Keeneland November: $140,000 mare Bamboozle tops ninth session

Following a two-day crush of high prices surrounding the Conquest Stables dispersal not often seen in the second week of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, Wednesday’s session resumed normal trade, led by the $140,000 broodmare Bamboozle.

Last year’s ninth session was the auction’s day for horses of racing age, which comprised this year’s seventh and eighth sessions, causing some dissonance between the comparative year-to-year numbers. Wednesday’s session saw 229 horses change hands for revenues of $4,360,300, down 36 percent from last year’s comparable day of trade when 243 horses brought $6,844,900.

Wednesday’s average sale price dipped 32 percent to $19,041 from $28,168, while the median declined 23 percent to $11,500 from $15,000. The buyback rate finished at 27 percent, up from 20 percent last year.

The session leader was Bamboozle, a 4-year-old Tapit mare who sold to Minnesota-based Jeff Drown’s curious nom-de-ticket "Big Kid" for $140,000.

Bred in Kentucky by Darley, the unraced Bamboozle sold in foal to Midshipman, her first pregnancy. She is out of the winning Hennessy mare Evil, whose four winners from six runners include Grade 2 winner and stallion Tiz Wonderful. Bamboozle is from the family of Grade 2 winner Prussian Blue and Grade 1-placed Grand Girlfriend.

Blandford Stud consigned Bamboozle, as agent.

Harvey Clarke bought the session’s top weanling, a colt from the first crop of Cairo Prince, for $120,000.

The gray or roan colt is the second foal out of the placed Harlan’s Holiday mare Holiday Kiss, from the family of Grade 1 winner Request For Parole and Grade 2 winner Singular Bequest. He was bred in Kentucky and consigned as agent by Brereton Jones.

Darley resident Midshipman was Wednesday’s leading covering sire by gross with eight mares sold for $378,000. He also led the group by average among those with three or more sold at $47,250.

Woodford Thoroughbreds topped the consignor list by gross, with 13 horses sold for $361,000. Triple Crown was the leading buyer with seven purchases totaling $207,000.

At the end of nine sessions, a total of 1,942 horses changed hands for $208,371,300, down 2 percent from the same point in 2015 when 1,958 horses brought $212,021,900.

The nine-day average price rose 0.01 percent to $108,301 from $108,285, while the median once again stayed even at $45,000. The buyback rate finished at 28 percent, up from 26 percent last year.

The Keeneland November sale continues daily through Nov. 20, with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern.

For complete sale results, click here.