DRASTIC DROP AT KEENELAND

 By Sarah Whitelaw
18 July 2002

 

Despite a late flurry, this year’s Keeneland July Sales has suffered a drastic drop from last year’s prices. The average and total both declined since last year. For this year’s sale 87 horses sold for US $42, 385,000 - down 32.9% from last year’s sale. The average dropped by 31.4% to US $487,184. 

The top price was a colt by Storm Cat out of the Mr Prospector mare Tacha. He is from the immediate family of the Group 2 winner State Shinto. Further back it is the family of Detroit, Carnegie, Durtal and champion sire Zabeel.

The colt was purchased by Coolmore’s Demi O’Byrne for US $3,100,000 and was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency.

The second highest priced yearling was a filly, also by Storm Cat. Out of Canadian Broodmare of the Year, Amelia Bearhart, she went for US $2,800,000. She is a half sister to Breeders Cup Turf hero, Chief Bearhart  and Hollywood Derby winner Explosive Red. This is also the family of Storm Cat’s Grade 1 winning son, Forestry, and further back the family of Seattle Slew and Mr Prospector.

Purchased by Eugene Melnyk, the filly was offered by David and Ginger Mullins. 

The third highest priced yearling is a son of Gone West out of Grade 2 winner Colonial Play. The bay colt was purchased by Buzz Chance from Taylor Made Sales Agency for US $2,100,000. The dam is a full sister to champion Pleasant Stage and former South African sire, Stage Colony. This is the family of Gone West’s Grade 1 winning son, Changeintheweather. 

The sales topper on day one was a filly by Belong To Me out of Grade 1 winner Tomisue’s Delite. The filly, purchased by John Ferguson, has a pedigree full of quality. The granddam was a champion filly, and her third dam was Broodmare of the Year, Up The Flagpole. The filly, who traces to La Troienne, was bought for US $2,000,000. The second top lot on day one was a sister to Grade 3 winner Prime Directive, by Gone West. She was purchased for US $1350,000 by Bob and Beverly Lewis. The filly was consigned by Lane’s End Farm. 

Several sires with their first yearlings on offer did well. Sons of Storm Cat were sought after, with both of Taylor Made’s young sires, Exploit and Forestry, enjoying excellent first sales. The sole Horse Chestnut on offer, a half brother to Kentucky Derby runner up Invisible Ink was sold for US $340,000 to James C. Spence. Offered by Indian Creek as agent for Jim E. Nelson, the colt is out of the Conquistador Cielo mare, Conquistress. 

Another yearling with a South African connection was the Hennessy three parts sister to Aristis, who sold for US $325,000. 

The leading sire by average, was Overbrook Farm’s Storm Cat. The most expensive stallion in the world sold 3 with an average of US $2,096,666 for a total of US $6,290,000. One of North America’s most popular sires, A.P. Indy sold one for US $1,250,000. This was a colt out of Ballerina Princess, a daughter of Mr Prospector, from the family of Cryptoclearance, Revidere, Harlan’s Holiday and former South African sires Home Guard and Peaceable Kingdom.

Gone West had another good sale with 7 selling at an average of US $964,285. The son of Mr Prospector was the leading sire by gross US $6,750,000. He was followed on the leading sires by average list by Seeking the Gold, Belong to Me, Mt Livermore, Silver Deputy and the late Unbridled. 

The leading consignors by gross was led by Taylor Made Sales Agency, who sold 16 lots for US $10,120,000. They were followed by Eaton Sales who sold 12 yearlings for  US $5,845,000 and Lane’s End who sold three for US $3,825,000. 

The familiar names topped out the leading buyers list, Godolphin for a change reversing the position with their old rival Coolmore. John Ferguson bought 3 lots for US $5,300,000. Demi O’Byrne also bought three, which cost US $4,030,000. Eugene Melnyk bought two for US $3,300,000.