Prices begin to drop at sale

The Keeneland September yearling sale continued its record run on Wednesday, but prices were tailing off from the dizzying levels seen early during the two-week auction.

With selling still underway, a $270,000 Wild Wonder colt was the session leader. John Brocklebank purchased the son of Susie Do, by Talinum. Taylor Made, agent, sold the colt, who is a half-brother to the winner Susie's Prize.

Through Tuesday, the last day for which complete figures were available, the auction had sold 2,058 yearlings for a total of $352,576,500, a record for the sale and well up from last year's $297,416,400 at the same point. The average price also was running ahead of last year's pace, up 15 percent to $171,320, and median climbed 7 percent to $80,000.

That pace appeared to have weakened somewhat by Wednesday, the ninth day of the 14-day sale. But with about 150 yearlings left in the day's catalog at 4:30 p.m. Eastern, 45 yearlings had brought $50,000 or more. The Tuesday session-topper was a $350,000 Mr. Greeley-Heat Lightning filly that Ahmed Zayat (Blandford Bloodstock, agent) bought from Glennwood Farm, agent.