Record Keeneland January Gross Tops $72M

(edited Keeneland release)
Keeneland's Horses of All Ages Sale established a new January gross sales record of $72,329,100 when the action concluded Sunday.

The total includes one breeding right sold for $150,000 and three stallion shares sold for $4,200.

The previous high of $66,694,900 was set during the 1988 January sales and driven by the $46,912,800 generated from the Nelson Bunker Hunt dispersal.

"The January sale has come of age," said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland's director of sales. "It's no longer a local domestic sale, but a continuation of the November (breeding stock) sale.

"There was a very international contingent of buyers here from Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, South America and Mexico. These are countries which representatives from Keeneland, in conjunction with the Kentucky Thoroughbred Association, have made an effort to visit as part of an emerging markets initiative."

During the seven-day auction, Keeneland sold a record 1,624 horses for $72,174,900, an increase of 35.1% over last year's six-day sale in which 1,361 horses sold for $53,418,000. The average was $44,443, an increase of 13.2%, and the median was $16,000, up 23.1%.

Broodmare prospects brought a high premium, as evidenced by the top price of $1 million bid on Tuesday by Jerre Paxton's Northwest Farms for Girl Warrior, a 5-year-old mare by Elusive Quality  . Agent Paramount Sales consigned her.

During Sunday's final session, Keeneland sold 185 horses for $1,402,000, an average of $7,578 and a median of $4,700. No comparable session was held in 2005.

John G. Sikura paid $65,000 on Sunday for Steph's Tee, a 5-year-old mare by Lil E. Tee from the family of the Eclipse Award-nominated filly Adieu. Agent Old Frankfort Stud consigned Steph's Tee to the sale as a broodmare prospect.

Taylor Made Sales Agency sold 134 horses for $10,372,100 to be the sale's leading consignor. Among their consignment were the mares Honest Deceiver and Secret Forest, each selling for $600,000.

Stonewall Farm/Atoka was leading buyer at the sale, purchasing nine horses for $2,689,000, including the filly Cat Dancer for $885,000.

Keeneland's next auction is the April 18 Two-Year-olds in Training Sale.