English 2000 Guineas hero Makfi, who beat Goldikova in a French Group 1 this year, has been retired early at age 3 after contracting ringworm, according to Racing Post. Makfi had been considered a candidate for the Breeders’ Cup Mile.

INGL EWOOD, Calif. − Unzip Me’s rise to the top of the turf female sprint division in California seemed like a remote prospect at this time last year.

A California-bred 4-year-old filly, she had a decent start to her career, winning two of her first five starts, all on synthetic surfaces. Then she was tried on turf late last year, and the focus of her career shifted. After finishing fifth in California Cup Distaff in her turf debut in October 2009, Unzip Me has not finished worse than third in nine subsequent turf starts, with seven wins, five in stakes.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Grade 1 winner Friends Lake and Grade 2 winner Beethoven will stand in Saudi Arabia in 2011 after undisclosed Saudi interests purchased the two central Kentucky horses.

Chad Schumer’s Schumer Bloodstock Agency brokered the deals.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – KNC Investments, a group involving Jerry Jamgotchian that has offered to purchase interests in Lane’s End stallions Lemon Drop Kid and Kingmambo, has filed a motion in Kentucky’s Woodford County Circuit Court in hopes of clearing the way for the horses’ syndicate members to consider their offer.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Juddmonte has pensioned its two-time American Grade 1 winner Cacique at the age of 9 because of fertility trouble.

A Danehill horse out of English Broodmare of the Year Hasili, Cacique has stood at Juddmonte’s Banstead Manor Stud in England since 2007, but he has sired small crops and did not cover outside mares at all in 2010, according to Racing Post. Cacique’s first runners are juveniles this year, and they include French stakes-placed Katerini from nine starters so far.

A filly by Dubawi out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Spirit of Tara brought $1.28 million during the second session of the Goffs Orby yearling sale in Ireland to top all horses sold at the three-day auction, one of the most prestigious in Europe.

The filly, a half-sister to the multiple group stakes-winning filly Echo of Light, was purchased by John Ferguson, the bloodstock manager for Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum, from the consignment of Kilcairn Stud.

Officer, the sire of 20 stakes winners, has been sold to the Korean Racing Authority and will stand in 2011 at the authority’s breeding farm on Jeju Island, the association announced on Thursday. The purchase price was undisclosed.

By Bertrando out of the Septieme Ciel mare St. Helens Shadow, Officer has been standing at Taylor Made Farm in Central Kentucky since 2007. He had a $10,000 live foal fee last year. He is the sire of Boys At Tosconova, the winner of the Grade 1 Hopeful Stakes this year.

E Dubai, sire of the 2008 Breeders’ Cup Turf Sprint winner Desert Code, has been relocated to Ghost Ridge Farms in Pennsylvania and will stand there for the 2011 breeding season, according to the farm. A stud fee will be announced at a later date, according to stallion manager Carl McEntee.

It wasn’t a home run. It may not even have been a double. But the Keeneland September yearling sale, which wrapped up on Sunday after 14 days of selling, posted solid returns that may have signaled that the bloodstock bust is over.

The overall figures were not spectacular, but average for the 3,059 horses sold during the 14 sessions was $64,811, up 6.7 percent compared with the average of $60,734 for the 2009 sale, when prices fell dramatically as the forces of the recession buffeted the bloodstock market. Median was up 13.6 percent, from $22,000 to $25,000.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Keeneland sale continued to show tepid signs of reinvigoration during the 12th session of the 14-day bellwether sale on Friday, one day after gross receipts surpassed the entire total sales figure from the similarly sized sale last year.