Malibu Moon weanling tops Day 6 at sale

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Weanlings were in high demand Sunday at the sixth session of Keeneland's November breeding stock sale, even as figures dropped across the board.

A $250,000 weanling Malibu Moon colt from the sought-after Overbrook Farm dispersal brought the day's top price. Total Dispersal purchased the weanling from Eaton Sales, agent, which handled the Overbrook dispersal. The colt is out of Restless Cat, an unraced Storm Cat mare who is a full sister to Grade 1 winner and sire Hennessy.

The Sunday session sold 236 horses for a total of $9,695,900, a decline of 11 percent from last year's aggregate for 203 horses. The average price fell 23 percent to $41,084, and median dropped 33 percent to $28,000. But buybacks also declined markedly, from 31 percent for the equivalent session last year to 23 percent in 2009.

Cumulatively, the first six sessions of the two-week auction sold 1,285 horses for a gross of $139,417,100, a decline of 10 percent from the total for 1,157 at the same point in 2008. The 2009 six-day average of $108,496 was 19 percent lower than in 2008, and the $55,000 median was off by 21 percent. Again, buybacks also fell substantially, from 33 percent last year at the same point to 21 percent through six days this season.

The 13-day auction was to continue through Nov. 22, with sessions starting at 10 a.m. daily.