Medaglia d'Oro colt lands $290,000 bid

The Keeneland November breeding stock sale entered its sixth of 15 sessions Saturday after five consecutive days of losses, but six-figure prices were still common.

On Saturday, a $290,000 weanling colt by Medaglia d'Oro out of the Affirmed mare Vanity Flair led selling at 5:30 p.m. Stockplace Farm made the purchase from Eaton Sales, agent.

Friday's fifth session extended the auction's run of declines as stock market tumult, a declining national economy, and the global financial crisis continued to buffet the Thoroughbred industry.

After Friday's session, the Keeneland November cumulative sales stood at 954 horses for gross returns of $144,067,000 - a drop of 47 percent from total receipts at the same point last year. The five-day average price of $151,014 was off by 38 percent, median was down 37 percent to $78,500, and buybacks jumped from 22 percent to 33 percent.

Weanlings dominated on Friday, filling the top three spots by price. The session-topper was a $310,000 Giant's Causeway weanling colt out of Queen's Music, by Dixieland Band. Noel Murphy's Castle Park Agency consigned the colt, who went to Clear Ridge Stable.

The day's second-highest price of $300,000 was for a Cherokee Run-Limited Entry (Carson City) weanling colt that Lane's End, agent, sold to Ferguson Valley. Pearl Street Farm purchased the third highest-priced horse, a weanling son of Tiznow and Dirty Rush, by Wild Rush, for $280,000. Taylor Made, agent, was the consignor.

The Keeneland November sale continues through Nov. 17 with sessions starting daily at 10 a.m.