Keeneland Sale Continues to Roll

Selling as a broodmare prospect, Misty Sixes brought a final price of $500,000 to top the third session of the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale in Lexington, Ky. Wednesday. Lance Robinson's Gulf Coast Farm purchased the 7-year-old mare from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency.

Day three of the six-day sale saw the Central Kentucky auction company sell 241 hips for a gross of $6,699,300. The average was $27,798 and the median price was $12,000. Eighty-two hips failed to meet their reserves.

Last year during the same session, 249 hips grossed $7,171,400. The average was $28,801 and median was $11,000.

Through three sessions, 750 horses have grossed $44,844,900, with an average of $59,793 and a median of $25,000. Last year through three sessions, 740 hips grossed $42,545,600 for an average of $57,494 and the median was the same $25,000.

"We're still rolling along nicely," said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland's director of sales. "The session was slightly down in gross, but we're going on our merry way. We have three sessions remaining."

Russell said day three of the 2004 session featured a dispersal of mares owned by the Thoroughbred Corp., which contributed to a higher gross and average due to the strength of the catalogue. The top three prices of last year's session, led by Swiss Lake, who topped the session at $500,000, were Thoroughbred Corp. mares.

"To be that close in gross shows the continued strength in the market," Russell said. "I am still hearing from buyers (mare buyers more than pinhookers) that it is still tough to buy."

Misty Sixes (Summer Squall-Double Sixes, by Gone West) was bred in Virginia by Alice du Pont Mills and is a half-sister to stakes placed Broadway View (by Broad Brush).

On the racetrack, stakes winner Misty Sixes earned $449,994 while compiling a career record of 9-3-2.

The Castleton Group went to $410,000 to acquire Winter's Quest (by Coronado's Quest). Bluewater Sales, agent, consigned the 5-year-old mare as a broodmare prospect.

Winter's Quest is a half-sister to stakes-placed Sharp Lisa and is from the family of stakes winners Stark Winter, Silver in Flight, Bien Bien, and Doctor Schwartzman.

A son of Pure Prize topped the yearling market Wednesday, bringing a final price of $200,000 from Cherokee Equine International. Produced from the stakes-placed Halo mare Nueces Strip, Dromoland Farm consigned the colt to the sale.

Bred in Kentucky by Patrick Dilger and Theresa Whelton, the colt is from the family of stakes winners Satan's Pride, Devil's Bride, and Rahbaby.

The Keeneland January mixed sale continues through Saturday, Jan. 15. Sessions begin at 10 a.m.

Results From Keeneland's Third Session