Broodmare Q Bee tops penultimate session at Keeneland November

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The well-bred young mare Q Bee sold for $57,000 to Arif Kurtel of Turkey to lead the penultimate session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale on Saturday.

A total of 169 horses sold on Saturday for gross receipts of $1,311,500, resulting in an average price of $7,760 and median of $5,000. With one of 12 sessions remaining, the November sale's total gross stands at $199,592,400. On Friday, the sale surpassed the total gross of $197,851,300 from 2018's renewal.

Q Bee, a winning daughter of Quality Road, was consigned by Mill Ridge Sales, as agent. She sold carrying her third foal, to the cover of Keen Ice. She is one of 54 purchases thus far at this renewal of Keeneland November for Kurtel. The majority of those have been broodmares and broodmare prospects, but he also purchased multiple Grade 2 winner Catapult for $50,000 and plans to stand him in Turkey. Some of his new purchases will support the son of Kitten's Joy in his first season at stud.

Q Bee is out of Kentucky Oaks winner Pike Place Dancer, who produced five winners from nine starters. The Seattle Dancer mare did not produce a stakes horse, but three of her daughters did, with Class Selection producing Group 3-placed stakes winner Super Julia; Alexi Dancer producing Grade 3-placed Gresham and stakes-placed Westshore; and Hottie Dancer producing stakes-placed Honor Thy Father and Vincent Van Gogo.

Pike Place Dancer, who died in 2017, was a half-sister to Grade 2 winner and sire Petionville and stakes winner Midnight Foxtrot The Keeneland November sale concludes with a final session beginning at 10 a.m. on Sunday. For hip-by-hip results by session, click here.