Distorted Humor colt new Keeneland September leader at
$1.525 million
Domestic buyers flexed their spending muscle on Tuesday during the second
Goncalo Torrealba of Three Chimneys Farm signed the ticket for the top-priced
Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for Barbara Banke’s Stonestreet
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“We looked at the pedigree, and hopefully he’ll be our next stallion,”
Torrealba said. “We may race him (in partnership) with Stonestreet. We’re
excited. Everything (impressed us).”
Duncan Taylor, president of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agreed.
“We knew all along that he is a very nice colt,” Taylor said. “He is a
standout. We thought he was that quality horse, but everything has to line up to
get two (bidders) that feel the same way about him. We thought he was worth that
much, but we didn’t know he would get that much.”
For the session, 142 yearlings grossed $42,965,000, up 13.7 percent over last
year when 121 yearlings sold for $37,788,000. The average of $302,570 was down
slightly from $312,298 in 2014, while the median of $245,000 was 12.5 percent
below last year’s $280,000.
Through the first two days of the sale, 292 yearlings have been sold for
$87,607,000, up 23.5 percent from the comparable period last year when 241
horses brought $70,953,000. The average rose nearly 2 percent, from $294,411 in
2014 to $300,024. The median of $250,000 remained the same from 2014.
“The session was solid and steady from start to finish,” Keeneland Director
of Sales Geoffrey Russell said. “It was good to see Mr. Torrealba engage Mandy
Pope (the underbidder on the top-priced Distorted Humor colt) in a good bidding
duel. You could see new people in the Thoroughbred industry partaking at the
highest level. And it was great to see Mr. Torrealba looking to the future for
stallion prospects. That’s a very encouraging aspect of the market.”
A Medaglia d’Oro colt brought the day’s second-highest bid of $1.1 million
from the partnership of Alexis Solis, Jason Litt, Winchell Thoroughbreds and
Gainesway. The colt, consigned by Lane’s End, agent, is the first foal from the
multiple stakes-winning Lemon Drop Kid mare Kid Kate.
“He was a very, very popular horse,” Bill Farish of Lane’s End said. “It was
a super price, but he is a super colt. (The price) was a little better than I
thought it would be to be honest, but when (bidders are) on the better ones
that’s what happens.”
“He is an absolute standout physically. He looks fast,” Solis said. “If you
want to play at the highest levels and be at Saratoga and Del Mar winning big
races, you buy the best horse, and that is exactly what this horse is. We hope
to have a lot of fun with him.”
Ron Winchell said the partnership for the yearling developed when “we got
together and realized we all liked him.”
Plans call for the colt to join trainer Steve Asmussen.
The session’s top-priced filly is a daughter of Australian champion and
leading sire Fastnet Rock that sold for $1 million to B. Wayne Hughes’
Spendthrift Farm. Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent, consigned the filly who is
out of the Group 1 stakes-placed Sadler’s Wells mare Maryinsky, dam of European
champion Peeping Fawn. The filly’s second dam is Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Blush
With Pride, dam of Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour. Better Than Honour
is the dam of champion and Belmont (G1) winner Rags to Riches.
The filly had “as good a female family as there is in the world, so we’re
happy to get her,” Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey said. “(This is) a
filly that we think is going to be a great athlete. She doesn’t have to run a
step to be worth a whole lot of money.”
Spendthrift purchased four yearlings on Tuesday for a total of $2,125,000 to
rank as the session’s leading buyer.
Taylor Made Sales Agency sold 17 horses, including the session topper, for
$5,245,000 to be the day’s leading consignor.
Tuesday marked the second of three sessions in the premier Book 1 catalog.
The third session on Wednesday begins at 11 a.m. (EDT).