LEXINGTON, Ky. – Stakes-placed Cancel This sold for $825,000 to lead Thursday’s session at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale as that Book 2 opener posted some declines. Keeneland reported 213 horses sold for gross receipts of $34,428,000 on Thursday, the second session overall of its November sale and the first of two that make up the Book 2 portion. In last year’s comparable Book 2 opener, 197 horses brought $35,073,000. Some softness at the top of the marketplace led to an average of $161,634, a drop of 9 percent from $178,036 last year. The 2022 Book 2 opener was topped by a pair of seven-figure horses, and Book 2 finished with three horses to meet that threshold. The alphabetical organization of the catalog means that the perceived “best” horses in a given book could come on either day, still giving this year’s book time to meet that milestone. Thursday’s median was $180,000, a drop of 5 percent compared to $190,000. The buyback rate was 34 percent, compared to 28 percent. “The market has been really strong and kind of on a bull run for some years,” said Cormac Breathnach, Keeneland’s director of sales operations. “We had a great September sale and yearling market this year. I think that’s reflected in strong foal sales. What we’re seeing, we haven’t had a lot of time to digest it, but possibly some more realism in mare evaluations. The mares that have qualities that people want, the young mares that are well-covered, are very popular. Those that are maybe exposed a little bit more or have a little bit more age, it’s gotten more selective, it feels that way. But we still feel that we have a lot more to come. We’ve gotten a lot of positive feedback about what’s in tomorrow’s session. It’s the way the world is, it’s still a good sale.” Cancel This will join a prominent broodmare band after being purchased by Larkin Armstrong, acting as agent for Helen Alexander. “We purchased two mares yesterday, one for $425,000 and one for $400,000,” Armstrong said Thursday. Alexander “went into the sale wanting to buy some nice young mares for her breeding program, so I feel like we got stuff that we’re really excited about.” Cancel This finished second in this year's Satin and Lace Stakes at Presque Isle Downs, adding to her active family. The Malibu Moon filly is out of the stakes-winning Yes It's True mare Catch My Fancy, also the dam of stakes winners Dubini and What a Catch. Notably for her future, Cancel This also is a full sister to Catch the Moon and to Clarendon Fancy, both multiple stakes producers. Catch the Moon is the dam of Grade 1 winner and standout young sire Girvin, along with graded stakes winners Cocked and Loaded, Midnight Bourbon, and Pirate’s Punch. Clarendon Fancy is the dam of this year's Grade 1 winner Brightwork, along with stakes-placed Quiet Company. Cancel This was consigned by Four Star Sales, as agent for Corey Johnsen’s CJ Thoroughbreds. “When Dale Romans picked her out, I remember thinking that that was one of the most athletic, well-balanced yearlings we had ever bought,” Johnsen said. “She had really a good, solid racing career. Our plan was to buy yearlings, race, and then sell as broodmare prospects. I would say this one worked out very well. . . . And then of course we get a little lucky where the pedigree really does that, booms up. It would be very difficult to expect something like that. We just figured the market would take her as far as it would go. We’re very excited. This was one that really worked out.” The Keeneland November sale continues with no breaks through Nov. 16, with the ongoing Book 2 followed by Books 3, 4, and 5 consisting of two sessions each. The single-session horses of racing age sale, broken out into its own separate event last year, follows on Nov. 17. 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.