Albertans Active at the 2025 Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale
The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale has long been known as the marketplace where the future of the Thoroughbred industry begins. This year was no exception, as the 82nd edition of the sale delivered record-setting energy—and strong participation from Alberta breeders building their next generation of racing and broodmare stars.
Keeneland reported that the 2025 November Breeding Stock Sale concluded with $237.45 million in through-the-ring sales, plus nearly $8.45 million in post-sales, for a total of $245.9 million. This marks the highest-grossing November Sale since 2007 and continues a historic auction year for the Thoroughbred industry. By comparison, the 2007 November Sale grossed $340,877,220 over 15 sessions and included horses in training, a group that was separated into its own stand-alone November Horses of Racing Age Sale beginning in 2022.
From November 4–11, Keeneland sold 1,891 horses through the ring for $237,456,400, a 26.60% increase over last year’s nine-day auction. The world once again gathered in Kentucky, seeking foundation mares, future producers, and the next wave of elite racing prospects.
“When I think of the November Sale, the word ‘future’ really does come to mind,” said Conrad Bandoroff of Denali Stud, which sold 59 horses for $14,016,500. “Whether it be your next Book 1 yearling or your next foundation mare, it starts here. This is where people look to source them. The world comes together to buy the future of their broodmare band or racing stable.”
Albertans were part of that global momentum, making strategic purchases and investing boldly in their long-term breeding plans.
Cal Britton purchased Hip 2601 in Session 7 for $3,000, a weanling colt by Mo Donegal, whose first foals are yearlings of 2025. Mo Donegal is a son of champion two-year-old colt and leading sire Uncle Mo, and the colt’s dam is an unraced Lord Nelson mare named Pinhooker.
In Session 4, Barry Doud secured Hip 1075 for $35,000. The mare, Zawish, is a six-year-old daughter of Mshawish, a black-type placed winner out of the Malibu Moon mare Zadina, and is believed to be in foal to Complexity.
Jim and Susan Hill were active buyers as well, adding three quality weanlings in Session 4. Their first purchase, Hip 1087 for $47,000, is a filly by Maximus Mischief out of the Street Sense mare Amalfi Spritz, a full sister to black-type winner Champagne Anyone. They followed with Hip 1267 for $80,000, a colt by Charlatan—the Speightstown son whose first foals are two-year-olds of 2025—out of the accomplished graded stakes mare Keertana ($1,031,938), a proven producer of four winners including Ticonderoga (US$431,470). The Hills’ third addition was Hip 1323, a weanling filly by Maxfield. Her dam is a Tapiture daughter and full sister to multiple graded stakes-placed Li’l Tootsie (US$589,718), making this filly a particularly exciting long-term broodmare prospect.
Doug Oberg added to the Alberta buying strength in Session 4 with two weanlings. Hip 1074, purchased for $15,000, is the first foal out of the Muhaarar mare Ya Beauty, sired by Olympiad, whose first foals are yearlings of 2025. Oberg also purchased Hip 1205 for $12,000, a filly by Horse of the Year Knicks Go out of multiple graded stakes placed Fiera Nocturna. His buying continued into Session 8 with Hip 2717, a $3,000 weanling colt out of Xoxo, a Majestic Warrior daughter and proven race mare who has produced three winners including Butler Cabin (US$135,440).
Starline Thoroughbreds made a strong presence as well, selecting six weanlings across multiple sessions. Their purchases included Hip 1715 in Session 5, a Flameaway colt acquired for $3,000 out of the Mizzen Mast mare Mercurial, producer of two winners. They followed with Hip 2176 for $5,000, a Vino Rosso filly out of the Speightstown mare Pilot Episode, a full sister to Canadian champion two-year-old filly and multiple graded stakes-placed Bold Script. In Session 7 they added Hip 2456 for $3,500, a colt by War of Will out of the Pioneer of the Nile mare Getting Lucky. Their Session 8 additions included Hip 2711 for $1,500, a colt by Thousand Words out of Wicked Tap, a Pleasant Tap mare and producer of five winners including Undecoded ($159,967); Hip 2735 for $1,500, a Dialed In colt and first foal out of the Astern mare Astern Affairs; and Hip 2801 for $1,200, a filly by Global Campaign out of the Ghostzapper mare Espiritu.
Stone Ranches Ltd. added a blue-blooded mare to their program with the purchase of Hip 2726, the Dynaformer daughter Alpha Centauri, for $2,000. Alpha Centauri sold for $600,000 as a weanling, and her dam, Prima Centauri, is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Etoile Montante. She has produced four winners from six to race and is believed to be in foal to Vino Rosso.
Workwize Ent. Stables also made a notable addition to their breeding program with the acquisition of Hip 3005, the City Zip mare Catch a Thrill, purchased for $2,500. Catch a Thrill is out of the stakes-winning mare Successfully Sweet, who has produced five winners from six foals to race, including the multiple graded stakes-placed runner Confrontation ($398,875). Catch a Thrill is believed to be in foal to the Awesome Again son, Sir Winston, offering Alberta breeders another exciting broodmare prospect with proven pedigree power.
Looking ahead, Albertans who purchased in-foal mares have a major incentive to act now. The CTHS Alberta Mare Purchase Program is open to support buyers acquiring in-foal Thoroughbred mares located outside Alberta between October 1, 2025, and March 31, 2026** through public auctions or digital platforms. Eligible purchasers can receive a 40% reimbursement (up to $5,000 CAD) on qualifying mares, plus an additional $1,500 bonus if the mare is bred back to an Alberta stallion. To qualify, mares must foal in Alberta under program residency requirements.
Further information is available at: https://www.cthsalta.com/programs/marepurchaseprogram
https://www.keeneland.com/sales/
*Dollars in US for article
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