James Harron, Emirates Park and Ultra Thoroughbreds active at Keeneland

Cover image courtesy of Keeneland

The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale produced a day of solid trade with the opening session of its two-day Book 2 section Wednesday in Lexington. For the session, 201 horses grossed US$29,440,000 (AU$44.6 million).

A solid day's trade at Keeneland

“It was a good, solid day's trade,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “I think it was fair. There were some sticky spots, it was a little selective in areas. And the RNA rate ticked up at the end of the day. It was consistently in the mid-20s for much of the day and then kicked up at the end.”

“The median, as we say each sale, is the measure of the health of the market, through the middle of the market,” said Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “Averages are great for headlines, but the median really is a better indicator of what the level of trade is. So when your median is healthy and your RNA rate is acceptable, or particularly good, in the case of yesterday, that means people are getting horses moved for acceptable numbers. And so, for the median to be up a little more than 10 per cent over two sessions is very encouraging. Our RNA rate is significantly lower than it was last year as well. Those are great indicators of a healthy market.”

The November sale continued to feature a diverse buying bench with the top 15 lots going to 15 different buyers Wednesday.

“We still have a lot of participation from Japanese groups and Australian visitors are here in large numbers and finding horses that they want to bring home,” Breathnach said. “And we have a diverse group of domestic buyers on the results sheets as well. So it all feels really good. With seven sessions to go, we are looking forward to what is to come.”

Hunter Rankin made the highest bid of Wednesday's session, going to US$600,000 (AU$909,000) to acquire Smash Ticket (USA) (Midnight Lute {USA}) on behalf of Flying Dutchmen. The session topper was consigned by Legacy Bloodstock.

A filly from the first crop of Life Is Good (USA) (Hip 287) attracted the highest price for a weanling during Wednesday's session when selling for US$410,000 (AU$623,000) to Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo, who signed under the name Classic Equine. Out of Mezinka (USA) (Bodemeister {USA}) - a half-sister to Pioneerof The Nile (USA) (Empire Maker {USA}) - the weanling is a half-sister to Graded-placed Harlocap (USA) (Justify {USA}), a horse Hartley and DeRenzo consigned to the 2022 Fasig-Tipton Midlantic May Sale. Hip 287 was consigned by Runnymede Farm, as agent for the complete dispersal of her breeder, Breed First.

“We all know the weanling market is one of the most stable and strong markets,” said Runnymede's Romain Malouitre. “It's always good, but I never expected she would make that at that level. Coming in this morning, we had all the right people, so we're thankful for all of them to be there for a nice filly.”

Flying Dutchmen goes to $600k for Smash Ticket

The Boersma family's Flying Dutchmen missed out on buying Graded-Stakes winner Slammed (USA) (Marking {USA}), who sold for US$1.1 million (AU$1.7 million) at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale Monday, but the operation was still able to get in the family when purchasing that mare's half-sister Smash Ticket (USA) (Midnight Lute {USA}) (Hip 383) for US$600,000 (AU$909,000) on Wednesday at Keeneland.

“We tried to buy the sister the other night at Fasig and got outrun there,” said agent Hunter Rankin. “We wanted to have some of that family. It's a running family and we liked the mare physically. We are just really happy we got her.”

The 5-year-old Smash Ticket, who sold in foal to Nyquist (USA), won the 2022 Weather Vane S. and was third in the 2021 G3 Sorrento S. Her half-sister Slammed, who was purchased Monday night by Stonestreet, won the 2022 G2 Thoroughbred Club of America S. Both mares were campaigned by the partnership of breeder Brad King, Stan and Suzanne Kirby and Barbara Coleman.

Smash Ticket, who was consigned Wednesday by Legacy Bloodstock, followed her weanling by Jackie's Warrior (USA) into the sales ring on Wednesday. The colt was purchased by Todd and Shawn Hansen's HX3 Incorporated for US$30,000 (AU$45,500).

Flying Dutchmen has been building up its broodmare band to fill its recently acquired farm in Kentucky. Through two session of the Keeneland auction, it had purchased five mares, including the US$875,000 (AU$1.3 million) Fast And Shiny (USA) (Bernardini {USA}) (Hip 177).

“We are just trying to get some really nice, fast mares that were good on the track,” Rankin said. “We are trying to develop them both through here at the sales and also through the yearling program that we've got. These guys are really committed to the long-term and they want to breed to race and have a lot of fun. I think ideally they would like to get to 30 or 35 mares. We bought a farm just off of Old Frankfort and we are excited about that. So, we are trying to populate that a little bit.”

Flying Dutchmen's activity at the yearling sales this year included a US$1.5 million (AU$2.3 million) son of Tapit (USA) (Hip 97) - one of five purchased for US$3,435,000 (AU$5.2 million) at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale in August; and a US$675,000 (AU$1.02 million) daughter of Uncle Mo (Hip 453), who was one of eight purchased for US$2,715,000 (AU$4.1 million) at Keeneland in September.

Tramontin plans to buy Siena Farm

After first dipping his toe in racing in the early 1990s, Greg Tramontin pressed pause for a time to focus on his business interests. However, since his return to the game, he has achieved success with the likes of G1 Woody Stephens S. winner No Parole (USA) (Violence {USA}) (raced in partnership with Maggi Moss), and most recently with Quickick (USA) (McKinzie {USA}), who broke her maiden in Saratoga this summer before finishing third in last weekend's G1 Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. And while competing at that level of the game might represent a career-high for many, Tramontin is poised to take his investment in the industry to the next level with the imminent closing on the famed Siena Farm in Paris, Kentucky.

