Two Records Fall as Keeneland Sale Gets Off to Strong Start

By Ron Mitchell and
Leslie Deckard
The Keeneland November breeding stock sale got off on the right foot Monday, with record prices paid for a broodmare and for a weanling colt and numbers that exceeded the expectations of buyers, sellers, and sales company officials.

Keeneland reported 174 horses were sold Monday for a total of $69,661,000, an average of $400,351, and a median price of $180,000.

The average represented a gain of 26.5% over the first session one year ago when 186 horses averaged $316,406 from a gross of $58,851,500. The first day median last year was $170,000. The 74 horses that did not attain their reserve prices Monday represented 29.8% of the total through the ring. Last year, the 50 horses that did not attain their reserve prices represented 21.2% of the total through the ring in the first session.

Eleven horses brought final bids in excess of seven figures during Monday's session, even with the number of million dollar horses sold on the first day last year.

"The quality mares brought more than we were expecting," said Keeneland sales director Geoffrey Russell. "These were once in a lifetime experiences and the market reacted accordingly."

The world-record price for a broodmare of $7.1-million was paid by Coolmore Stud's John Magnier for Cash Run, the 6-year-old Seeking the Gold mare who won the 1999 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies (gr. I). The mare, in foal to Storm Cat, was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency on behalf of Magnier and Satish Sanan's Padua Stables.

"We thought she would be one of the high-priced mares of the sale and obviously everyone else did too," Magnier said.

Produced from the grade I winning Pleasant Colony mare Shared Interest, Cash Run earned $924,201. In addition to her Breeders' Cup win, Cash Run was victorious in the Walmac International Alcibiades (gr. II), and the Bonnie Miss and Davona Dale Stakes, both grade II.

Cash Run's price exceeds the previous record of $7-million paid by Reynolds Bell Jr. for Korveya at the 1998 Keeneland November sale and the same price paid in 1985 for Miss Oceana at the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky sale. In the Korveya transaction, Bell was acting on behalf of Jayeff B Stables, which owned Korveya in partnership before buying her outright.

Earlier in the session, Spain, the Thunder Gulch mare who set a North American earnings record of $3,540,542 for a filly or mare, was purchased by Gerry Dilger's Dromoland Farm for $5.3 million. In foal to leading sire Storm Cat, Spain was consigned by Three Chimneys Sales. A 6-year-old mare produced from the stakes-winning Regal and Royal mare Drina, Spain had nine wins and 16 placings during her career.

Immediately after Spain went through the ring, her weanling colt by Storm Cat was purchased by Dilger for $2,400,000, a record price for a Keeneland weanling and a North American record for a weanling colt.

Dilger declined to say on whose behalf he purchased Spain and her weanling, who were consigned on behalf of the estate of the late Saudi Prince Ahmed bin Salman.

At the 2001 Keeneland November sale, Dromoland paid $2.6 million for Cee's Song, the dam of Horse of the Year Tiznow. The 2003 colt by Storm Cat produced from Cee's Song was bred in Kentucky in the name of Barnett Enterprises.

Third-highest price of $3.6 million was paid by John Ferguson, representing Darley Stud Management, for multiple grade I winner Composure. The 3-year-old daughter of Touch Gold -- Party Cited (by Alleged) was sold by Three Chimneys Sales in foal to A.P. Indy.

"We are just delighted to have her," Ferguson said. "She was worth every dime."

Shadwell Stud acquired Golden Apples, the 1992 champion grass mare who earned $1.6-million, for $3.4 million from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment.

"With her pedigree, she can be bred to anyone and provide a nice outcross," Shadwell's Rick Nichols said of the 5-year-old daughter of Pivotal -- Loon (by Kaldoun). She was an exceptional race mare and very nice physically."

The session's fifth-highest price of $2.9-million was paid by Aaron U. Jones for Arabis, a stakes-winning 4-year-old daughter of Deputy Minister produced from a prolific female family that includes champion Althea. Produced from the stakes-winning Alydar mare Aishah, Arabis was sold by Helen Alexander's Middlebrook Farm as a racing or broodmare prospect. Arabis has five victories to her credit from 16 lifetime starts, including the Justakiss Stakes at Delaware Park.

The prices paid for Cash Run, Spain and her weanling colt were indicative of the demand for Storm Cat mares, weanlings, and mares in foal to the Overbrook Farm stallion.

WinStar Farms paid $2.2-million for Saudi Poetry, a stakes-winning daughter of Storm Cat. Consigned by Three Chimneys Sales, the 6-year-old mare was believed in foal to Silver Deputy.

"She was one of our favorites in the sale," said WinStar president Doug Cauthen. "We decided to jump in early because of the way the prices have been going. It is a heck of a pedigree, with a lot of runners out of the pedigree. Hopefully, the family will continue to produce runners."

Cauthen said the mare will be bred to a WinStar stallion in 2004.

Produced from the Quadrangle mare Rokeby Venus, Saudi Poetry descends from the female family that produced Rokeby Rose, Silverbulletday, and Arts and Letters, among others.

Saganeca, the dam of Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-I) winner Sagamix in foal to Storm Cat, was purchased by John Magnier for $2-million. Consigned by Lane's End Farm consignment, Saganeca is a 15-year-old daughter of Sagace -- Haglette, by Hagley.

Frank Justice of Dell Ridge Farm paid $1.4 million for a Storm Cat weanling filly produced from the stakes- winning Mr. Prospector mare Serena's Tune. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, the filly was produced from a daughter of champion Serena's Song.

TOP PRICES -- SESSION 1:
Price -- Hip No./Description/Buyer/Consignor

$7,100,000 -- 237/Cash Run, dark bay/brown mare /John Magnier/Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent LIII

$5,300,000 -- 156/Spain, bay mare/Dromoland Farm/Three Chimneys Sales, Agent

$3,600,000 -- 253/Composure, bay mare/John Ferguson Bloodstock/Three Chimneys Sales, Agent

$3,400,000 -- 309/Golden Apples, bay mare/Shadwell Farm/Taylor Made Sales Agency

$2,900,000 -- 204/Arabis, chestnut filly/Aaron U. Jones & Marie D. Jones/Middlebrook Farm, Agent

$2,400,000 -- 157/Bay colt 2003, Storm Cat – Spain/Dromoland Farm/Three Chimneys Sales, Agent

$2,200,000 -- 142/Saudi Poetry, chestnut mare/WinStar Farm, Agent/Three Chimneys Sales, Agent

$2,000,000 -- 136/Saganeca, dark bay/brown mare /John Magnier/Lane's End, Agent

$1,400,000 -- 0147/dark bay/brown filly 2003, Storm Cat -- Serena's Tune/Dell Ridge Farm/Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, Agent

$1,300,000 -- 0239/Celtic Melody, bay mare/ClassicStar, by S. David Plummer/Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent

$1,250,000 -- 272/Descapate, bay mare/WinStar Farm, Agent/Lane's End, Agent

TOP CONSIGNORS
Taylor Made Sales Agency, $23,060,000
Three Chimneys Sales, $18,715,000
Lane's End, $8,120,000
Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, $4,305,000
Middlebrook Farm, $3,010,000

TOP BUYERS
John Magnier, $9,100,000
Dromoland Farm, $7,810,000
John Ferguson Bloodstock, $4,450,000
WinStar Farm, $4,350,000
Shadwell Farm, $3,400,000

Results, catalog, additional information from Keeneland