Three sires top November Breeding Stock Sale submarkets

Three sires commanded the top spot among the standings by average price in the categories of broodmare sires, weanling sires, and covering sires at the recently concluded Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Coolmore Stud's top international sire Galileo was the leading broodmare sire by average price, with eight sold of eight offered bringing US$516,250.

The 20-year-old son of Sadler's Wells was represented by three seven-figure daughters, led by black-type winner Key To My Heart, whom Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Equine bought for $1.75 million. The mare is in foal to Claiborne Farm's War Front, who is also the covering sire of Galileo's second-highest-priced mare, Pretty Perfect, whom Louise Courtelis' Town & Country Horse Farms' bought for $1.125m. Both of these mares were consigned by Eaton Sales as agent.

The third seven-figure mare was $1m Galileo's Song, whom Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency sold to Shimokobe Farm/Polo Green Stable. The multiple group-placed mare is in foal to Curlin, carrying her first foal.

War Front was the runaway leading covering sire with a remarkable $2,170,833 average from six sold out of six offered. Only one mare offered in foal to the 16-year-old son of Danzig did not bring a seven-figure price, and his two highest-priced sellers were the entire sale's most expensive purchases.

Champion and five-time Grade 1 winner Lady Eli topped the sale when John Sikura went to $4.2m to buy the mare out of his own consignment. Racing and sold by Sheep Pond Partners, the daughter of Divine Park was named 2017 champion turf female and was retired with 10 wins from 14 starts and $2,959,800 in earnings.

Tracking not far behind in price was War Front's second highest-priced mare as a covering sire, $4m My Miss Sophia, whom Lane's End, agent, sold to bloodstock agent Steve Young. The daughter of Unbridled's Song was sold as a three-year-old for $2.15m in 2014 through The November Sale at Fasig-Tipton to Reynolds Bell Jr. on behalf of Alpha Delta Stables.

War Front's other seven-figure mare, included Grade 1-placed, Graded stakes winner Stays in Vegas, whom James Keogh's Grovendale sold for $1.5m to Claiborne Farm, agent.

In the weanling market, five sires came out of the Keeneland November sale with averages of $300,000 or more.

Gainesway's three-time leading sire Tapit led the weanling ranks with a $516,000 average from five sold out of five offered. An $800,000 filly out of grade 1-placed, multiple graded stakes winner La Verdad was Tapit's top seller. Eaton Sales consigned the filly that was bought by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm and Three Chimneys Farm. Overall, Tapit was represented by five six-figure weanlings.

The other top sires by weanling average were Darley's Medaglia d'Oro ($342,000 from five sold), Hill 'n' Dale Farms' Curlin ($338,750 from four sold), Darley's first-crop weanling sire Nyquist ($335,000 from three sold), and WinStar Farm's Pioneerof the Nile ($301,250 from four sold).

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