Keeneland's 2000 July Sale Labeled 'Amazing'

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After a lackluster afternoon session in which prices declined across-the-board, the Keeneland July selected yearling sale concluded Tuesday night with a session that sizzled.

For the session, Keeneland reported 45 horses sold for a gross of $38,495,000, a 23.4% increase over last year's $31,185,000 gross when 47 horses were reported sold. Keeneland officials said the session average price of $855,444 was believed to be a record for any summer sale session in history. That average represented a 28.9% increase over last year's figure of $663,511. The median price of $450,000 this year was up 12.5% over the $400,000 median in 1999.

For the entire auction, Keeneland reported 130 horses were sold for a total of $80,732,000, a 5.1% increase over the $76,815,000 gross in 1999. This year's average of $621,015 was up 6.7% over the $581,932 average last year, and the median was unchanged at $400,000.

Keeneland sales director Rogers Beasley said the results exceeded expectations. "It was an amazing sale," Beasley said. "I don't think anyone thought it would be this strong. We are very pleased with where the market is going." Considering that the U.S. stock market was not as robust this year as it was in July of 1999, Beasley said Keeneland officials would have been pleased with a 5%-7% downturn.

With competitive bidding for the top lots, the second-highest price paid for a filly at any Keeneland July sale was set when Padua Stables went to $3,600,000 to acquire a daughter of Mr. Prospector produced from the Seattle Slew mare Molly Girl. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. John Mabee, the sale-topping filly was produced from a full sister to the Mabees' top colt General Meeting. (The summer sale record price for a filly was the then-world record $3.75 million paid by Darley Stud in 1984 for a daughter of Seattle Slew named Alchaasibiych.)

"She is a good mare for the long term," said Satish Sanan, who owns Padua with his wife, Anne. "Even if she doesn't win a race, she was worth it."

Not long after that filly sold, another bidding duel ensued for a daughter of Storm Cat out of the champion filly Serena's Song. She was purchased by Irish agent Demi O'Byrne for $3.4-million. The filly purchased on behalf of Michael Tabor and Mrs. John Magnier was consigned by Craig Bandoroff's Denali Stud on behalf of Robert and Beverly Lewis.

With 14 yearlings selling for prices in excess of $1-million during the session, Keeneland concluded the sale with 24 seven-figure horses.

The sale's top-priced colt was a son of Gone West produced from the Seattle Slew multiple grade I winner Lakeway, purchased for $3.3 million by the Sanans, who were accompanied at the sale by Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas.

The final session marked a radical departure from the Tuesday afternoon session, in which the gross, average, and median prices all fell from the same session one year ago.

Keeneland reported 41 yearlings were sold during the session for a gross of $12,760,000, which was 36.4% below the $21,520,000 total paid for 44 yearlings during the comparable session in 1999. The second session average of $311,220 represented a drop of 36.4% from the $489,091 average last year and the session median price of $250,000 was down 37.5% from $400,000. The 25 horses that did not attain their reserve prices represented 37.9% of the total 66 through the ring.

Top price for the second session of $1.4 million was paid by European agent John Ferguson for a Saint Ballado colt produced from the Roman Diplomat mare Jettin Diplomacy. Ferguson, the sale's leading buyer after two sessions, is buying for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum's Godolphin Racing. Ferguson said Godolphin is buying horses primarily to race in the U.S. under West Coast trainer Eoin Harty. The colt, consigned by Hartwell Farm, had been purchased by B.M.K. Equine as a weanling for $220,000 at last year's Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

The Saint Ballado colt was the only one to reach the seven-figure level Tuesday afternoon. On Monday, nine yearlings were sold for prices of $1-million or more. (Keeneland hip-by-hip results, leaders)

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