Keeneland September sale: $450,000 Mo Town colt leads the way as strong trade continues in Book 4

A colt from the first crop of Mo Town led the way at $450,000 as the Keeneland September yearling sale moved into its Book 4 portion Monday with figures that continued to soar.

Keeneland reported 319 horses sold through the ring Monday, the seventh session of the sale overall, for gross receipts of $27,330,000.

At last year's corresponding seventh session, 237 horses sold through the ring for $11,751,000, before any private sales were factored in. Monday's session was the first of two in this year's Book 4 portion, the penultimate book of this sale. After Book 4 on Monday and Tuesday, the sale continues with Book 5 from Wednesday through Friday.

Monday's average price was $85,674, a 76 percent spike from the $48,593 reported just after the close of business of the corresponding session last year. The median price was $60,000, up 50 percent from $40,000 last year.

The buyback rate also was greatly improved, finishing at 14 percent compared to 25 percent.

The session-topping colt was purchased by Ensemble Stables. This is the first crop for the versatile Mo Town, a son of young sire of sires Uncle Mo standing alongside his sire at Coolmore's Ashford Stud. Mo Town was a Grade 1 winner on turf and a Grade 2 winner on dirt.

The colt, who was consigned by Gainesway, as agent, is the second foal out of the Bernardini mare Closing Move, who is from the family of several noteworthy producers and stallions. Her half-sister Rosy Humor is the dam of multiple graded stakes-winning millionaire Stanford and of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Hedge Fund.

Their granddam, Myth, produced European and North American champion juvenile Johannesburg, the sire of Grade 1 winners including classic sire Scat Daddy. Grade 2 winner and successful sire Tale of the Cat appears on the catalog page. This also is the family of graded stakes winner and successful sire Pulpit – sire of Tapit – and of Grade/Group 1 winners Joking, Minardi, and Preach.

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