Weanlings buoy Book 2 of Keeneland November sale

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- The kids are all right.

A filly by Curlin sold for $775,000 to become the most expensive weanling sold thus far at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale, as a strong weanling market during Books 1 and 2 of the auction has helped keep average and median figures steady compared to this point last year.

A total of 232 horses changed hands during Friday's session, the third of the sale overall and second of two Book 2 sessions, for revenues of $31,527,500. Those figures include private sales that occurred on the grounds prior to the close of the session. Last year's comparable Book 2 finale grossed $35,026,000 from 243 sold, also including private sales. The session's average price was $135,894, declining 6 percent from $144,140 in the comparable session of 2018. The median dropped 16 percent, to $105,000 from $125,000. The session's buyback rate was 23 percent, nearly even with 24 percent.

To this point of the sale, through the three sessions making up Books 1 and 2, a total of 634 horses have sold for gross receipts of $139,307,000, compared to 611 for $132,981,500 at the same point last year. The cumulative average sits at $219,727, up just shy of 1 percent from $217,646 at this point in 2018. The median to this point is unchanged, at $150,000. The overall buyback rate is 22 percent, compared to 23 percent.

"I thought we had a good cross section of domestic and international buyers -- some Japanese interests are still here, some Europeans are still here," Keeneland's director of sales Geoffrey Russell said. "The foal market was very good, spread between both end users and some pinhooking partners."

Throughout the first two books, competition for weanlings has been strong in the top segment of that market. Eight youngsters sold for $500,000 or more in the single-session Book 1, compared to six to meet that mark last year. Three weanlings then sold for $500,000 or more in Book 2, compared to two in the book in 2018.

"I think we've seen a trend over the last couple of years of some end users coming into the weanling market," Russell said. "But the last three years, the yearling market has been extremely good, so I think it gives confidence to pinhookers as well to participate at the top end of the market.

"But again, yearling, weanling, it makes no difference," Russell continued, alluding to the market's selectivity. "They have to vet, and if they vet, the sky's the limit, and if they don't vet, they don't [sell well]."

The session-leading Curlin filly was purchased by Larry Best, who bid over the phone. Best, who races as OXO Equine, has been among the leading buyers of weanlings this week at Keeneland, landing six youngsters for a combined $3.02 million. That also included the highest-priced weanling of Book 1, a $750,000 Curlin colt.

"I think the elevated yearling market is driving some people to buy [in the weanling market] at higher prices," Best said after his Book 1 purchase. "There's too many cases where quality buyers couldn't buy at the yearling sales, so they're coming here looking for talent. And if it's [by] a strong sire, like Curlin, it's gonna sell at a good price."

Best's new Curlin filly, who was consigned by Indian Creek, as agent, is out of the Giant's Causeway mare Fly to the Stars, the dam of six winners from as many starters. Those are led by Grade 3 winner The Tabulator and stakes-placed Star Via Strada.

Fly to the Stars is a half-sister to stakes winners Gallant Talent and Resounder. Another half-sibling, Ten Cents a Turn, is the dam of Grade 2-placed Fort Lauderdale, who in turn produced Grade 3 winner Calibrachoa. Another of Ten Cents a Turn's daughters, Hurry Home Hillary, was a multiple stakes producer, with her foals led by Grade 1 winner Bellamy Road.

The second highest-priced weanling of Book 2 was a $600,000 Quality Road colt purchased in Thursday's book opener by the partnership of WinStar Farm's Maverick Racing and China Horse Club. Michael Wallace of China Horse Club also alluded to the strong yearling market after making the purchase.

"It's just trying to navigate the yearling market a little bit, which seems to be strong for these top-end colts. A way to get ahead a bit," Wallace said. "The market is good, healthy, solid, and there’s plenty of people here.”

That colt, who was consigned by St. George Sales, as agent, is out of the unraced Birdstone mare Princess Aspen. She is a half-sibling to multiple Grade 1 winner Zazu, to Grade 2 winner Flashback, to Group 2-placed Art Princess, and to stakes-placed Corinthian's Jewel. Zazu is the dam of Group 3-placed Arusha; Art Princess has produced stakes-placed Tap That; and another half-sister, Star of Sapphire, is the dam of Group 2-placed stakes winner Hush Writer. Flashback, meanwhile, is the sire of Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner British Idiom from his second crop.

For hip-by-hip results, click here.