LEXINGTON, Ky. – With continued strength at the top of the marketplace, the Keeneland November breeding stock sale concluded its Book 2 portion Thursday evening with double-digit gains. The Keeneland November sale began Tuesday with a single-session Book 1 and continued Wednesday and Thursday with a two-session Book 2. The sale has completed half its books and is approaching its midway point. The eight-session run continues with a two-session Book 3 before concluding with a three-session Book 4. Through the first three sessions, Keeneland reported that 596 horses have sold for gross receipts of $164,126,000. Through the first three sessions, and two books, in 2024, 556 had sold for $125,606,500. Both sets of figures represent only horses sold through the ring and do not account for private sales that will later be included in Keeneland’s official records. Book 1 was very strong at the top of the marketplace, with 17 horses sold for seven figures, up from nine to cross that threshold in 2024. Book 2 continued that strength at the top. Led by Wednesday’s sale of $1.3 million broodmare Anywho, who became the first seven-figure horse sold in the second session since 2022, 24 horses sold for $500,000 or more through the ring in the two Book 2 sessions, up from five to reach that point last year. Fueled by that activity, the cumulative average price at Keeneland November sits at $275,379, up 22 percent from $225,911 at this point last year. The median, considered a stronger indicator of overall market health than the average because it samples a wider swath of activity rather than being fueled by high-ticket prices, is up 12 percent to a cumulative $190,000, compared to $170,000. The buyback rate, also considered a key figure for market health, is improved at 23 percent, compared to 27 percent. “The day was fantastic – felt like a continuation of yesterday,” Keeneland vice president of sales Tony Lacy said at the conclusion of Thursday’s session. “The momentum was there, and there was the same enthusiasm for quality stock. The market never seemed to waver all day, which was really encouraging. The session jumped out of the gates well and hit the wire hard. A lot of people were here for the last hips going through the ring.” Although she didn’t reach the same heights as Anywho, the loudest horse of Thursday’s session was the young broodmare Taylor Swifter, purchased for $700,000 by Bryant Prentice’s Pursuit of Success LLC. The 5-year-old daughter of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah is carrying her first foal, to the cover of another Horse of the Year, Flightline. “She’s a very nice physical,” said Archie St. George, who signed the ticket. “She is by American Pharoah, who looks to be possibly a very good broodmare sire. She’s in foal to an exciting stallion, Flightline. The team and Mr. Prentice, [consultant] Bill Oppenheim, and everyone seemed to like the mare. There’s a lot of upsides to her.” Taylor Swifter is from a current family that is known all too well. She is out of the Medaglia d’Oro mare Taylor S, a Grade 2-placed stakes winner who is the dam of two winners from three starters – including, as St. George noted, the promising 3-year-old Taylor’s Version. Taylor S is out of Grade 3 winner Miss Macy Sue, the dam of multiple Grade 1 winner and consistent sire Liam’s Map, as well as Grade 3 winner and red-hot younger sire Not This Time. Given the success of those stallions, St. George said the team will be knocking on wood for a colt. “It’s a big pedigree with stallions on there, Not This Time and Liam’s Map,” he said. “Hopefully, Mr. Prentice has some luck with her … She will go back to [our farm] now and hopefully we’ll have a Flightline colt, and they can run.” For hip-by-hip results, click here. :: Want to learn more about handicapping and wagering? Check out DRF's Handicapping 101 and Wagering 101 pages.