Written by Jessica Martini/TDN America
Cover image courtesy of Keeneland
The Keeneland September Yearling Sale entered Book 3 with a session characterised by a focus on colts, as buyers targeted future stallion prospects on Saturday in Lexington. Leading the charge was a son of Practical Joke (USA), who commanded a significant bid of US$900,000 (AU$1,388,800) from Monique Delk, representing Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable.
During Saturday’s session, 273 yearlings sold for a total of US$47,904,000 (AU$70,200,200), achieving an average price of US$175,473 (AU$257,491) and a median of US$150,000 (AU$220,600). This represents a 7.09 per cent increase in average price and a 15.38 per cent rise in median compared to the same session last year, when 285 yearlings grossed US$46,697,000 (AU$68,500,600) at an average of US$163,849 (AU$240,800) and a median of US$130,000 (AU$191,700).
Out of a catalogue of 418, 370 yearlings went through the ring, with 97 failing to meet their reserve, resulting in a buy-back rate of 26.22 per cent. This is up from 23.18 per cent the previous year. The top 15 prices of the day were all for colts, with Gainesway achieving the session’s top three prices and four of the top ten.
“It was such a competitive Book 2 that now it’s trickled down so that the top offerings, especially colts that look like they could be stallions if they perform, are breaking through,” said Brian Graves of Gainesway. “If a mare is young, it escalates the price of some of these stallion-prospect colts. Good broodmare sires and a bit of sire power is the secret formula to hitting a home run.”
“If a mare is young, it escalates the price of some of these stallion-prospect colts. Good broodmare sires and a bit of sire power is the secret formula to hitting a home run.” - Brian Graves
Delk was notably active throughout the session, signing for seven horses alone or in partnership, spending a total of US$3.18 million (AU$4,700,300).
“For the good horses, it’s very competitive,” Delk commented. “They are bringing the money. I felt like earlier on, it was a little slower, but I feel like the momentum has picked up. Good horses are going to sell well, whatever book they are in. And they really stand out, so those are the ones that are really hitting it home.”
Monique Delk | Image courtesy of Keeneland
Practical Joke colt to St. Elias
Monique Delk, bidding on behalf of Vinnie Viola’s St. Elias Stable, secured a colt by Practical Joke (Hip 1361) for US$900,000 (AU$1,400,800) from the Gainesway consignment at Keeneland on Saturday. The yearling, out of Ridingwiththedevil (USA) (Candy Ride {Arg}), is a half-brother to multiple Grade 1-placed Reinvestment Risk (USA) (Upstart {USA}).
Hip 1361 - Practical Joke (USA) x Ridingwiththedevil (USA) (colt) | Image courtesy of Keeneland
“He is a beautiful colt,” Delk, who conducted her bidding in the new seating area alongside the yearling’s co-breeder, Mandy Pope, said. “He checked all of our boxes. He had a beautiful physical and a beautiful walk. He seemed to be all class.”
Regarding the colt’s final price, Delk commented, “For a horse like that, you have to expect that it can happen. We were willing to go the extra bit, but I thought he would be a little less than that.”
“He (Hip 1361) checked all of our boxes. He had a beautiful physical and a beautiful walk. He seemed to be all class.” - Monique Delk
Later in the session, Delk collaborated with Whisper Hill Farm to purchase a colt by Constitution (USA) (Hip 1458) for US$675,000 (AU$989,200). The dark bay was consigned by Gainesway and bred by Whisper Hill.
In total, Delk acquired seven yearlings on Saturday for a combined US$3,180,000 (AU$4,700,300). Alongside the colt bought with Whisper Hill, she also partnered with Donegal Racing to secure a colt by Maxfield (USA) (Hip 1236) for US$170,000 (AU$249,300) from the Bluewater Sales consignment.
Gainesway bought Ridingwiththedevil, in foal to Practical Joke, for US$210,000 (AU$306,800) at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton November sale. The yearling was bred by Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm, Gainesway, and Gainesway farm manager Brian Graves.
“The horse sold a fair way over the reserve,” Graves said. “It’s just been a competitive market for the top offerings. People thought he was a top offering. He was a real leggy colt, one of the best walkers on the farm. It does seem like when you have sire power and enough dam side to make a case for a stallion prospect, prices like this can materialise. We are really grateful to Monique and the buyers and wish them the best of luck. We hope he updates the mare.”
Brian Graves | Image courtesy of Keeneland
Ridingwiththedevil produced a colt by Not This Time (USA) this year and was bred back to Life Is Good (USA).
Graves, renowned as a weanling-to-yearling pinhooking expert, enjoyed another success shortly before Hip 1361 entered the ring. A colt by Liam's Map (USA) (Hip 1343) brought a final bid of US$700,000 (AU$1,962,600) from the Bernhard's Pin Oak Stud.
Bred by Gainesway and Graves, the grey yearling is out of Pop A Choc (USA) (Bernardini {USA}), a half-sister to multiple graded winner Airoforce (USA) (Colonel John {USA}). He is the first foal out of the mare, purchased for US$265,000 (AU$389,900) at the 2021 Keeneland November sale.
“When I saw the vet work coming in on him, I thought he could sell really well,” Graves said. “We were delighted with the price. Again, Bernardini mare with enough graded-stakes quality in the pedigree that you could see him becoming a good stallion prospect in the future if he can run.”
Asked how many mares he owns, Graves responded, “About 20.” He added with a laugh, “Most of them don’t do this.”
