Glen Hill Farm takes top billing with $170,000 broodmare Inflamed

Glen Hill Farm paid $170,000 for Inflamed, whose son Mo Forza won the Qatar Twilight Derby on November 2 at Santa Anita, to record the highest price of Thursday’s ninth session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Paramount Sales, agent, consigned Inflamed, a nine-year-old daughter of Unusual Heat in foal to Tapiture.

Keeneland sold 263 horses on Thursday for $4,465,300, for an average of $16,978 and a median of $11,000.

Cumulative sales for the auction are $196,173,500 for 2,159 horses, for an average of $90,863 and a median of $37,000.

Mo Forza, by Uncle Mo, is the first foal out of Inflamed, a full sister to Grade 2 winner Burns. Glen Hill’s Craig Bernick said he was familiar with Inflamed’s family, having competed against Burns, and was "not surprised the mare threw a stakes horse".

"The three-year-old is a good horse," Bernick said about Mo Forza. "The hope is he’ll run in the Hollywood Derby and get some Grade 1 black type, and if he wins, it’ll be great. She’s still a Grade 2 producer.

"The thought is for now to breed her to Kitten’s Joy. If (Mo Forza) wins the Hollywood Derby, I might have to breed her back to Uncle Mo."

Machmer Hall acquired the second and third-highest-priced horses of the day when it went to $135,000 for Alana B, a daughter of Animal Kingdom in foal to Midshipman, and $80,000 for Lyrical Diva, a daughter of Unbridled’s Song in foal to Collected.

Alana B, a four-year-old mare out of Surf Club, by Ocean Crest, is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Awesome Humor.

She is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Emcee, Group 2 winner Surfer and Baffled, dam of Grade 1 winner and sire Constitution. Alana B was consigned by Godolphin, the session’s leading consignor with sales of $591,000 for 20 horses

"How could you not love the family?” Machmer Hall’s Carrie Brogden said.

"We thought at that level, she made sense. We’re trying to upgrade, keep the higher-level mares, the higher-level families. Obviously, her family is moving and successful.

"All of the daughters and granddaughters and the nieces are all being really, really well-bred. She was on our radar to buy."

Brogden said Alana B would be bred to Into Mischief in 2020.

Ashview Farm, agent, consigned Lyrical Diva, a nine-year-old daughter of Unbridled’s Song from the family of Grade 1 winner Secret Status. She is out of the winning Giant’s Causeway mare Code Book.

The session’s highest-priced weanling is a colt from the first crop of Midnight Storm from the family of Triple Crown winner American Pharoah sold to Dailey Bloodstock for $58,000.

Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, consigned the colt, whose dam is the Salt Lake mare Margarita Salt. K.O.I.D. was the leading buyer, purchasing 10 horses for $241,000.

Read other Keeneland reports here...

Book 4 ends on strong note

Competition for top lots persists

Glennwood Farm snares session-topper

Honours even for top lots as Book 3 begins