Keeneland has respectable weekend

The Keeneland sale was fairly level this weekend for book 3 of the September sale. Despite being off in gross sales, average and median prices, the numbers as compared to last year were not bad in light of the fears of some. Obviously the economy is effecting things but there also be a market correction in play as the price of yearlings, breeding stock and stud fees may have risen beyond what the market can bear. An encouraging sign is that the number of horses sold has increased as the sellers have come to terms with the market and are putting reasonable reserves in on their horses which in turn leads to more sales and less RNA's. Personally I want to buy horses for what the market says they can bring as opposed to an artificial number set by the owner.

BEC had a great weekend, buying four horses that we had rated as A prospects and paid close to exactly what we had expected. During Saturday's session we were outbid on a couple of lots that we were hoping to steal and simply weren't that close but we did come away with an Eddington filly that was one of my favorite's. Hip number 1566 is out of a Broad Brush mare named Erase who was a winner on both the turf and dirt. She is a bit light on commercial pedigree but is very athletic, she moves like a cat, and I thought she was a nice racing prospect for $30000. During the bidding I actually was the underbidder on her as she sold for $35000 but the winning bidder was bidding on the wrong horse and after Keeneland and Claiborne officials consulted, they agreed to sell her to me for my last bid of $30000.

Sunday was a very good day as the three horses that we had targeted all fell within our price range and we got them all. The first was hip number 1851, a Thunder Gulch colt out of a stakes winning Royal Academy mare named Very Very that we claimed and trained for breeder Ron McKee. He turned out slightly in the right front but had a great walk and was very balanced. He looks like a nice prospect and Mr. McKee is going to stay in and partner with us on the colt.

The second horse that we really wanted was hip number 1899, a Johar colt out of a Shadeed mare named Bartered Bride. The colt is a half brother to a stakes winning filly named In Return who has set three track records on the turf at Monmouth Park. He has a great walk and looks like a larger version of another nice Johar colt named Albin that we have. His dam was bred to Smart Strike this year and she is owned by Jayeff B stables who are obviously supporting her by breeding her to top stallions. I was thrilled to get him for for Bob Gary for $40000.

Bob Gary also bought the third horse that we had targeted, hip number 1998, a Mizzen Mast filly out of the stakes placed Distant View mare, Far Afield. The filly is big and strong and absolutely looks like a runner. Consigned by Mill Ridge for breeder Dr. John Chandler, her mother was a promising prospect who won 2 races in four starts including a Keeneland allowance win and a third place finish in a listed turf stakes at Calder before an untimely injury ended her career just as it was taking off. We went to $37000 for her which is simply a steal.

Today is the first day of book 4 and there is a considerable drop off in the overall quality of horses from what I saw while looking at the barns yesterday. I have very little that I am interested in today though there are some interesting prospects on Tuesday. The better horses will still sell well though the ones with issues will really have a hard time today. The RNA's may rise because I saw a lot of bad horses that have expensive stud fees attached to them and some owners simply wont be able to stomach letting their horse with the $50000 stud fee go for $4000.

The most interesting news out of Keeneland this weekend was the saga of the top selling horse of Thursdays session, a Medaglia d'Oro filly who was purchased for $1.1 million dollars by English trainer Paul D'Arcy for a woman in England who didn't have the proper credit with Keeneland and later was found to have a checkered financial past. Keeneland took possession of the horses and they were later resold but they are taking legal action against the original buyers.