Midnight Bisou tops first day of November Breeding Stock Sale at $5.5 million

Northern Farm's Katsumi Yoshida focused his attention on the supplemental catalogue to the opening session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in Lexington, an approach that would see him walk away with session-topper Midnight Bisou.

The Japanese buyer went to $5.5 million to land champion mare Midnight Bisou, who was offered in foal to multiple leading sire Tapit.

Midnight Bisou was consigned as hip 235 by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa in the session's supplemental catalogue. Moments later Yoshida would find another entry to his liking when he purchased two-time Group 1 winner Dreamloper for $2.7 million.

Yoshida finished the day as the session's leading buyers by gross with three mares purchased for $9.7 million.

Northern Farm's Shingo Hashimoto said Midnight Bisou most likely will go back to Japan. He noted that in 2020 he travelled to the Saudi Cup and was impressed with Midnight Bisou's runner-up finish.

Jeff Bloom, Chuck Allen, Lori Allen and John Sikura after the sale of Midnight BisouCredit: Keeneland photo/ Photos by Z

Just two years ago at the November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's breeding stock sale, Chuck Allen went to $5 million for Midnight Bisou, then consigned by ELiTE, to hold off other interested parties and buy out his partners. Allen had campaigned the earner of nearly $7.5 million with Jeff Bloom and Madaket Stables. Bloom noted how the mare has delivered time and again.

"This mare has been so good to us in so many different ways," Bloom said. "I'm so happy about the home she is going to. She will forever hold an incredible place in my heart, my family's heart, my partner."

Hashimoto noted that Northern Farm bid on her in 2020 at Fasig-Tipton and were happy to see her again this year.

After an off-the-board finish against males in the Breeders' Cup Mile at Keeneland, Dreamloper bounced back in the sales ring. A homebred of Olivia Hoare, Dreamloper was consigned by Ed Walker and offered as hip 239 - the second-to-last horse through the ring on Monday.

"I have mixed emotions obviously. I'm very sad to see her go but it's amazing to sell a horse of her calibre and make that kind of money," said Walker, who also conditioned the daughter of Lope De Vega.

While Dreamloper did not fare well in the Mile, she twice defeated males in Group 1 races in France this season.

From the initial catalogue, Yoshida struck at $1.5 million for the Grade 2-winning Noble Mission filly Jouster.

The regally bred filly, earner of $343,025 on the track, was consigned as hip 198 from the Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa consignment. Jouster hails from the immediate family of Phipps family champions Storm Flag Flying and My Flag as well as this year's Suburban Stakes winner Dynamic One.

Keeneland reported 135 horses of the 184 through the ring on Monday sold for gross receipts of $62,380,000, to post a 21.4 per cent increase over 2021 gross. An increase in the average price of 10.6 per cent was made at $462,074 and a median of $280,000, a 13.8 per cent decrease over 2021. Forty-nine horses failed to meet their reserve, representing an RNA rate of 26.6 per cent.

These figures exclude the fractional interest in Flightline.

In response to the decrease in median price, Keeneland vice president of sales Tony Lacy Tony Lacy said: "I think we see in certain areas some correction, which is not unexpected at some point. That's just a factor of the marketplace in a slightly adjusting market."

Comparably during the opening session of the 2021 sale, 123 head sold of the 166 to go under the hammer for gross receipts of $51,374,000. Suitable for an average price of $417,675 and a median of $325,000. The forty-three horses who failed to meet their reserve represent an RNA rate of 25.9 per cent.

"I think the demand for quality goes back to everything; the gross and average were up. The medium was down a little bit, so that was something of note, but we saw that quality stock, like Shamrock Rose, who brought $2.5m right off the Breeders' Cup last time through the ring in 2019, when she came through today in foal to Curlin, she brought $3m," Lacy said.

Shingo Hashimoto led the buying by Northern FarmCredit: Keeneland photo/ Photos by Z

"I think you see buoyancy. Midnight Bisou brought $5.5m; she sold for $5m the last time she went through the ring [in 2020].

"We are seeing a focus on the quality and broadness in the marketplace with the top 15 horses through the ring purchased by 11 distinct buyers; it's always good to see that. There was a good mix of domestic and international. As we look through the figures, it's great to see the increase in the number of horses sold over $2m and the number of seven-figure horses go up."

Hill' n' Dale Sales Agency sold 20 of their 24 horses on offer in the first session to be the leading consignor by gross after day one with receipts of $11,505,000, at an average price of $575,250 per head.

"The blood was flowing through our veins today from the very get-go. I think everybody's excited about what happened over the weekend," commented Lacy. "We're getting that energy, focussing back on this side of the laneway, getting horses sold for our clients and facilitating for our buyers. We were very proud of how it worked out today."

The sale continues on Tuesday.

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