Connagh's Quay feches $65K at Keeneland digital sale

Connagh’s Quay, a placed 3-year-old, fetched $65,000 to lead Keeneland's May digital sale as the company continues to build its standalone digital auctions.

Keeneland incorporated online bidding into its live auctions last year during the height of the coronavirus pandemic, with that sector of remote bidding gaining steam to contribute a solid amount to gross sales. The company has also taken advantage of the technology to begin hosting boutique digital-only mixed sales to offer additional opportunities to consignors, particularly with active horses of racing age. The marketplace continued to find its footing in the May sale, with six of the 15 horses on offer – comprising yearlings, active racehorses also considered stallion or broodmare prospects, and in-foal broodmares – selling for a gross of $144,000.

Kirkwood Stables purchased Connagh’s Quay, who was consigned as a racing or stallion prospect by his breeder, Juddmonte Farms. The colt, who was unplaced in two outings last fall, has this year finished third in a maiden on Jan. 1 at Tampa Bay, second in a maiden Feb. 28 at Tampa, and seventh in a maiden May 6 at Belmont.

Connagh's Quay is out of the unraced Empire Maker mare Routine, dam of three winners, all stakes horses, from six starters to date. The mare's winners are Tide of the Sea, who captured the Grade 3 W.L. McKnight earlier this year; stakes-placed Boule; and stakes-placed Module.

Routine is out of multiple Grade 1 winner Tates Creek, dam of Australian Group 3 winner Spirit Ridge. Tates Creek is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Sightseek, and this is the family of European champion Special Duty and Breeders' Cup Mile winner Expert Eye, among others.

Keeneland will host its next digital sale on June 29, with auctions also scheduled for July, August, October, and December.