Book 4 of the Keeneland September yearling sale kicked off on Monday showing more of the same strength from the first half of the marathon sale, and pushed the cumulative gross past last year’s final total, led by a $350,000 colt from the first crop of Cairo Prince. Trade closed on Monday with 276 horses sold on the day for revenues of $18,385,000. That marked a 22 percent gain from the first session of last year’s Book 4, when 275 offerings sold for $15,036,900. The average sale price rose 22 percent to $66,612 from $54,680, while the median increased 35 percent to $50,000 from $37,000. The buyback rate closed at 21 percent against last year’s comparable session figure of 24 percent. At the top of the market, Monday’s lone horse past the $300,000 mark was one fewer than last year’s Book 4 opener. However, the number sold for $200,000 or more rose to 13 from eight, while overall six-figure transactions increased to 64 from 43. “It was hard to buy horses earlier in the week,” said Craig Bernick of Glen Hill Farm. “Our hope was sort of for the people with money to leave town, but I think they all had the same trouble buying horses, and it seems like it’s carried over.” The $350,000 Cairo Prince colt sold to bloodstock agent Mike Ryan. The gray or roan colt is out of the stakes-placed Horse Chestnut mare Precious Princess, whose four winners from five runners includes Grade 3 winner Zipessa. Bred in Kentucky by G. Watts and Sally Humphrey, the colt is from the family of Grade 3 winner Dearest and Grade 1-placed stakes winner Stopshoppingmaria. "I don't think there will be a better horse here today,” Ryan said. “He measures up with anything that was selling in Book 1 or 2 from a physical standpoint, and he has a nice pedigree. If he's a good horse on the racetrack, he certainly has stallion potential." The colt the most expensive foal out of Precious Princess to sell at public auction, surpassing the Street Boss colt Monydontspenitself, who brought $115,000 as a yearling. The Humphreys also co-bred Precious Princess and second dam Dootsie. :: DRF BREEDING LIVE: Real-time coverage of breeding and sales Lane’s End consigned the colt, as agent. “We knew he was popular,” said Allaire Ryan of Lane’s End. “He had a dozen scopes; he'd gone over very well in the barns. We were realistic with the reserve, and that was a healthy auction. We thought he'd bring anywhere from $100,000 to $200,000, and he went well beyond that. "He was a little immature when we were doing our inspections, which is part of the reason why he's here [in Book 4]. We lucked out with the sire becoming really popular. He seems like gold, and everyone's trying to get their hands on them. The stars kind of aligned for us in that way, and we were kind of fortunate with it." WinStar Farm resident Super Saver finished the day as the leading sire by gross, with seven horses bringing a combined $705,000. Leading the way was a filly who sold to Cromwell Bloodstock for $160,000 Cairo Prince, a member of the Airdrie Stud roster, led Monday’s sires by average sale price, with three yearlings averaging $179,000. Select Sales was Monday’s leading consignor by gross, with 35 horses sold for $2,374,000. The consignment moved the day’s fourth most expensive offering, an Oxbow colt, to Robert Cowell for $215,000. Bloodstock agency EQB was the day’s top buyer, with four purchases totaling $485,000. The most expensive was a $210,000 Shackleford colt. At the end of the Keeneland September sale’s seventh session Monday, a total of 1,455 horses had brought a cumulative gross of $273,298,000, up 10 percent from the halfway point of last year’s Book 4, when 1,642 yearlings had brought a combined $248,721,400. The gross after seven sessions surpassed the final number from last year’s 13-day sale, which ended with $272,890,500 from 2,792 horses sold. The average sale price was up 24 percent to $187,834 from $151,475, the median was up 33 percent to $120,000 from $90,000, and the buyback rate sat at 30 percent compared with 28 percent last year. Book 4 of the Keeneland September sale concludes Tuesday, and the auction continues daily through Sept. 23, beginning each day at 10 a.m. Eastern.