Keeneland to hold one-day horses of racing age sale after November breeding stock sale

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Keeneland November breeding stock sale officially runs from Nov. 7-16. On Nov. 17, the company will break out a single-session November horses of racing age sale, keying in on what has been an increasingly important segment of the marketplace.

Keeneland November has regularly offered a selection of racing stock in the second week of its run, with graduates of those offerings in recent years including Kentucky Oaks winner Sharedaresthedevil, Grade 1 winner Combatant, and graded stakes winners Bob and Jackie and Stolen Base. Last year, with the racing age offerings consolidated in the final session of the breeding stock sale, the $825,000 Strava led the way.

“We’ve seen that section of the marketplace grow consistently over the last number of years,” said Tony Lacy, Keeneland’s vice president of sales. “If you look at the claiming ranks, demand for ready-to-run horses is stronger than ever. We want to try to facilitate that demographic as much as possible.”

The racing age offerings are likely to draw strong interest this November, as a demand for young stock has been seen throughout the 2021-22 mixed sale season and the 2022 yearling sale season.

There are 320 horses lined up for what Lacy called a “dynamic and flexible” catalog for the horses of racing age sale. Entries for this sale closed following the deadline for the rest of the November sale, and Keeneland is continuing to review supplemental entries.

“Having entries close earlier for a sale like that just generates a lot of scratches,” Lacy said.

With horses of racing age not being factored into the breeding stock sale figures, it will be hard-pressed to match pace with its 2021 breeding stock sale, which finished with gains across the board. The sale posted its highest gross since a pre-pandemic 2016, with 2,540 horses sold for $208,283,500, an average of $82,001, and a record median of $37,000.

But the catalog for the breeding stock sale is still strong and should draw well. The November breeding stock sale had 3,705 lots cataloged, including supplemental entries, through Oct. 31, with multiple Group 1 winner and Breeders’ Cup Mile entrant Dreamloper having been added just that morning. The catalog includes a pair of Eclipse Award champions in Midnight Bisou, carrying her second foal to the cover of Tapit; and Shamrock Rose, in foal to Curlin for her third pregnancy. They both went through the ring as broodmare prospects in recent years, selling for $5 million and $2.5 million, respectively. Midnight Bisou’s dam, Diva Delite, a $1.2 million mare three years ago, also is cataloged at Keeneland November.

The catalog also includes the dams of this year’s Belmont Stakes winner, Mo Donegal, and of multiple Grade 1 winner Nest, who is expected to be one of the favorites in the Breeders’ Cup Distaff on Saturday at Keeneland. Breeders’ Cup entrants Caravel (Turf Sprint) and Edgeway (Filly and Mare Sprint) also are cataloged.

The breeding stock sale garnered a standout offering when the owners of unbeaten Breeders’ Cup Classic favorite Flightline announced that a 2.5 percent interest will be offered at the start of Keeneland’s opening Book 1 session on Nov. 7. This is expected to be the only opportunity to buy into the horse before he eventually goes to stud. West Point Thoroughbreds is offering the share.