Taylor Swifter leads the way at $700,000 as Book 2 at Keeneland comes to a close

Taylor Swifter, an unraced daughter of Coolmore’s Triple Crown-winning stallion American Pharoah, proved the most popular lot on the third day of the Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale in Kentucky, with Pursuit Of Success bringing down the hammer at $700,000.

The mare was offered by Gainesway in foal to 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline. 

Thursday was the second and final day of Book 2 and Keeneland sold 239 horses for $44,027,000, a 31 per cent rise year-on-year. The average of $184,213 was up 15.55 per cent, while the median of $160,000 increased 20.75 per cent. 

In the first three sessions, 596 horses sold for $164,126,000, an increase of 31 per cent from the corresponding period in 2024. The average of $275,379 rose 22 per cent, while the median of $190,000 was up 12 per cent. 

“The day was fantastic, it felt like a continuation of yesterday,” said Tony Lacy, Keeneland's vice-president of sales. 

“The momentum was there, and there was the same enthusiasm for quality stock. The market never seemed to waver all day, which was really encouraging. The session jumped out of the gates well and hit the wire hard.

“A lot of people were here for the last hips going through the ring. It was busy in the back and out in the Show Barn for the last few hours, while the inside was really vibrant. A lot of people were relaxed, smiling and enjoying it, which indicates the confidence percolating through the marketplace right now.”

Arthur St George: 'She's in foal to an exciting stallion in Flightline'Credit: Keeneland Photo

Taylor Swifter was bred in Kentucky by Albaugh Family Stables and is out of the Graded stakes-placed Medaglia D'Oro mare Taylor S, who is a daughter of blue hen Miss Macy Sue, the dam of Liam's Map and Not This Time. 

Taylor S has produced three foals to race, her two winners including Taylor's Version, a three-year-old colt by Into Mischief who won an allowance race in September at Churchill Downs for trainer Dale Romans and Albaugh Family Stables.

"She's a very nice physical," Archie St George, who signed the ticket on behalf of Bryant Prentice's Pursuit Of Success, told Bloodhorse. 

"She's by American Pharaoh, who looks to be possibly a very good broodmare sire. She's in foal to an exciting stallion in Flightline. The team and Mr Prentice, Bill Oppenheim, and everyone seemed to like the mare. There's a lot of upsides to her and there's a half-brother who potentially could run.

"It's a big pedigree with stallions on there, Not This Time and Liam's Map. Hopefully, Mr. Prentice has some luck with her, and it's all credit to him, Bill, and everyone else. She'll go back to us now and hopefully we'll have a Flightline colt, and they can run." 

A colt by Nyquist brought $600,000 at Keeneland on ThursdayCredit: Keeneland Photo

Graded winner Apple Picker, a five-year-old daughter of Connect, fetched the second-highest price of the day at $650,000. She was consigned as a broodmare prospect by Elite and purchased under the name Family and Friends. 

She was bred by Michael Dubb out of the Yes It's True mare Silent Fright, a half-sister to multiple Graded stakes winner Grand Adventure.

The weanling market proved strong once again, topped by a Nyquist colt who brought $600,000 from Clover Leaf Bloodstock, who were the leading buyers of the day with five purchases totalling $1.23 million. Four of them weanlings. 

The youngster is the third foal out of the Honor Code mare Intense Honor, a half-sister to Graded winners Money Multiplier and Intense Holiday. He was bred in Kentucky by Viking Breeding.

Book 3 of the Keeneland Breeding Stock Sale begins on Friday. 

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