Keeneland January Book 2 gets off to flying start

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Keeneland January horses of all ages sale moved into its Book 2 portion on Wednesday with continued demand for quality offerings. A colt by Uncle Mo sold for $400,000 to become the highest priced of the newly turned yearlings at the sale overall, as Wednesday’s session posted across the board gains.

Keeneland reported 232 horses sold during Wednesday's first of three Book 2 sessions, including private transactions, for $5,207,200. Last year's Book 2 opener, the first of two in that section, had 244 horses sold for $4,137,300.

Wednesday's average price was $22,445, spiking 37 percent from $16,956. The median rose 50 percent, to $12,000 from $8,000.

Springhouse Farm purchased the session-leading colt from the consignment of Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent. The colt, by juvenile champion and young classic sire Uncle Mo, is a pinhook prospect.

“He’s a beautiful foal, to me, the nicest foal on the grounds,” Springhouse's Gabriel Duignan said. “Uncle Mo, his sire, couldn’t be any hotter. It’s a lot of money, but he’s a great horse.”

The colt is the second foal out of the stakes-winning Big Brown mare Red Sashay, a half sister to Group 3 winner Shamaal Nibras and stakes winner New Edition. Graded/group stakes winners Brushed Halory, Halory Hunter, International Star, Key Lory, Prory, Seahenge, and Van Nistelrooy appear on the catalog page.

Last year’s Book 2 portion of Keeneland January produced a high price of $230,000. Two horses have already eclipsed that in the first of three Book 2 sessions for 2020. Elle's Town was the session's most expensive filly or mare, selling for $240,000 to Douglas Arnold, as agent. The Speightstown filly, who was offered as a racing or broodmare prospect by Bluewater Sales, as agent, has won just once from 16 starts, but was second in the Pago Hop Stakes last month at Fair Grounds in her most recent outing. Arnold said that off that effort, the filly will remain in training.

Elle's Town is out of the Grade 3-placed stakes winner Irish Presence. That Midnight Lute mare is a half-sister to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Mountain Range, stakes winner Royal Vindication, stakes placed Mrs Petoski, and stakes producer Internal Affair.

For hip-by-hip results, click here. The Keeneland January sale continues with two more Book 2 sessions on Thursday and Friday.