Stallion Prospect Strive Tops Keeneland's Monday Session

The eighth day of trading at Keeneland's November breeding stock sale ended Monday evening with the Lexington auction house gaining slightly in most categories when compared to the same session last year.

Up were the gross, average, and number of horses sold, with only a dip in the median keeping gains from reaching across the board.

The numbers for Monday were:

--Gross receipts of $8,180,780 for the 276 horses sold represented an 8.9% increase over the $7,441,400 gross when 252 horses were sold during the corresponding session in 2004. The number of horses sold rose 9.5%.
--The average price of $29,640 was up slightly (.4%) from the 2004 session average of $29,529.
--The median decreased 4.5% to $21,000, compared with a figure of $22,000 in 2004.
--The 77 horses which did not sell represented an RNA rate of 21.8% compared with the 72, or 22%, unsold last year.

The cumulative figures for the sale to date are:

--The gross of $274,392,400 for 1,908 sold is up 3.7% over the $264,659,300 figure for 1,944 sold through the same period one year ago. In all 1.9% fewer horses have found new homes.
--The average price of $143,812 represents a 5.6% increase over the 2004 figure of $136,142.
--The median price of $60,000 is up 15.4% from the 2004 median of $52,000.
--The buy-back rate of 24%, representing the 602 not sold thus far, is up 2.6% from the 593, or 23.4% unsold last year.

In all, eight hips met the six figure mark.

Keeneland sales director Geoffrey Russell said overall the eighth session met expectations.

"A statistic we like to see go up is the median, which overall is doing very well, along with the number of horses sold," Russell said Monday. "That means the money is being spread around--and we like it when all of our consignors do well."

The high hip for the day came from the barn of Mill Ridge Sales, agent, who consigned Strive, by Deputy Minister, a stakes-placed, 6-year-old half-brother to the Kris S. mare Sweet Life. Grade I-placed, Sweet Life is best known for producing 2004 Champion 2-year-old filly and daughter of Storm Cat, Sweet Catomine.

Bred in Kentucky by Martin and Pam Wygod, and out of Symbolically, by Flying Pastor, Strive was sold as a stallion prospect and secured $180,000 from buyer Patricia Youngman.

The bay horse won four times (on dirt and turf) in 24 starts, was second eight times, and did his most important work when third in the 2003 New Orleans Handicap (gr. II) at Fair Grounds.

Strive, also a half-brother to successful grade I winner Pirate's Revenge, earned the Wygods $287,910 during his career.

The sale continues at 10 a.m. daily through Friday, Nov. 18.

Hip-By-Hip Results from Keeneland