Ahmed Zayat’s Zayat Stables set a new bar for the third session of the Keeneland September yearling sale, purchasing a Mr. Greeley colt for $875,000.

The price was the session’s highest just past the midway point on Wednesday afternoon.

Sobhy Sonbol signed the ticket for the colt out of Chinoe Road, by Old Trieste, an unraced mare out of 1987 champion two-year-old Epitome, by Summing.

Gainesway consigned the colt bred in Kentucky by Jezebel Farm and John A. and Jessica Gay Bell, et al.

“He looked exactly like his father,” Sonbol said. “I hope he’s as good. I thought it would be in that $500,000 to $700,000 range, but the good ones are fetching good money, and you have to pay for them.”

Sonbol said Zayat has purchased eight horses in the sale and has accumulated 30 yearlings for his racing program, between homebreds and auction purchases.

“Every year we start with 70 new ones, and it’s going to be the same this year,” Sonbol said.

Earlier in the session, Jerry and Ann Moss purchased a Rock Hard Ten filly for $725,000 to top the early portion of the session.

Multiple Grade 1 winner Rock Hard Ten’s first foals are yearlings of 2008. The filly—already named Exceedingly—is the second foal out of the winning Unbridled mare Unsurpassed.

Bred in Kentucky by G. Watts Humphrey, she was consigned by Lane’s End, as agent.

“She was a great looking filly,” said Jerry Moss. “We don’t have that much by [Rock Hard Ten], so we thought we’d take the plunge. It was a little more than we expected [to pay] but we just loved her, so we went for it.”
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)