Keeneland January sale: $750,000 2-year-old filly Princesse Lele tops strong Day 1

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The 2-year-old filly Princesse Lele sold for $750,000 as the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale began its four-day run with gains on Tuesday.

Keeneland reported 249 horses sold through the ring on Tuesday, the first of two Book 1 sessions, for gross receipts of $18,015,200. The sale was originally scheduled to begin on Monday, but was pushed back one day due to logistical complications caused by a record snowfall last Thursday in Lexington.

The opening session of the 2021 edition of Keeneland January grossed $12,095,400 from 206 horses sold through the ring.

Tuesday's average price finished at $72,350, up 23 percent compared to $58,716 in the opening session last year. The median jumped 11 percent, to $39,000 from $35,000.

The session's buyback rate was 25 percent, compared to 32 percent a year ago.

Buyers and consignors noted the strength of the marketplace, even while acknowledging some soft spots.

“The middle market seems a little weaker than November,” Adrian Regan of consignor and buyer Hunter Valley Farm said. “We’ve been trying to buy, then when you follow something in, we’re not getting close. The good ones are making premium.”

:: DRF BREEDING LIVE: Real-time coverage of breeding and sales

Princesse Lele was purchased by Three Chimneys Farm in a partnership buyout. The 2-year-old Quality Road filly was co-bred by Three Chimneys and Hill 'n' Dale Farm, which announced last fall that they would be dispersing their shared holdings. Hill 'n' Dale is handling the consignment. Three Chimneys bid via the internet on Tuesday.

The filly is out of the Grade 1-winning Malibu Moon mare Carina Mia, who was campaigned by Three Chimneys. Carina Mia sold for $2.6 million to Shadai Farm at last November's Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale, which featured the first phase of this dispersal.

Princesse Lele is the second foal out of the mare. Her first foal, a 3-year-old Curlin colt named Plus Maximus, has not yet started.

Carina Mia is out of Miss Simpatia, a full sister to Argentinian champion and U.S. Grade 1 winner Miss Linda. That makes Carina Mia a half-sister to Argentine Oaks winner Miss Match, also a Grade 1 winner in the U.S.

Three Chimneys landed three of the top five lots of the session, with another of their pricey purchases also a partnership buyout from the Hill 'n' Dale consignment. Justly, a 2-year-old filly from the first crop of Triple Crown winner Justify, was hammered down at $410,000 to her co-breeder to tie for the day's fourth-highest price.

Eight-time stakes winner Hello Beautiful was purchased by Larry Best's OXO Equine as the final horse through the ring on Tuesday to tie that price.

Justly is out of Eclipse Award champion juvenile filly Take Charge Brandi, who went home to Three Chimneys after it bought out Hill 'n' Dale for $1.15 million at the Fasig-Tipton November sale. Take Charge Brandi, a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner Omaha Beach, and a granddaughter of Broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady, updated the catalog page this month when her son Courvoisier won the Jerome Stakes at Aqueduct.

:: Get Daily Racing Form Past Performances – the exclusive home of Beyer Speed Figures.

John Sikura of Hill 'n' Dale said he was the underbidder to his former partners on Justly.

"She is a lovely filly," Sikura said. "I tried hard to buy her. It’s a lovely, active pedigree and there is a good current 3-year-old, everything is positive.”

Later in the day, Three Chimneys partnered with Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm on the $470,000 purchase of Grade 3-placed Remedy, who produced her first foal in 2021 but was not bred back for this season. She finished as the second-highest price of the day behind PrincesseLele.

Remedy, by Creative Cause, is a half-sister to Grade 3-placed stakes winner Harry's Holiday. Their granddam is Broodmare of the Year Leslie's Lady.

For hip-by-hip results from Tuesday, click here.