Seventh session of November Sale sees active day of trade

Two broodmares - multiple Grade 1 winner Intangaroo, in foal to Silent Name, and Mrs Hudson, in foal to Midshipman - sold for $200,000 apiece to top the seventh session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.

Keeneland sold 292 horses on Monday for $9,311,900, down 30 per cent from the comparable session in 2016 when 254 horses sold for $13,221,100. The average of $31,890 decreased 39 per cent from $52,052 last year. The median of $22,000 was 19 per cent below the $27,000 recorded in 2016.

Last year's seventh session included the sale of 35 horses of racing age in the fillies' portion of the complete dispersal of Conquest Stables for $4,321,500. With 58 horses not sold the RNA rate was 17 per cent.

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Through seven sessions of the 12-day sale, Keeneland has sold 1,464 horses for $183,607,400, down 5 per cent from the $193,177,300 paid for 1,408 horses through the same period in 2016. The average of $125,415 declined 9 per cent from last year's $137,200, while the median of $62,000 is 5 per cent below $65,000 in 2016.

Aaron Sones acquired Intangaroo, a 13-year-old daughter of Orientate out of the stakes-winning Tasso mare Tasso's Magic Roo. She was consigned by Adena Springs.

Anderson Farms purchased two horses for $330,000 to be the leading buyer of the session. Their purchases included Mrs Hudson, who was sold as property of Godolphin. Godolphin was the session's leading consignor with sales of $1,365,000 for 22 horses.

David Meah, agent for Abbondanza Racing, paid $180,000 for Fuerza, a four-year-old War Front filly from the family of champion Lost In The Fog consigned by Claiborne Farm.

Beautiful walk

Airdrie Stud's Summer Front, represented by his first foals this year, was the sire of Monday's top-priced weanling, a colt from the family of multiple Grade 1 winner Bolt D'Oro, third in this year's Breeders' Cup Juvenile, sold to agent Davant Latham for $170,000. Latham said he purchased the colt for a partnership that would resell him.

"He's by an exciting young first-year stallion by War Front - the sky's the limit," Latham said. "The catalogue update resulting from Bolt D'Oro certainly had a play. The horse had a beautiful walk; he is a well-prepared, nice horse who I think is going to grow and finish well."

St George Sales, consigned the colt out of the First Samurai mare Samurai's Honor from the family of multiple grade 3 winner Trip and stakes winners Passport, Sonic Mule, and Recruiting Ready.

Latham said competition among weanling buyers has been strong.

"It is very difficult to buy; I find you're having to pay yearling prices," he said. "I have been outbid by several end users, in particular a couple of end users that breed many of their own horses and surprisingly are reaching down into weanlings to buy horses."

Darby Dan Farm's Tapiture, also represented by his first foals this year, was the sire of the session's second and third highest-priced weanlings, both colts.

Great physical

B K Bloodstock went to $150,000 to acquire a son of the Officer mare Maggie R consigned by Darby Dan Farm.

"We thought he was a great physical," said Florida-based pinhooker Jimmy Gladwell, who signed the ticket. "We're looking for some good colts to resell next year. He's got a lot of growing to do, but had a great walk, great balance. Everything about him we liked.

"There's been a lot of competition for the good foals," he added. "The pinhookers did real well last year - a lot of sharp people around. It's a great market for everybody. Competition is good for the business."

Bluewater Sales consigned the Tapiture colt sold to Clear Ridge Stables for $130,000. Out of the Rockport Harbor mare Double Harbor, he is a half brother to Sky Writer, third in the Indiana Futurity at Indiana in October.

"Tapiture is a first-year son of Tapit; he could have a lot of potential," said Brian Graves, who signed the ticket. "He's a free-moving colt. Really athletic; had a little stakes update. Weanlings have been expensive and good horses have brought some money. The market has been good. He's just a nice colt."

The November sale continues through November 18 with all sessions beginning at 10am ET.

Day six: Sixth session of November Sale sees across-the-board gains

Day five: Storm The Hill tops fifth session and will stay in training

Day four: Tapit mare in foal to Curlin tops day four of November Sale

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