Weanling colt from Maximus Mischief's first crop tops Keeneland November's eighth session

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- A $75,000 colt from the first crop of Maximus Mischief led the session as the Keeneland November breeding stock sale opened its final book on Wednesday.

Keeneland reported that 260 horses sold Wednesday, the eighth session overall and the first of three Book 5 sessions to close out this sale, for gross receipts of $4,363,200. The average price was $16,782, with a median of $12,000.

There are no truly comparable year-to-year, session-to-session figures for these final three days of the sale, as Keeneland November's horses of racing age offerings last year were spread out across the final days of the sale, adding intrigue to each place they appeared. This year, those offerings have been consolidated into a single session, in Friday's finale, meaning this year's 10th-session figures will likely skyrocket past last year's different types of offerings on that day.

To this point of the auction, Keeneland reports that 1,950 horses have sold for gross receipts of $190,531,700, compared to 1,768 sold for $144,012,000 through eight sessions last year.

The cumulative average price is currently $97,709, tracking upward 20 percent from $81,455 at the comparable point last year. The median sits at $50,000, up 56 percent from $32,000. Although the current median figure may shift downward in the final two days of the auction, particularly tomorrow's middle Book 5 session without horses of racing age, the sale is currently eyeing a record figure in this crucial category. The November sale's record median is $35,000, first achieved in 2005 and matched in 2006, 2007, 2013, and 2014.

The overall buyback rate currently sits at 19 percent, slightly improved from 21 percent.

The session-topping weanling was purchased by Patillo Equine from the consignment of Wynnstay Sales, as agent. This is the first crop for Maximus Mischief, a Grade 2-winning son of leading sire Into Mischief.

The Indiana-bred colt is the first foal out of the Uncle Mo mare Andapinkcarnation, a half-sister to stakes winner Desiraes My Candy, to stakes-placed Expertise, and to Double Harbor, the dam of stakes winner Sky Writer. Canadian champion Giboulee appears on the catalog page, as do graded/group stakes winners Sierra Star and Quick Blue and stakes winners Coconut Steak, Dawson Place, Jet Freighter, Proliferate, Rowaasi, Victorious Answer, and Yukon Pete.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.