Belgrade sells for $700,000 to top Day 2 at Keeneland January sale

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The promising colt Belgrade, the final horse through the ring, sold for $700,000 to lead Wednesday's activity, carrying the Book 1 portion of the Keeneland January horses of all age sale across the finish line.

Keeneland reported that 263 horses sold through the ring Wednesday, the second of two Book 1 sessions, for a gross of $18,859,500. Last year's second session grossed $23,851,400 from 247 horses sold through the ring. Last year's comparable session was supercharged by the high-profile dispersals of the legendary Sam-Son Farm and the prominent racing stable of the late Paul Pompa Jr., with a pair of $925,000 mares tying for the top price.

Wednesday's average price was $71,709, a decline of 24 percent compared to the dispersal-fueled $94,411 from the comparable session last year. Overall, the Book 1 average finished at $72,111, a more moderate dip of 8 percent from the cumulative $78,178 in Book 1 last year.

The session's median price, considered an important figure for overall and middle-market health, finished at $40,000, equal to last year's second session. Overall, the Book 1 median rose 8 percent, to $40,000 from $37,000.

The buyback rate for the session was 20 percent, compared to 22 percent last year. Overall, Book 1's buyback rate improved to 23 percent, compared to 27 percent.

Keeneland accepted supplemental entries to the January sale, with those accommodated at the end of each session. Those late offerings drew a strong response. After three of the top 10 lots in Tuesday's opening session emerged from the supplemental catalog, four of the top six prices on Wednesday came from that segment.

“The supplements allow us the freedom to accommodate people with really good fillies," said Cormac Breathnach, Keeneland’s director of sales operations. “We always felt good about the body of the catalog, but to be able to add some quality at the back end with the supplements made the catalog finish strongly and create momentum.”

Belgrade was supplemented to the sale following a six-length debut victory going six furlongs Dec. 18 at Fair Grounds for Randy Bradshaw and trainer Brendan Walsh that earned a Beyer Speed Figure of 79. The 3-year-old son of Hard Spun was purchased by Carl and Yurie Pascarella from the consignment of Four Star Sales, as agent. He will join the barn of trainer Graham Motion.

“It is terribly tricky to buy a horse like this," said Motion's racing manager Jane Buchanan, who signed the ticket. “We have been trying to buy privately all last year. It was expensive, but that is what these horses [3-year-old colts with two-turn potential] are making right now.”

Carl Pascarella is no stranger to two-turn sophomores, or to Motion's prowess with that division. The former CEO of Visa, Pascarella was a familiar face during the company's 10-year sponsorship of the Triple Crown series, when it offered a $5 million bonus to any horse that could sweep the three spring classics. Pascarella's involvement in Thoroughbred ownership has been highlighted by his experience with the Team Valor partnership that campaigned 2011 Kentucky Derby winner and champion Animal Kingdom, trained by Motion.

“We have followed [Belgrade] after his race," Buchanan said. "We liked how he won. We tried to buy him privately after his race. We liked how he did it, he ran good numbers. . . . He is a two-turn colt and he was trained by Brendan Walsh who does a really good job. He is a good trainer to buy from.”

Belgrade is the second winner from three starters out of the unraced Eskendereya mare Miss Prytania. She is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Medal Count, whose multiple Grade 1 placings included a third in the 2014 Belmont Stakes; and to Grade 3 winner and productive broodmare Garden District.

Prominent producers Co Cola and Susie's Baby were the session's highest-priced broodmares, each selling for $600,000.

Co Cola, carrying a full sibling to her Grade 1 winner Search Results, was purchased by Peter Blum. The 11-year-old Candy Ride mare was consigned by James B. Keogh's Grovendale, as agent.

Co Cola, second in the Grade 3 Old Hat Stakes, is a half-sister to Peruvian Group 1-placed Kingdom Road, who also was a champion in Ecuador. Their dam, the winning Yonaguska mare Yong Musician, is a half-sister to Canadian champion Kimchi; this also is the family of multiple Grade/Group 1 winner Mind Your Biscuits.

Co Cola has continued her family's solid production record. Her first foal, the 6-year-old Will Take Charge gelding Blue Steel, is a seven-time winner, including the Claiming Crown Iron Horse Kent Stirling Memorial Starter Stakes last December. Her next starter was the Flatter filly Search Results, who, last season as a 3-year-old, won the Grade 1 Acorn Stakes, Grade 3 Gazelle Stakes, and Busher Invitational. She also was a hard-fought second in the Kentucky Oaks and third in the Grade 1 Test Stakes.

Susie's Baby emerged from the supplemental catalog to sell for $600,000 when purchased by Cypress Creek LLC from the consignment of Gainesway, as agent. The 10-year-old Giant's Causeway mare was sold in foal to young classic sire Constitution.

Susie's Baby, a winner on the racetrack, is the dam of two winners from three starters. Those are led by Family Way, a daughter of Uncle Mo, who won the Kentucky Downs Ladies Marathon last September.

Susie's Baby is out of the stakes-winning Holy Bull mare Mekko Hokte, dam of Caravaggio, twice a winner at the renowned Royal Ascot meeting and one of the leading freshman sires of 2021. The mare also is the dam of Grade 2 winner My Jen, dam of a Group 3-placed runner in Japan.

The Keeneland January sale concludes with a two-session Book 2 portion spanning Thursday and Friday. For hip-by-hip results, click here.