717, while the median is up 20 percent, from $50,000 to $60,000.
The 13-day sale continues Wednesday and runs through Saturday, with each
day’s trade opening at 10 a.m. (EDT).
For the complete catalog, results and live video of the auction, log onto
www.keeneland.com.