Keeneland Sale Continues to Surge Saturday

Keeneland's November Breeding Stock Sale continued to soar through its sixth session Saturday, as all key indicators were on the rise. While there were no seven-figure sales on the day, the auction remained solid as it moved into the weekend.

A 4-year-old broodmare prospect sold for $350,000, the top price at Keeneland's November Breeding Stock Sale on Saturday. Gulf Coast Farm LLC bought the bay filly, named Clay's Rocket, by American Chance out of Irene's Talkin. Taylor Made Sales Agency sold Clay's Rocket, earner of $104,983 and a half sister to grade I stakes winner Adieu.

Miraloma, a 12-year-old Deputy Minister mare, fetched the session's second highest bid of $290,000 from Twin Creeks Farm in nearby Nonesuch, Ky. Miraloma won the Kentucky Budweiser Breeders' Cup Stakes at Churchill Downs and earned better than $106,000 in her race career. She is believed to be in foal to Golden Missile. Miraloma's first dam, Stick to Beauty, by Illustrious, is also a stakes winner. Miraloma is a half-sister to stakes victors Gold Beauty (the dam of Dayjur and Maplejinsky), Storm Beauty, and Majestic Venture, and is a full-sister to the stakes-winning The Prime Minister.

Miraloma was consigned by Craig and Holly Bandoroff's Denali Stud as agent for Bob and Beverly Lewis.

A weanling bay filly by Indian Charlie -- Ghazo, by Ghazi -- brought $280,000, from Dennis Yokum, agent. She was consigned by Brereton C. Jones/Airdrie Stud, agent. Jones also consigned, as agent, the third-highest-priced lot on the day, a Yankee Gentleman weanling colt out of Happy Approval, by With Approval, that brought $210,000 from Hidden Brook, agent.

Keeneland sold 258 horses Saturday, up .8% from 256 a year ago. The gross for the day hit $14,952,500, a whopping 35.7% increase from $11,019,900 in 2004. The average reached $57,955, up 34.6% from $43,046 a year ago, and the median of $42,500 represented a 21.4% hike from 35,000 in 2004.

For the six sessions of the November sale, Keeneland has sold 1,389 lots, down 3.3% from 1,436 a year ago. Thus far, the sale has grossed $257,839,000, a hike of 4.2% over $247,342,900 in 2004. The 2005 average of $185,630 is up 7.8% over $172,440 in 2004, and the median of $90,000 is up 20% from $75,000 last year.

There were 78 -- or 23.2% -- horses not reaching their reserve Saturday which represented a drop of 11.5% from last year's 26.2% for the corresponding session. The cumulative buyback rate stood at 24.5% for this year's sale, up 5.6% from last year.

"It's the middle market; it's as strong as black coffee," noted Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland's director or sales. "It's the same feel as the September Yearling Sale here, it's just been incredibly strong and deep."

The sale continues through Nov. 18.

Hip-by-hip results from Keeneland