Tapit, War Front dominant in Book 1
Commercial rivals Tapit and War Front once again led the way during the Keeneland September yearling sale's Book 1 portion.
Nicole RussoSep 15, 2016
Commercial rivals Tapit and War Front once again led the way during the Keeneland September yearling sale's Book 1 portion.
The catalog for the 2016 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga fall mixed sale is now online, featuring 319 horses on offer. The auction will take place Monday, Oct. 17, at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., beginning at 10 a.m. Eastern.
A flurry of high-priced offerings on Wednesday helped the select Book 1 portion of the Keeneland September yearling sale finish with improved figures in average and median sale price, with a $3-million Scat Daddy colt becoming the auction’s most expensive offering since 2010.
A colt by the late Scat Daddy who is a half-brother to champion Beholder and Grade 1 winner Into Mischief lit up Keeneland September when he sold for $3 million to the Coolmore partnership on Wednesday afternoon, during the bellwether auction's third session.
The buzz that had been building as the bay colt made his way toward the auction ring at the Keeneland September yearling sale reached a crescendo as bidding climbed to $1.9 million. However, that quickly turned to murmurs of surprise and disappointment when it was revealed that the War Front colt, out of 2011 Horse of the Year Havre de Grace, was, in fact, a high-ticket buyback.
The second session of the Keeneland September yearling sale continued the trend established opening day of steady improvements in average and median sale prices with fewer horses sold, with Tuesday’s action led by $1.2-million Tapit colt.
The first session of the Keeneland September yearling sale proved to be an improved refrain from last year’s opener, with results led by a $1-million Medaglia d’Oro colt.
There was just one mare left in Book 1, following early outs, who is both a Grade/Group 1 winner and Grade/Group 1 producer: Quarter Moon, whose yearling colt by popular commercial sire War Front was to sell late in Wednesday's third and final Book 1 session.
Tapit and War Front have been the commercial leaders at the Keeneland September yearling sale for the last several years – and don't appear ready to relinquish the reins this year.
While price is often based upon the residual value of a horse as a future stallion or broodmare, the majority of recent Keeneland September sale-toppers have not come close to approaching their commercial price on the racetrack.