Harron, Blaxland and Milburn Creek active as Keeneland Book 2 wraps up

Cover image courtesy of Keeneland

Solid trade continues

Solid trade continued right through the conclusion of the second and final Book 2 section of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale Thursday, with the 3-year-old broodmare Finesse (USA) (Street Sense {USA}) bringing the section's top price of US$900,000 (AU$1.35 million) when selling to Dixiana Farms.

“It was really solid today,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “It was very competitive. I was speaking to a lot of buyers out there, and they were finding it very difficult to buy the foals that they liked. And the young mares were very competitive in the market. I followed a few up myself, just out of interest, and they were bringing probably 30-40 per cent more than I would have expected them to bring. Which was great. It shows the demand for that quality through the market. It's really encouraging. When the right ones come up, they are all over it.”

Foals from the first crop of Breeders' Cup winner Life Is Good (USA) topped both Book 2 sessions this year, with a filly by the sire going the way of Classic Equine for US$410,000 (AU$616,000) on Wednesday and a colt selling for US$400,000 (AU$601,000) to Flying Dutchmen late in the day on Thursday.

Eight of the top 10 priced weanlings in Book 2 were by first-crop sires. A filly by Life Is Good shared the section's second highest price of US$385,000 (AU$579,000) with a colt by first-crop sire Jackie's Warrior (USA). Olympiad (USA) also had a pair of weanlings in the book's top 10, while Jack Christopher (USA) and Golden Pal (USA) each had one.

“I think the demand for first-crop sires is always high, but it's true that with the entry-level stud fee and some of the glitz and glamour that came with this class, it looks deep,” said Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “There are several really well-credentialled first-crop sires this year and they are obviously throwing very good physicals because people are really responding. It bodes well. Hopefully they can run to their looks.”

The buy-back rate through three days is 27.23 per cent. It was 30.80 per cent a year ago. “That's what we look for, more than anything, significant improvement in the median,” said Breathnach. “And the RNA rate through the ring is four points lower than last year through two books. Those are the best indicators of a healthy marketplace.”

Post-sale activity is brisk, according to Lacy. “There are a lot of RNAs-to-sales that we are getting through,” he said. “So even though they might be listed as RNAs on the sheets right now, you will see those filtering in and there will be some really healthy numbers. There is a balance between the reserve set and what people want to pay for certain things. That then gets mitigated in the RNAs-to-sales. I think that is good and healthy.”

'Perfect Storm;' Dixiana buys Finesse for $900k

Bill Shively of Dixiana Farms admitted he has been doing plenty of shopping at Keeneland this week, but hadn't been getting much bought until he made the US$900,000 (AU$1.35 million) bid to acquire the 3-year-old broodmare Finesse (USA) (Street Sense {USA}) (Hip 983) Thursday. The unraced mare, who sold in foal to Nyquist (USA), is out of Etiquette (USA) (Tapit {USA}) and is a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner Society (USA) (Gun Runner {USA}), who was second in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint last week. Finesse was consigned by Warrendale Sales.

“She was just very pretty,” Shively said of the mare. “It's a good family. It was what we are looking for at Dixiana–quality. I think she will be great for a long time.”

Of the mare's future foal, Shively said, “If she has a nice Nyquist filly, she will probably be racing for Dixiana. If it's a colt, we might sell that.”

Finesse was Dixiana's second purchase of the week at Keeneland. The operation also purchased Wet My Beak (USA) (Union Rags {USA}) (hip 849) for US$200,000 (AU$301,000).

“I've shopped a lot, but not bought much,” Shively said. “I think part of it is, how many good horses are there? The good ones bring a lot of money. Now it's at the point that you have to spend a little more money to get a few good ones. That's just the way the world is right now.”

Finesse, who was bred by Peter Blum, was purchased by Windancer Farm for US$725,000 (AU$1.1 million) at the 2022 Keeneland September sale.

“We're over the moon,” Warrendale's Kitty Day said of the result. “It was fantastic. She was well past her reserve at that level, but she's just a beautiful physical, in foal to a horse that is on fire, with a family that goes with it and in foal on one cover with a filly. It was a perfect storm.”

Brunacinis reinvest with $725k Veronica Greene

After a good weanling sale on Tuesday, Richard and Denise Brunacini came to Keeneland Thursday to reinvest some of their profits and went home with the 5-year-old broodmare Veronica Greene (USA) (Tapit {USA}) (Hip 838). The couple purchased the mare, in foal to Triple Crown winner Justify (USA), for US$725,000 (AU$1.1 million). She was consigned by Elite, as agent for White Birch Farm.

“She had everything,” Richard Brunacini said of the mare. “She's by Tapit, she's in foal to Justify and she's just beautiful. She's a young mare, a stakes horse. I couldn't fault her.” The Brunacinis have 11 broodmares, many in partnerships at Taylor Made Farm, and are focused on breeding to sell.

