Keeneland recap

The January sale is over thankfully. While the trends of the economy worldwide and the horse market in general continue to decline this sale was off not only because of those factors but because of a weak group of horses and the numerous scratches. I was pleased to get $14000 for my Grand Reward yearling but disappointed that Moonlight Flite did not sell.

Out's out

The first out list has been posted by Keeneland and there are lots of them. Here is a link. Several of my targets are out which does not come as a surprise. The recently concluded OBS mixed sale was off close to 60% which was also not a surprise and though the quality of horses between the Keeneland sale and OBS is not really close, it is clearly a bad sign for sellers in next weeks sale.

Keeneland January

The sale is a week away and the forecast is not bright. The vast majority of industry people who I have talked to about the upcoming sale are pessimistic about this and the two year old sales. Of course most of those people are in the business of breeding, raising and/or selling horses so I suppose the opposite view would be the market will be ripe for buyers to pick off quality horses for prices that would normally be considered value. I am particularly interested in Crestwood's dispersal of the Everest Stable. There are several really interesting horses in that consignment including broodmares, racehorses and recently turned two year olds. I like Petionville as a sire of racehorses and I think he will be pretty good broodmare sire like his sire Seeking the Gold.

2009 sales

The Keeneland January sale is about a month away. The sale will be the first of the new year which many believe will be a continuation of the rough market experienced in 2008. There are a lot of quality horses in the January sale but it will be interesting to see exactly how many stay in the sale and what kind of reserves are being set. Azeri is the highest profile mare in the sale and supposedly she will be sold as part of some sort of tax reorgainzation or estate plan. I dont know that she will bring the huge prices that would have been expected for her just last year. CES is selling two lots, a PA bred yarling by Grand Reward and a broodmare prospect by Minardi named Moonlight Flite. They sell as hips 1320 and 2085 and will be sold with no reserve. I expect the colt to attract some attention as he is a well made horse by a sire who will get his first runners to the track next year and the demand for good looking PA breds has never been higher. The mare who is being sold as a broodmare prospect, however she could be put into training, has a nice family and is very correct as she was a $160,000 two year old in training purchase.

Genuine Devotion brings $1,000,000 at Fasig Tipton

Genuine Devotion who was selected and purchased at auction by CES was sold at the Fasig Tipton November sale for $1,000,000. She is a Grade 3 stakes winner and has won three stakes altogether along with close to $300,000 in earnings. Her 3/4 brother by Danehill Dancer, Mastercraftsman, is among the leading juveniles in Europe this year. Not bad for a $90,000 yearling.

High in the Park, the dam of Divine Park who was another bargain yearling purchase by CES ($20,000), was sold for $205,000 in foal to Medaglia d'Oro.

Breeding stock sales set to start today

Fasig Tipton's high class, one day November sale is held today beginning at 3:00 eastern. BEC will be there to watch Genuine Devotion sell as hip number 149. Fasig officials have told me that they are expecting in excess of a million dollars for her. The highlights of the sale include Breeders cup Juvenile filly winner Stardom Bound going through the ring and the final horse to be sold is Better than Honour who is the dam of Rags to Riches, Jazil and Casino Drive. The mammoth Keeneland November sale starts tomorrow with more than 5700 horses cataloged. While everyone expects the sales to be off the question is exactly how far the numbers will tumble and is there any market at all left for the cheaper horses? It is going to be an interesting two weeks.

Horses for sale and horses needed

We have two Medallist yearling fillies for sale. Both are well mannered, rangy and clean legged individuals. One is out of a Silver Hawk mare who is from the family of two year old Champion Stevie Wonderboy. Her pedigree is here . The second filly is by a stakes placed Homebuilder mare who is a half sister to the dam of stakes winners Don Corleone and the undefeated 2008 Indiana Derby winner Tin Cup Chalice. Interestingly enough her 4th dam is a half sister to the famous racehorse Silky Sullivan. Her pedigree is here. Both fillies are headed off to be broke next week.

We are looking for racehorses of all varieties. If you have anything that you are interested in moving please e mail me at www.simonracing1@aol.com or www.becbloodstock.com or call at 502 489 7492 or 502 639 0707.