Keeneland continued its record-setting pace Thursday through the
fourth session of its January Horses of All Ages Sale in
Lexington, Kentucky. The sales company already eclipsed the 2005 January sales total
on Wednesday after only three days of selling into the seven-day auction.
“The sale continues to roll on very successfully,” said Geoffrey Russell,
Keeneland’s director of sales. “Obviously, people have got great confidence in
the future of our sport.”
Grade 3 winner EXPECT AN ANGEL (Valid Expectations) brought the high price of
$440,000 from Stonewall Farm/Atoka. Consigned by Knockgriffin Farm (Jim
FitzGerald), agent, as Hip No. 1303, the six-year-old bay mare is out of Leah’s
Angel (Caller I.D.) and hails from the same female line as 1984 Ashland S. (G2) victress Enumerating (Turn and Count).
The Florida bred, who was being sold as a broodmare prospect, completed four
years of racing with a 24-9-4-1 record, amassing $236,799 in earnings. She annexed the
2004 Chaposa Springs H. (G3) and placed in last year’s Sweet
Briar Too S. at Woodbine. Expect an Angel was purchased for $57,000 at the 2001
OBS August Selected and Open Yearling Sale before selling again the next
year for $30,000 at the OBS June Sale of Two-Year-Olds in Training and
Horses of Racing Age.
Two mares tied for the second-highest price of $185,000. The first was Hip
1152, the five-year-old STORMY SEASON (Storm Cat) who was also purchased
by Stonewall Farm/Atoka. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent for Overbrook Farm, the
dark bay is out of the Grade 3-winning dam Timely Broad (Broad Brush), who also
placed in the 1998 Delaware H. (G3) and is a
half-sister to stakes winner From Time to Time (Rahy). Stormy Season’s granddam
is a half-sister to Wise Times, winner of the 1986 Travers S. (G1), Super Derby
Invitational (G1), Haskell Invitational H. (G1) and Lexington S. (G3).
Stormy Season, who is currently in foal to Cape Canaveral on a March 14
service with her first foal, compiled a record of 16-1-3-3 from 2003 to 2005
with $55,530 in earnings.
The stakes-placed MISS ME (GB) (Marju) brought a price of $185,000 from Edward Daly Bloodstock as Hip 1401. Consigned by Mill Ridge Sales, agent, the
five-year-old mare is out of the unraced Sandskip (Sanglamore), a half-sister to
French stakes winner Skipping (GB) (Rainbow Quest), who placed in the 2002
Charles Whittingham H. (G1), and 2005 English stakes heroine
Innocent Air (Galileo [Ire]). Miss Me, who was sold as a racing or broodmare prospect, also
comes from the same female family as Italian champion St Hilarion and 1996
Goodwood Breeders’ Cup H. (G2) victor Savinio.
Miss Me sports a line of 9-3-1-1 from three years of racing and $58,124
in earnings.
For the session, 236 horses sold for an aggregate $6,358,100, up 8 percent
from the 2005 edition when 259 horses brought $5,885,900. The average price
increased 18.6 percent, from $22,725 to $26,941, while the median price remained
steady at $12,000.
Over four days of selling, 979 head have been purchased for $62,641,400. This
total is up 23.5 percent from last year when 1,009 head accounted for
$50,730,800 in revenue. The average price increased 27.3 percent, from $50,278
to $63,985, while the median jumped 60 percent, from $20,000 to $32,000.
The seven-day sale continues Friday at 10 a.m. (EST). For complete results, visit www.keeneland.com.