'They bought themselves one hell of a horse' - $875,000 Authentic colt tops session at Keeneland

The Book 3 opening session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale on Saturday got off to steady results and concluded with an Authentic colt taking top billing after realising $875,000 from the powerhouse partnership of Donato Lanni, agent for SF/Starlight/Madaket. Eaton Sales consigned the striking colt as Hip 1511.

The colt was bred in Kentucky by Seclusive Farm, Brad Stephens and Breeze Easy out of the Grade 2-placed Street Sense mare Sweetgrass .The Ian Wilkes trainee hit the board at two in the Grade 3 Iowa Oaks and Grade 2 Indiana Oaks. The next year, she followed up by placing third in the Grade 3 Shuvee Handicap and Grade 2 Chilukki Stakes. In her final year at five, she ran third-best in the Grade 3 Winning Colors Stakes.

"He was one of those beautiful horses that come along now and then," said Reiley McDonald, managing partner for Eaton Sales. "He was almost black, medium-sized, with a beautiful shoulder and great length. He had a great hip, was very correct, and had an outstanding athletic walk. 

“A very intelligent horse, he handled the pressure greatly and was shown over 200 times, which is a lot of pressure on any of these young horses coming out here for two days. That's quite a lot of stress on a horse; he took it like a pro, and they bought themselves one hell of a horse."

Sweetgrass's three foals to race are all winners, including the Justify juvenile named Umeboshi, who broke her maiden on Saturday in the fifth race at Churchill Downs for trainer Rudy Brisset and owner Storyteller Racing. She sold during the September Sale last year for $160,000 to her campaigning connections.

The colt's hefty price tag on day five of the sale didn't surprise McDonald, who stated: "I think in this sale, anytime you break $500,000, you don't know where you're going. I did know that a lot of people were on him and a couple of big hitters, and that is who ended up bidding against each other."

Lanni, agent for SF/Starlight/Madaket, picked up two other yearlings Saturday for gross receipts of $1,735,000, at an average price of $578,333, to be the session’s leading buyer. His other purchases were a $435,000 Practical Joke colt from Scott Mallory, agent for Buena Madera, and a $425,000 Not This Time colt from Runnymede Farm.

Keeneland reported 301 horses of the 371 on offer on Saturday sold for gross receipts of $48,032,000, a 9.4 per cent decrease over the previous year. The average price was $159,555, down 7.9 per cent, and the median $125,000, a 7.4 per cent decrease year-on-year. An RNA rate of 18.9 per cent represented the 70 horses who failed to sell.

The fifth session saw eight yearlings sell for $500,000 or more. Gainesway sold 28 yearlings for gross receipts of $6,067,000, at an average of $216,679, to be the leading consignor; they are also the leading cumulative consignor with gross receipts of $38,542,000 with 85 sold, at an average of $453,435.

Over the past five selling sessions, 985 yearlings of the 1,260 to go under the hammer have sold for a gross of $291,797,000, setting an average price of $296,241 and a median of $220,000. There have been 275 horses that failed to sell, posting a 21.8 per cent RNA rate.

At this point last year, 1,024 yearlings had changed hands of the 1,269 on offer for gross receipts of $298,326,000, posting a $291,334 average price and a median of $210,000. The 245 yearlings that remained unsold represented a 19.3 per cent RNA rate.

West Bloodstock, agent for Repole Stables, has continued to hold top honours after purchasing 35 yearlings over the past five selling sessions for gross receipts of $11,835,000. Donato Lanni, agent for SF/Starlight/Madaket, follows closely with gross receipts of $10,070,000 for 15 bought, at an average of $671,333.

The second day of selling from Book 3 continues on Sunday, with Hips 1549-1965 scheduled to head through the ring beginning at 10am (3pm BST). As of Saturday evening, 41 yearlings had been withdrawn from the sixth session.

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