'We decided we'd give Flightline a little present' - $1m Proud Emma tops trade

The concluding session of Book 2 at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale saw steady trade throughout the day, with 214 horses changing hands of the 286 on offer, posting an increase in all statistical categories. Summer Wind Equine's Jane Lyon once again saw out competitive bidding to take the queen of the day, Proud Emma, home at a sale-topping $1 million.

Since the first day of the Keeneland November Sale, Lyon has been stocking up on mares for Flightline, her homebred once-in-a-lifetime horse. On Wednesday she added Grade 3 winner Proud Emma to her collection. The six-year-old Include mare sold in foal to first-year sire Charlatan.

Charlatan had an exceptional day at the sale, being the top covering sire on day three, with 11 mares selling in foal to the Hill 'n' Dale sire for a gross of $4,005,000 at an average price of $364,091.

Lyon joked: "We saw an awfully pretty mare that we think Flightline would like. We decided we would give him a little present for his performances lately.

"We were trying to find mares that we thought physically and pedigree-wise would fit him."

Lyon bred and campaigned the Breeders' Cup Classic, four-time Grade 1 winner with Hronis Racing, Siena Farm, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing. The son of Tapit will stand at Lane's End Farm for an advertised fee of $200,000.

"She is a big beautiful mare by Include," said Conor Doyle of Bedouin Bloodstock, who consigned the mare.

"She is an awesome physical. The price surprised us a little. We thought she would bring more than half a million. [Covering sire Charlatan] played a huge role [in the price]. We're glad she was bought by Summer Wind and will be part of that broodmare band."

Summer Wind Equine made two purchases on Wednesday, including the Candy Ride mare Analyze, consigned by Gainesway; the stakes winner sold in foal to Hard Spun.

Jane Lyon, Flightline's breederCredit: Keeneland

St George Stables closed out day three as leading buyer by gross at $1,720,000, with six purchases made at an average price of $286,667 per horse.

Session three finished with 214 of the 286 horses through the ring trading hands for gross receipts of $40,754,000, for an average price of $190,439 and a median of $160,000.

Positive increases across all categories were recorded at 3.8 per cent in gross, 21.3 per cent in average, and 14.3 per cent in median. Seventy-two horses failed to attain their reserve price, representing an RNA rate of 25.1 per cent.

In 2021 the closing day of Book 2 saw 250 horses sold of the 296 on offer for a gross total of $39,244,000. An average price of $156,976 and a median of $140,000 were recorded. Forty-six horses failed to sell, representing an RNA rate of 15.5 per cent.

A pair of Gun Runner weanlings sold as the day's highest-priced weanling offerings. A colt consigned by Indian Creek sold to AAA Thoroughbreds (Dean DeRenzo) for $550,000. The colt out of the Union Rags mare Twiga was bred in Kentucky by Chisago Farm.

Paramount Sales consigned the other Gun Runner, a filly out of Mighty Moon, by Malibu Moon, who realised $425,000 from Stonehaven Steadings' Aiden O'Meara. The weanling was bred in Kentucky by Drumkenny Farm and American Equistock.

ELiTE closed out the third day as the day's leading consignor by gross, selling 16 offerings for a gross total of $4,655,000.

"We feel like we had some nice physicals with nice pedigree pages here today," said Liz Crow of ELiTE.

"It all starts with the people who send us these horses. We have a great group of clients who entrust us to sell their horses. We always aim to put a nice Book 2 together; we bring stakes-winning and stakes-placed, and Graded stakes-winning and stakes-placed mares here. Our team works together months in advance; without their hard work, we wouldn't have such a good day."

The first day of selling for Book 3 begins on Thursday at 10am (3pm GMT).

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