LEXINGTON, Ky. - Keeneland's September auction continued its hot pace on Sunday, the sixth day of selling at the mammoth two-week sale.
At 4 p.m., Sunday's session leader was a $360,000 El Prado colt out of Grade 2-placed Windsong. Richlyn Farm bought the colt, Hip No. 1880, from the Taylor Made agency. The session's top filly at that stage was Hip No. 1850, a daughter of Unbridled's Song and To the Queen, which went to Limerick Road for $350,000. The consignor was Viking Stud, agent.
Keeneland's September yearling auction began its second and final week of selling on Saturday with a bumper crop of buyers on hand to push the prices high.
The 14-day auction opened last week in spectacular fashion, with a sale-record $11.7 million Kingmambo-Crown of Crimson colt the sale topper. That horse went to Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum after an intense battle with Coolmore owner John Magnier.
Sheikh Mohammed was no longer on the grounds by the time the second week began Saturday, but vendors found plenty of interest in their stock.
Sugar Maple Farm stallion Thunderello, a blazing fast runner during his racing days, is off to a good start at stud. A 7-year-old son of Montbrook, he is 10th among first-crop sires with earnings of $244,101.
"We're very excited and delighted with him," said Dan Hayden, farm manager at Sugar Maple Farm. "We brought him here to bring some speed to New York, and he's a fast horse from a good family."
The Florida Thoroughbred Breeders' and Owners' Association has announced the schedule for its annual Ocala Week. Activities begin with a presentation by The Jockey Club Information Systems delegation on Oct. 5 and conclude with the opening session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales fall mixed sale, which runs Oct. 9-13.
"Have speed, will travel" could be the motto of Maryland-based trainer Ben Feliciano Jr.
Feliciano has sent out runners that set track records at seven racetracks over the past dozen years.
The latest speedster to emerge from Feliciano's barn at Laurel Park is P. Kerney, a 5-year-old Maryland-bred gelding who had done little to distinguish himself before Feliciano claimed him for $25,000 on behalf of owners Nancy Clark and Fred Heyman at Laurel on Jan. 22.
Since then, P. Kerney has raced exclusively in stakes, winning three and finishing second in the other three.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Keeneland September sale took a break on Friday after posting a record figure for top price and significant gains in average and median price in its first week.
At Thursday's fourth session, a pair of seven-figure lots fueled double-digit gains for the sale company. The two million-dollar horses were a $1.3 million Pulpit-Razzi Cat colt bought by Jess Jackson and a $1.2 million Distorted Humor-Officiate colt purchased by Tim Kegel, agent. Together, they made history: Until Thursday, the auction's fourth session had never sold a pair of millionaire yearlings.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Jayeff B Stable of Richard Santulli and George Prussin bred and sold Hip No. 425, the $11.7 million colt by Kingmambo who became the most expensive yearling ever sold at the Keeneland September sale when he went to John Ferguson as agent for Sheikh Mohammed's Godolphin.
Jayeff B is a regular consignor and buyer of high-end yearlings and bloodstock that have the potential to bring seven-figure sums.
Sheikh Mohammed al-Maktoum, the ruler of Dubai who spent more than $60 million in the first three days of Keeneland's September yearling sale, has been named in a lawsuit alleging that he and other racing-camel owners in the United Arab Emirates are party to the illegal kidnapping of young boys to serve as camel jockeys, the Associated Press reported Wednesday.