A weanling colt by Sky Mesa , currently the second leading second-crop sire, sold for $77,000 during the Nov. 14 session of Keeneland’s November breeding stock sale. The day’s gloomy final figures weren’t any different from the rest of the sessions, with the gross off 36% from last year’s figures.
Consigned by Margaux Farm, agent, the dark bay or brown session-topper was purchased by Goldmine Investments. He is the second foal from the winning Mr. Greeley mare Princess Falina, who is a half-sister to AJC Oaks (Aust-I) winner Republic Lass. The colt’s third dam is champion older mare, and grade II producer, Cascapedia.
Sky Mesa , a grade I-winning son of Pulpit, stands at Three Chimneys Farm near Versailles, Ky. His 2009 fee is listed at $30,000.
The day’s top-priced mare, Buck Aspen, in foal to Sunday Silence son Silent Name, brought the day’s second-highest price of $65,000. She was purchased by Horse France. Consigned by Hagyard Farm, agent, the mare is a daughter of Seeking the Gold—Only Seule, by Lyphard.
On the day, Keeneland reported 209 horses sold for a gross of $2,517,000. The gross is down 36% from last year’s comparable session when 230 horses brought $3,935,400. The day’s average of $12,043, was off 29.6% from last year’s $17,110. The median of $8,500 was 24.4% lower than last year’s mark of $11,250.
To date, Keeneland has sold 2,438 horses for $181,386,000, down 46.1% from the corresponding period last year when 2,896 horses had been sold for $336,627,500. That’s $155 million missing from the marketplace year-to-year.
The average of $74,400 is down 36% from the $116,239 recorded last year. The median is off 37.8% from $45,000 in 2007 to $28,000 this year.
There are three more sessions left of the November sale. The final day of trade is Monday, Nov. 17. Sessions begin at 10 a.m.