Keeneland sale slows down

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Keeneland November mixed sale saw declines across the board Wednesday at its 10th of 15 sessions, but the auction continued to see gains in its cumulative figures.

The Wednesday session sold 266 horses for $6,295,500, a drop of less than 1 percent from the 2006 figure for the equivalent session, when 240 horses were sold. The 2007 average of $23,667 was off by 10 percent, and the median of $17,500 was down 13 percent from last season.

Wednesday's session-topper was the $180,000 broodmare Thunder Bayou, a 4-year-old Thunder Gulch mare offered in foal to Broken Vow. Andre and Trish Regard's Occidental Thoroughbreds bought Thunder Bayou for a partnership based at their Bourbon County, Ky., farm. Hartwell Farm, agent, sold the mare.

The November auction's cumulative figures were brighter, with gross up 8 percent to a sale-record $328,069,900 from the sale of 2,407 horses. The 10-day average also was up 8 percent to $136,298. Median was level with last year at $55,000.

The Keeneland November sale, which this year cataloged a record 5,415 horses, continues through Nov. 19. Sessions begin daily at 10 a.m. in Keeneland's sale pavilion in Lexington.