Keeneland September: New-look Book 1 yields soaring returns
By Joe Nevills
A full sister to Grade 1 winner Cupid sold to the Coolmore partnership for $2.7 million to lead the revamped Book 1 of the Keeneland September yearling sale.
A revamped, super-select first book of the Keeneland September yearling sale yielded the intended result on Monday, with average and median sale prices far exceeding last year’s Book 1, and a $2.7-million daughter of Tapit becoming the most expensive filly traded at the sale since 2008.
Keeneland condensed Book 1 of the 2017 auction to a single session with 167 elite yearlings cataloged before outs. Last year’s first book spanned three sessions with 607 entries.
Monday’s boutique session saw 95 horses change hands for revenues of $54,175,000. The Book 1 average sale price finished at $570,263, rising 64 percent from last year’s final Book 1 average of $347,471. The Book 1 median price grew 67 percent to $500,000 from $300,000. The buyback rate finished at 34 percent, compared with last year’s cumulative Book 1 figure of 31 percent.
“It by far exceeded our expectations,” Bob Elliston, Keeneland’s vice president of racing and sales, said. “We had a couple of goals in this new format. First and foremost was creating momentum right from the very beginning that we hope we can take right through the entire sale. The second one is have as many good horses as you can for this international buying group before the [sale’s dark day Friday].
“The fireworks are not over, I promise you that,” he continued. “It was hard getting a horse bought here tonight. There were a lot of folks that went home without orders filled, and these breeders are bringing incredible horses back for the next three days [of Book 2].”
At the top of the market, three horses sold for more than $2 million, leading eight horses who changed hands for seven figures. A total of 48 horses sold for $500,000 or more.
HIP 69 $2,700,000 filly by Tapit - Pretty 'n Smart, by Beau Genius M.V. Magnier VanMeter-Gentry Sales, agent
HIP 49 $2,600,000 colt by Tapit - Miss Besilu, by Medaglia d'Oro Whisper Hill Farm Taylor Made Sales, agent
HIP 105 $2,500,000 colt by Tapit - Tiz Miz Sue, by Tiznow Shadwell Estate Co. Paramount Sales, agent
HIP 27 $1,900,000 colt by War Front - Iotapa, by Afleet Alex Donato Lanni, agent Taylor Made Sales, agent
HIP 128 $1,600,000 filly by War Front - Aloof, by Galileo OXO Equine Timber Town Stables, agent
HIP 82 $1,250,000 filly by Medaglia d'Oro - Sealy Hill, by Point Given OXO Equine Gainesway, agent
HIP 104 $1,200,000 colt by War Front - Theyskens' Theory, by Bernardini Shadwell Estate Co. Bluegrass TB Services, agent
HIP 165 $1,100,000 colt by War Front - Dynamic Feature, by Rahy Kerri Radcliffe Bloodstock VanMeter-Gentry Sales, agent
HIP 136 $900,000 colt by Hard Spun - Azorina, by Empire Maker Mayberry Farm Gainesway, agent
HIP 156 $900,000 colt by Medaglia d'Oro - D'cats Meow, by D'wildcat Breeze Easy LLC Eaton Sales, agent
HIP 157 $900,000 colt by Speightstown - Devil by Design, by Medaglia d'Oro Shadwell Estate Co. Glennwood Farm, agent
__________________
All ambitions are lawful except those which climb upward on the miseries or credulities of mankind. ~ Joseph Conrad
A long habit of not thinking a thing wrong, gives it a superficial appearance of being right. ~ Thomas Paine
Don't let anyone tell you that your dreams can't come true. They are only afraid that theirs won't and yours will. ~ Robert Evans
The Party told you to reject the evidence of your eyes and ears. It was their final, most essential command. ~ George Orwell, 1984.
Last edited by Kasept : 09-12-2017 at 07:06 AM.
|