-- Storm Cat was the leading covering sire for the fourth year in a row. Heeremandi, the only mare in the auction carrying one of his foals, sold for $2.15 million. Danzig ranked second, with two mares that he covered averaging $2.1 million. Seeking the Gold was third, with five mares averaging $1,277,000. The leading first-year covering sire was 2000 Kentucky Derby (gr. I) winner Fusaichi Pegasus, with 11 mares from his book averaging $895,909.-- Eaton Sales was the leading consignor in terms of gross receipts, selling 151 horses for $20,655,900.-- Consignors scratched 17.7% of the 4,115 horses catalogued. The withdrawal rate last year was less than 15%.
In other developments at this year's Keeneland November auction:-- Klaus Jacobs' Newsells Park Stud, which is based in England, was the biggest spender, paying $17,140,000 for 34 horses. Charlotte Weber's Live Oak Stud of Florida and Elizabeth Moran's Brushwood Stable of Pennsylvania tied for second on the leading buyers' list by investing $4 million apiece. Live Oak bought three head while Brushwood spent all its money on the auction's most expensive horse, Twenty Eight Carat (in foal to Fusaichi Pegasus). A stakes-placed daughter of Alydar, the mare is the dam of grade I winner A P Valentine, who finished second in the 2001 Preakness (gr. I) and Belmont (gr. I) Stakes. Utah horseman David Plummer paid $3,726,000 for 13 horses. Other spenders of $3 million or more were John Magnier of Coolmore Stud, Castleton Lyons (Dr. Tony Ryan of Ireland), Horse France, and Kentucky bloodstock agent Reynolds Bell.-- Forestry was the leading sire of weanlings, with seven offspring from his first crop averaging $258,571. Ranking second was Unbridled, who was euthanized in October after suffering a series of abdominal problems. Four of his offspring averaged $250,000. Third was a son of Unbridled, Unbridled's Song, whose eight weanlings averaged $224,375.