Albertans at the November Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale
Albertans at the November Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale
The Keeneland website reviewed their recent sale stating that ‘Keeneland’s 81st November Breeding Stock Sale closed following nine days of vibrant trade from a global buying bench that yielded healthy across-the-board gains, led by gross sales through the ring of $187.5 million and a record median of $40,000 to signal continued buyer confidence and market stability. Demand for quality spurred competition at all levels of the market, highlighted by nine horses sold for more than $1 million and topped by $2.4 million for Grade 2 winner Roses for Debra. A strong November Sale foal market produced the two most expensive weanlings sold at public auction in North America for the 14th time in 15 years.’
A total of 2,050 horses through the ring for $187,557,400, an increase of 6.22% over last year’s nine-day auction, when 2,128 horses sold through the ring for $176,571,000. The average price of $91,491 was up 10.26% from $82,975 in 2023. The cumulative median price rose 25% from $32,000 to $40,000, exceeding the record of $37,000 set during the 2021 November Sale. The clearance rate was nearly 80%.
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Albertans were definitely making their presence felt at the high-profile Keeneland November Sale, with buyers like Highfield Investment Group Inc., Styled by Stars Ranch, Craig Smith, Agent, Don Gibb and Todd Kettleson, Agent actively competing for some of the quality Thoroughbreds on the market. Their expertise and commitment to the industry are sure to have a lasting impact, and Alberta’s growing influence in both the racing and breeding worlds is exciting to watch.
Highfield Investment Group purchased two mares ELEGANT SUPERMODEL for $36,000 and BUY ME A ROSE for 55,000, in addition to a two year old Gun Runner filly for $27,000.
The eleven year old Elegant Supermodel ($70,474) is by G1 runner Lope de Vega, sire of 135 black type winners and 6 champions, with progeny earnings of over $105 Million. The dam of Elegant Supermodel, the Sadler’s Wells daughter, Elegant As Well, has produced five winners including Treasury Notes ($91,662). Elegant Supermodel is currently in foal to the Uncle Mo son, Golden Pal.
The Violence daughter, Buy Me A Rose, is out of Crafty Friend daughter, Foxy Friend, producer of six winners including proven producer Tap for Luck ($129,565). A son of Medaglia d’Oro, Violence, is a G1 black type winner and sire of 51 black type winners, 2 champions and progeny earnings of over $54 Million. The six year old mare, Buy Me A Rose, is in foal to the Speightstown son, Olympiad.
The two year old unraced filly is by Horse of the Year and black type winner of $15 Million, Gun Runner. The Candy Ride (ARG) son has sired 33 black type winners with progeny earnings of over $51 Million including G1 winners Echo Zulu ($2.64 Million) and Taiba. The dam is El Corredor daughter, Ebony Run ($85,010) who has produced 3 winners from 3 foals to race including multiple stakes placed Pickens ($384,409).
Styled by Stars Ranch of Madden, Alberta made some strategic purchases buying the three mares VUEMONT for $2,500, SUGAR HAPPY for $3,500 and AWESOME TEAM for $2,500 among their purchases.
The A.P. Indy daughter Vuemont is a daughter of multiple grades stakes winning mare, Pico Teneriffe ($583,648), 2009 Outstanding Broodmare in Canada and producer of 6 winners including Marchfield ($1,098,938), Congor Bay ($261,775) and Westmoreland ($240,640). Horse of the Year A.P. Indy has been leading sire and leading broodmare sire twice and has progeny earnings of over $137 Million. Vuemont has produced the graded stakes placed runner Kokokomo ($251,040). The sixteen year old mare is in foal to the Curlin son and G1 winner Keen Ice.
The six year old Sugar Happy is a daughter of champion sprinter and Super Saver son, Runhappy, sire of 16 black type winners and 205 winners of 506 races with $21.96 Million in progeny earnings. The Tizway daughter, Sugar Reef, is the dam of Sugar Happy and has also produced the winner, Spirit of Power ($51,890). Sugar Happy is in foal to the Ghostzapper son, Loggins.
Awesome Team is a six year old Awesome Again daughter out of the Unbridled’s Song mare, Team Hansen. Awesome Again is a G1 Breeders’ Cup Classic winner and sire of 70 black type winners including 3 champions with total progeny earnings of over $103 Million. The dam, Team Hansen, has produced the winner Truth Goddess ($50,839) and is in foal to the Honor Code son and G1 winner Honor A.P.
Craig Smith, Agent purchased two three year old fillies, VICTORY GIRL for $11,000 and STARFALL for $8,000, in addition to the six year old mare HIGH FAIR for $15,000 and a weanling filly for $5,000.
Victory Girl and High Fair are both daughters of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, sire of 497 winners, including 48 black type winners and progeny earnings of over $66 Million. Victory Girl is a daughter of the Medaglia d’Oro daughter, Girl Talk ($117,831). High Fair is a daughter of the Ghostzapper mare, Touch and Smile ($76,240), and currently in foal to the Paynter son, Knicks Go.
The weanling filly is by the Pioneerof the Nile son, Classic Empire out of the Into Mischief mare, Into the Stars. Classic Empire was a Champion 2 year old colt and a black type winner of over $2.5 Million. Classic Empire has sired 162 winners of 405 races including 16 black type winners and 1 champion with total progeny earnings of over $17 Million.
The unraced Speightstown daughter Starfall is out of the Mineshaft daughter, Sky Shaft. Speightstown was a Champion sprinter and black type winner of $1.258 Million. As a sire, Speightstown has progeny with 956 winners of 3488 races and 144 black type winners with over $161 Million in earnings. Sky Shaft is a sister to graded stakes placed His Glory ($238,665).
Don Gibb purchased the Echo Town weanling for $1500 out of the Revolutionary mare, Pop Tall. Echo Town is a black type winner of over $400,000 and a sire of winners, with first foals who are just two year olds of 2024 including Three Echoes ($125,300).
The Pioneer of the Nile mare, FASHION HISTORY, was purchased by Todd Kettleson, Agent for $7,000.
Pioneer of the Nile was a G1 multiple graded stakes winner with earnings of over $1.6 Million as a racehorse. As a breeding stallion, the Empire Maker son is a leading sire with 448 winners including 4 champions and progeny earnings of over $72 Million. Pioneer of the Nile is a sire of dams of 13 black type winners including the champion Pica Flor V.
The dam of Fashion History is the graded stakes placed race mare and Bernardini daughter, Theysken's Theory ($195,502). The six year old mare is in foal to the Ghostzapper son, Loggins.
Looking forward to seeing the results of these carefully planned bloodstock investments!
The Alberta racing and breeding scene is bound to get even more exciting with these new quality additions. Best of luck to these buyers with their new acquisitions!
Photos reprinted from the Keeneland Sales Results website at https://www.keeneland.com/
Full sale results available on the Keeneland website at http://flex.keeneland.com/summaries/summaries.html
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