Malibu Moon filly tops session at $140K

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A $140,000 Malibu Moon filly topped Thursday's 10th session at the Keeneland September yearling sale in Lexington.

Prices continued to fall as the 14-day auction wound toward its Monday conclusion. SGV Thoroughbreds purchased the Malibu Moon filly from Peter O'Callaghan's Woods Edge Farm agency. The bay filly, Hip No. 3636, is out of the stakes-placed Quiet American mare My American Girl. So far, the mare has produced three winners from as many starters.

The Malibu Moon filly was one of four yearlings to bring six-figure bids Thursday, but the session's financial results lagged behind those for the equivalent day in 2008, continuing the slides seen since opening day Sept. 14. Thursday's session sold 271 horses for $5,229,200, resulting in an average of $19,296 and a $13,000 median. The gross was down 29 percent, average fell 32 percent, and median dropped by 35 percent. Buybacks dipped from last year s figure of 29 percent to 24 percent as sellers cut losses or simply accepted the declining market.

As earlier in the week, a wide variety of buyers were casting bids on Thursday, including Russian owner Vladimir Kazakov, prominent pinhooking outfit Eisaman Equine, and domestic racing stables Maverick Racing and Vinery Stables.