The stallions War Deputy and Alydeed, who had been standing at Windfields Farm in Ontario, have been sold and will be moving in opposite directions.
War Deputy is heading to Elia Stud near Athens, Greece, for the 2005 breeding season. Alydeed is going to Peaceful Valley Stud near Red Deer, Alberta.
LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Keeneland September yearling auction, which entered its ninth of 14 sessions on Wednesday, did something that afternoon that no other yearling sale has ever done: it broke the $300 million barrier for total income. And by the time it ends on Sept. 27, it could become the richest Thoroughbred auction in history.
John McCormack Bloodstock, buyer of Monday's session-topping $190,000 Arch filly, struck again on Tuesday as the two-week Keeneland September yearling sale reached its eighth session.
This time, McCormack signed for a $340,000 Forest Wildcat colt consigned by Judy Klosterman, who represented Langsem Farm and Eutrophia Farm. The colt is a son of Naughty, a multiple stakes winner and earner of more than $266,000. The colt was the session's top price as of 4:45 p.m.
LAS VEGAS - I loved Balletto in her career debut on July 18, when she closed with a flourish at 16-1. She was dismissed that day primarily because she is by Timber Country. Although Timber Country won the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and was a champion at 2, and also won the Preakness Stakes at 3, his offspring are rarely seen in this country. Timber Country was exported to stand stud in Japan, where he is now a successful stallion.
Owners Eugene and Laura Melnyk have retired their dual Grade 2 winner Strong Hope, and the colt will enter stud in 2005 at Claiborne Farm in Paris, Ky. His stud fee has yet to be announced.
Strong Hope, a 4-year-old son of Grand Slam, last ran in the Forego on Sept. 4 at Saratoga, finishing fourth behind Midas Eyes.
"Strong Hope wrenched his ankle in the Forego, which will need time to quiet down," Pletcher said in a statement. "The timing is such that it would have been extremely difficult to be ready for the Breeders' Cup."
The Keeneland September juggernaut kept up its record pace Monday as the auction entered its seventh of 14 sessions. The early session-leader was a $190,000 Arch filly that John McCormack Bloodstock purchased from Claiborne, agent.
Although the Sunday session had posted a slight decrease in gross from its equivalent day last year, the auction overall has remained on a pace to break the $291,827,100 record for gross, set in 2000, and the 2003 records for average price ($92,329) and median ($34,000).
The Keeneland September yearling sale took a break on Friday, giving buyers a free day to look at horses for the 14-day auction's second week. When selling resumed at Saturday's fifth session, buyers came ready to bid.
At 5 p.m., with the session still under way, the top seller was a $550,000 colt by 2001 Kentucky Derby winner Monarchos. Bob and Beverly Lewis bought the colt, the first foal out of Meadowlake's daughter Lac du Printemps. Peter O'Callaghan's Woods Edge agency sold the colt.
The 2004 Florida stallions with first crops going to the races this year were considered as promising a group of stallions as the state has had in years. The market responded early on to this group by first driving up their yearling prices and later their 2-year-olds in training auction prices. The market proved savvy.
Soaring Free will be the focus of attention in Sunday's $1 million Atto Mile. The Sam-Son Farm homebred 5-year-old narrowly missed winning last year's Atto and has been dominant on the Woodbine turf in 2004.
As a gelding, Soaring Free, a son of Smart Strike out of the mare Dancing With Wings, won't enhance his value for stud duty if he wins. But aside from breeders, there will be some very interested onlookers watching him on Sunday.