In preparation for the day that the deal is finalized, the now retired automobile insurance developer was active at Keeneland Tuesday and Wednesday, purchasing a trio of mares to add to his new farm. Buff Bradley handled the bidding duties for Tramontin at Keeneland.

Early in the Book 2 opener, Tramontin purchased a pair of mares-Hip 298, Moody Woman (USA) (Gormley {USA}) and a few hips later, he secured Hip 307, Music Street (USA) (Street Sense {USA}). The former was purchased for US$325,000 (AU$493,000), while the latter brought US$500,000 (AU$758,000). In Book 1, he bought Hip 21, Night On The Town (USA) (Street Sense {USA}), in foal to hot sire Good Magic (USA). Tuesday's purchase was a member of the Siena Farm dispersal, conducted by Taylor Made.

Gallery: Horses purchased by Greg Tramontin, images courtesy of Keeneland

Julie Cauthen and Ignacio 'Nacho' Patino, Siena's longtime GM, helped advise on Tramontin's most recent purchases at Keeneland. All three of his latest acquisitions will be sent straight to Siena, which will be ultimately renamed to honour his biological father, Greenwell.

“(Cauthen and Patino) spotted some nice really nice, well-bred mares over the past couple of days, but we just weren't able to land some of the higher-priced ones (in Book 1),” he admitted. “But we bought some nice ones.”

Music Street is a 5-year-old out of unraced Sudden Heat (USA) (Congrats {USA}), a daughter of champion 3-year-old filly and US$2.1 million (AU$3.2 million) earner Xtra Heat (USA) (Dixieland Heat {USA}), who produced SW and GSW Southwestern Heat (USA) and SW Elusive Heat (USA). Consigned by Grovendale Sales, the bay is in foal to Taiba (USA).

His other Book 2 purchase, also 5-years-old, is out of stakes placed A.J.'s Gal (USA) (Monashee Mountain {USA}). Also consigned by Grovendale, the 5-year-old mare is in foal to Uncle Mo (USA).

Asked what drew him and his advisory team to the recent acquisitions, he said, “I like (Street Sense) and the fact that he was a powerful, two-turn horse. I'm not looking for sprinters. I'm looking for Classic-type stock, so he fits the bill.”

According to Tramontin, he had already been considering buying his own farm following his retirement, but Siena only recently came into the frame. Co-founded by Anthony Manganaro in 2007, Siena was put on the market following his death in the summer of 2023.

“(Siena) came on my radar at Saratoga this summer and I went out to see it and it's pristine, just beautiful,” explained Tramontin. “Mr. Manganaro did a great job along with Nacho. It's turn-key. There is nothing that needs work. It's just perfect.”

Presently a resident of Miramar Beach in Florida and Baton Rouge, in Louisiana, the 70-year-old looks forward to adding a third touch point in his life. “I'll spend quite a bit of time (at the farm), so I can be there for foaling and when Keeneland and Churchill are running,” he said.

Tramontin founded and developed three separate automobile insurance companies, commencing with his initial foray in 1982. His latest company, launched in 2009, was sold to an investment group in 2022.

“I was a one horse owner for quite a while and then I had to get out for a long time because racing and an automobile regulated insurance company didn't mix,” he explained. “So when I got close to retirement, I decided to get back into it. It's my retirement business. I've retired from the insurance business. I'm 70-years-old and I like to play golf. I am interested in racing and breeding, so the farm was a logical step.”

Gallery: Images of Siena Farm, images courtesy of Siena Farm

Since his return to racing in 2020, Tramontin has meticulously added to his equine holdings. Tom Amoss has been his sole trainer since his introduction to the sport. His best horse to date, No Parole was initially campaigned by Maggi Moss, and Tramontin purchased a stake in the colt before his Woody Stephens victory in 2020.

“I was just getting back in the business,” he recalled. “In January of his 3-year-old year, I bought a 49 per cent share in No Parole. He's a tremendous horse.”

He continued, “I have two mares in foal that I already owned and bought in 2022–(GISP) Alys Beach (Omaha Beach), in foal to Flightline and Natalie Would (Into Mischief), who is in foal to Gun Runner. So those two and the three we bought at Keeneland will be a nice little start.”

Last year, Tramontin secured eight yearling colts and eight fillies, including Quickick (USA). The bay was purchased for US$550,000 (AU$834,000) at Keeneland September. In her last two starts, she placed second behind Immersive (USA) (Nyquist {USA}) in the October 4 G1 Alcibiades S. at Keeneland before coming home third behind the likely divisional champion on Breeders' Cup Friday at Del Mar.

In 2024, Tramontin added seven more yearling fillies in addition to one colt. In total, his interests stand at 34, however, he made it clear that the plan is to focus on quality over quantity.

“I don't want it to be about volume,” he said. “I'd rather be smaller but high quality. I shoot for the higher end of the business. Ultimately, we'll take a look at being buyers at the sales but also sellers. The goal is to create the page on the track and them bring them back to the farm to breed them.”

When asked what the long-term plan is for his fledgling breeding operation is, he said, “I did not know Mr. Manganaro, but to a person, the stories I have heard about his kindness, generosity and intelligence and what a wonderful man he was, I hope I can continue his legacy with this farm and continue what his dream was, because it's very similar to what I want to do.”