$475K filly lights up ninth session

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Distorted Humor provided a select-sale flavor to the Keeneland September yearling sale's ninth session on Wednesday in Lexington when one of his daughters brought a $475,000 bid late in the day.

McCarthy and Hertrich Livestock bought the filly from Calumet Farm. Sold as Hip No. 3113, the bay filly is out of Mysteries, a Group 3-placed daughter of Seattle Slew. Her price reflected both the popularity of her sire and the impressive depth of her family. She is a half-sister to Japanese champion Hishi Akebono; Group 1 winner Agnes World; Mysterial, the dam of Group 1 winners Librettist and Dubai Destination; and to stakes winner and stakes producer My Sea Castles.

Hip No. 3113 was the top price at the session by 5 p.m.

Tuesday's eighth session of the 14-day Keeneland September yearling sale confirmed the recent pattern of strong prices for middle-market stock, posting gains in gross and average. Tuesday's session sold 286 yearlings for $15,969,400, up 6 percent from last year, and the $55,837 average increased 9 percent. The median price of $40,000 was the same as for the equivalent day last year.

But the auction's cumulative numbers still bore some effects of the correction on Sept. 10-11, the sale's two select days, which saw the market peak lowered from $11.7 million for Meydan City in 2006 to $3.7 million for an Unbridled's Song-Secret Status colt this year. Through Tuesday's session, the eight-day numbers showed the auction had sold 1,983 yearlings for $340,060,600, down 7 percent from last season, while average fell 5 percent to $171,488. The median price of $100,000, however, painted a sunnier picture, as it was up 11 percent as spending shifted from the exclusive upper levels above $1 million to the mid- to high six figures.

On Tuesday, a pair of horses brought the day's highest price of $260,000. One was a Cape Town colt out of Proper Dance, a stakes-placed Nureyev mare; Marsha Naify purchased the colt from Brandywine Farm and Liberation Farm. The second was a Mr. Greeley filly out of the Touch Gold matron Wild Crazy Lady. Tom Gentry, agent, signed the ticket, and Highclere Sales was the consigning agent.

The Keeneland September sale was to continue through next Tuesday with sessions starting daily at 10 a.m.