“In my younger days, I trained them, and we stood some stallions, but now we are breeding to sell,” Brunacini said.

During Tuesday's first session of the Keeneland November sale, the Brunacinis sold a colt by Epicenter (USA) (hip 71) for US$225,000 (AU$338,000). They had purchased the weanling's dam Spirit Dance (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}), with the colt in utero, for US$160,000 (AU$240,000) at the Keeneland January sale this year.

“We've had a good year selling,” Brunacini said. “You could almost call me a CPA, I know what my tax situation is.”

Peter Brant's White Birch Farm purchased Veronica Greene for US$260,000 (AU$391,000) at the 2020 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The bay was third in the 2022 Winter Memories Stakes. On the board in six of 10 starts, she earned US$195,500 (AU$293,000).

Two of the mare's half-brothers are expected to see graded action this weekend, with 3-year-old Cugino (USA) (Twirling Candy {USA}) entered in the GIII Hill Prince Stakes and 4-year-old Battle of Normandy (USA) (City of Light {USA}) entered in the GIII River City Stakes.

“I thought she was one of the best mares in the sale today,” said Elite's Liz Crow. “She has two half-brothers that are running in stakes this weekend. She's in foal to Justify, a tremendously good cover. She could run herself, she was stakes-placed behind a Grade I winner in New York. She's by Tapit. I just thought it was one of the better families in the catalogue today. She looked tremendous coming in here, so we were kind of expecting that she would be one of the top mares today.”

The Brunacinis warmed up for their big purchase just two hips before Veronica Greene went through the ring, purchasing Urgence (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}) (Hip 836), in foal to Taiba (USA), for US$160,000 (AU$241,000) from the Gainesway consignment.

Shimokobe extends to $525K for Connect's Witwatersrand

Midway through Thursday's session, Yukio Shimokobe, stationed by the back bidding stand, went up to US$525,000 (AU$789,000) for Hip 861, Witwatersrand (USA) from the Bluewater Sales consignment.

A daughter of the Graded stakes-winning Carta De Oro (USA) (Medaglia d'Oro {USA}), the 3-year-old filly is a granddaughter of graded winner Communique (USA) (Smart Strike {USA}).

Gallery: Images courtesy of Keeneland

“First of all, I saw the father, Connect, and she was very exactly like that–smooth-moving and light,” said Shimokobe, signing on behalf of Shimokobe Farm and Nobu Araki's Polo Green Stables. “I love that and she moves the same way. That is what I love. She had a good breeder and a good pedigree so everything was perfect to me. We will see what stallion fits her. We will breed her [in the USA] and then take her back to Japan.”

Shimokobe Farm and Polo Green also bought Hip 833, Unifying (USA) (Union Rags {USA}) for US$400,000 (AU$601,000) on Thursday afternoon. One day earlier, the team purchased Swall (USA) (Ghostzapper {USA}) (Hip 418) and Barrier Island (USA) (Speightstown {USA}) (Hip 499), in foal to Life Is Good (USA).

Life Is Good weanling heads Book 2 finale

Late in Thursday's session, a colt by Life Is Good (Hip 1050) brought a US$400,000 (AU$601,000) final bid from Flying Dutchmen. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales on behalf of breeder China Horse Club, the February 18 foal was the highest-priced foal of the day. Hunter Rankin signed the ticket.

The bay is the first foal out Graded-placed Lady Aces (USA) (Constitution {USA}), purchased by China Horse Club for US$200,000 (AU$301,000) at this venue in 2022. This represents the family of Grade 1 winner Paradise Woods (USA).

“We are really excited with what the mare has produced right away,” said China Horse Club's Christie DeBernardis. “We are looking forward to a lot greater produce from her.”

Standing at WinStar for US$75,000 (AU$113,000) in 2025, Life Is Good, a four-time Grade I winner, entered stud in 2023.

“We are excited that it is a Life Is Good since we raced him with WinStar and continue to partner with them,” DeBernardis continued. “His first crop has been impressing us one right after the other. We still have six of them ourselves and each one is better than the next.”

China Horse Club sold a pair of horses at Keeneland this week, including Tawaret (USA) (Hip 432), who sold for US$175,000 (AU$263,000) shortly after exiting the ring. Also during Thursday's session, a colt by the sire (Hip 1074), consigned by Denali Stud, brought US$300,000 (AU$451,000) from Rafey Racing.

“We also sold a mare here (Wednesday) in foal to Life Is Good, so we're out here trying to put him into the market,” she said. “Life Is Good has taken us on an amazing ride and we are excited for it to continue with his offspring. Mr. Teo (King) and the team have always been big believers and we will continue to support him.”