Halfway through November sale, Keeneland showing gains

The well-bred young broodmare Spritz brought $550,000 to lead Friday’s session as the Keeneland November breeding stock sale hit its midway point with gains in key figures.

Friday's action, the fifth of 10 sale sessions overall, marked the close of the Book 3 portion of the sale. To this point, Keeneland reports that 1,041 horses have sold for gross receipts of $182,437,000. Through the first five sessions of the 2021 November sale, 1,120 horses had sold for $166,206,000.

The cumulative average price at the November sale currently sits at $175,252, tracking up 18 percent from $148,398 at this point last year. The median is up 5 percent, sitting at $100,000 compared to $95,000.

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The buyback rate in a somewhat polarized market has been the only blight, as it currently sits at 25 percent, compared to 21 percent at this point in 2021.

Spritz, a 4-year-old Awesome Again mare carrying her first foal, to the cover of Quality Road, sold for $550,000 to Kamden Racing from the consignment of Bedouin Bloodstock, as agent, to lead the session.

Spritz won once from 11 starts, and was second in the 2021 Bourbonette Oaks at Turfway Park. She is out of the stakes-winning Holy Bull mare Holy Blitz, making her a half-sister to Eclipse Award champion Judy the Beauty. They are bred on the same cross, as Judy the Beauty is by Ghostzapper, a son of Awesome Again.

Bedouin Bloodstock enjoyed an outstanding session, as it also sold the mare tied for the second-highest price of the session overall, as well as the session-leading weanling. Multiple Grade 2 winner Hotshot Anna, also in foal to Quality Road, sold for $400,000 to Frederick & May Construction from the consignment to share the second spot on the day's leaderboard.

Bedouin's session-leading weanling was a filly from the first crop of multiple Grade 1 winner McKinzie, purchased for $175,000 by Creek Bloodstock.

The filly, an April foal, is out of the Grand Slam mare Lady Rapper, making her a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Princess Violet.

Keeneland November's second half kicks off with a two-session Book 4 on Saturday and Sunday. The sale wraps up with a three-session Book 5 from Monday through Wednesday. Keeneland will host a single-session horses of racing age sale on Thursday, Nov. 17.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.

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