Keeneland gains continue

After posting tremendous gains in gross and average on Wednesday, the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale continued Thursday with a $260,000 early session- leader in Saturday's Child.

Saturday's Child, a 5-year-old daughter of Storm Cat, sold in foal to Broken Vow. She was consigned by Mill Ridge Sales and was purchased by Domino Stud of Lexington. As of 5 p.m. Eastern, she was the only horse to sell for six figures Thursday.

Thursday's fourth session followed a banner Wednesday at Keeneland, in which both the average and gross soared 61 percent over the third session from a year ago. On Wednesday, 249 horses sold for $7,171,400, an average of $28,801 and a median of $11,000. The median was up 13 percent.

After three days of the five-day auction, 740 horses had been sold for $42,545,600, up 61 percent from the first three days of the 2003 sale. The three-day average price of $57,494 and median of $25,000 were increases of 53 percent and 25 percent, respectively.