Bernstein colt goes for $195,000 at Keeneland Friday

The session topper comes from the family of City Attraction, shown winning the Gravesend last winter (Ross Woodson/Horsephotos.com) Hip No. 3803, a colt by Bernstein, brought the top price of $195,000 at Friday's session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Consigned by Buck Pond Farm (Douglas S. Arnold), agent, the bay was purchased by Gulf Coast Farm. The colt's dam, Sparkler (Carson City), is a half-sister to Grade 2 victress Softly (Binalong) and current Grade 3 winner Coragil Cat (Forest Wildcat), who set a new track record on Arlington Park's Polytrack prior to his three-length score in the May 24 Hanshin Cup H. (G3). This is the family of Grade 3 scorers City Attraction (Vicar) and Hold Old Blue (Seattle Song), Grade 3 heroine and stakes producer Til Forbid (Temperence Hill) and promising two-year-old Herr Mozart (Mr. Greeley), third in the August 29 With Anticipation S. in his career debut at Saratoga. A half-brother to Grade 1-winning sprinter D'Wildcat (Forest Wildcat) was sold to Off the Hook for $170,000. From the first crop of 2005 Carter H. (G1) hero Forest Danger, the chestnut was offered by Gracefield. Hip 3984 is out of the stakes-placed D'Enough (D'Accord).

Mark Stanley went to $90,000 to secure the session's priciest filly, a

daughter of Quiet American from the consignment of Eaton Sales, agent. Cataloged

as Hip 3978, the bay was produced by the unraced Silver Deputy mare Dead Aim.

The filly's second dam, the winning Loping Along (Easy Goer), is a full sister

to Grade 1 victress and stakes producer Furlough (Easy Goer), and a half-sister

to millionaire Dancing Spree (Nijinsky II), winner of the 1989 Breeders' Cup

Sprint (G1), and Grade 1-winning stakes producer Fantastic Find (Mr.

Prospector), the dam of multiple Grade 1 queen Finder's Fee (Storm Cat). Other

family members include champion Heavenly Prize (Seeking the Gold), herself the

dam of multiple Grade 1 winner Good Reward (Storm Cat); Grade 1 heroine Oh What

a Windfall (Seeking the Gold); and current Manhattan H. (G1) victor Dancing

Forever (Rahy).

On Friday, 276 yearlings were sold for $6,203,400, a 25.6 percent drop from the

$8,332,500 realized by 289 horses at the comparable session one year ago. The

average plummeted 22 percent, from $28,832 to $22,476, while the median fell 25

percent, from $20,000 to $15,000.

With 11 sessions of the 15-day auction in the books, the cumulative numbers

show declines of 14.1 percent for gross receipts, 11.6 percent for the average

price and 10.4 percent for the median. So far this year, 2,768 horses have

changed hands for a total of $319,287,900, with an average of $115,350 and a

$60,000 median. By this point in the 2007 sale, 2,850 yearlings had brought

$371,887,100, recording a $130,487 average and a $67,000 median.

The sale continues Saturday and runs through Tuesday, and each day's trade

opens at 10 a.m. (EDT). For more information, visit keeneland.com.