Immortal Verse sold to BBA Ireland for 4.7 million guineas, or about $8,093,400 in U.S. funds at current conversion rates, to establish a new European record for a broodmare at the Tattersalls December breeding stock sale.
The catalog for the 2014 Keeneland January horses of all ages sale is now online, featuring 1,590 offerings.
The stallion Dance Master and more than 70 broodmares will be offered during the second annual Thoroughbred mixed sale at Heritage Place in Oklahoma City on Dec. 14. The catalog of 135 head includes not only breeding prospects and yearlings, but also horses of racing age. The auction will begin at 11 a.m. Central.
Tattersalls concluded its four-day December foal auction on Nov. 30, and a strong and consistent presence from some of the European bloodstock market’s biggest players – led by Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum – propelled the auction to records in gross, average, and median.
Tattersalls held its one-day December yearling auction on Monday and posted gross receipts that remained level compared with last year’s sale, while improving in both average and median.
The Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society Ontario Division’s online winter mixed sale began Nov. 25, and will conclude on Mon. Dec. 9 at midnight, Eastern.
The Goffs November sale concluded on Saturday with across-the-board increases and strength in both the foal section and the breeding stock section, the latter of which was fueled by a record-priced filly.
Irish Oaks winner Chicquita dropped the hammer for 6 million Euros, or about $8,134,722 in U.S. funds, on Friday to lead the opening session of the Goffs November breeding stock sale and become the highest-priced filly or broodmare ever sold in Europe at public auction.
A test for first-year-covering stallions came during the major Kentucky mixed sales in November, which was the first opportunity for many buyers to purchase mares in foal to these stallions. An outstanding performance as a covering sire can help provide a glimpse of the stallion’s commercial interest and the strength of his initial book.
Weanlings from several other first-crop sires also were well received at the sales, however, and one in particular reaped a six-figure average from his group, with particular success during Keeneland’s early and middle rounds: Castleton Lyons’s champion Gio Ponti.
