Fillies continued to be in high demand during the ninth session of the Keeneland September yearling sale on Wednesday.

One day after fillies accounted for the top three prices during the eighth session of the sale, fillies brought the highest two prices at Wednesday’s session, which concluded with double-digit declines in gross receipts, average price, and median.

Legends Racing Stable was the leading buyer on Wednesday after purchasing a Tiznow filly for $400,000, the session’s top price. The dark bay or brown filly was Legends Racing Stable’s only purchase of the day.

Blandford Bloodstock paid $250,000, the session’s second-highest price, for a Songandaprayer filly.

“As the old adage goes, there’s always money for a quality individual,” said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland’s director of sales. “We find that fillies are highly sought in today’s market because they retain their value longer.”

The session-topping Tiznow filly is out of multiple graded stakes winner Katz Me If You Can, by Storm Cat. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent for Overbrook Farm, the filly is from the female family of Grade 1 winner Cuddles and Grade 3 winner Cause to Believe.

The Songandaprayer filly is a half sister to Group 3-placed winner Square Eddie and is out of multiple stakes-placed winner Forty Gran, by El Gran Senor. Anderson Farms, agent for Kinghaven Farms, consigned the Songandaprayer filly, who is from the female family of Grade 1 winner Pompeii.

Eaton Sales, agent, also consigned Wednesday’s highest-priced colt, a More Than Ready colt purchased by Edmonton for $175,000, the session’s third-highest price. The bay colt is out of the winning Indian Charlie mare Silent Circle.

Eaton Sales was the session’s leading consignor, selling 31 horses for $1,631,000.

Keeneland reported 266 of 353 horses offered as sold for total receipts of $10,244,800, a 30.1% decrease compared with last year’s corresponding session, in which 286 horses sold for $14,653,600. Average price decreased 24.8% from $51,236 last year to $38,514. The median of $30,000 was down 28.6% from $42,000 last year.

The buy-back rate increased from 20.6% last year to 24.6%.

Through nine days of the sale, 2,233 horses have sold for gross receipts of $305,698,100, a 13.8% decline compared with 2,269 horses sold for $354,714,200 through nine sessions last year. Average price decreased 12.4% to $136,900. The median of $80,000 is down 11.1%.

The sale continues through Tuesday, with sessions starting at 10 a.m. EDT daily.
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)

Fillies accounted for the three highest prices at the eighth session of the Keeneland September yearling sale, which posted a double-digit decline in gross receipts on Tuesday compared with last year’s corresponding session.

Keeneland reported 270 of 375 horses offered as sold during the eighth session for total receipts of $14,116,400, an 11.6% decline compared with day eight last year, when 286 yearlings sold for total receipts of $15,969,400.

Tuesday’s average price of $52,283 was down 6.4% compared with $55,837 last year. The median of $40,000 was unchanged.

The buy-back rate increased from 22.9% last year to 28%.

Tuesday’s session topper was an Indian Charlie filly purchased for $250,000 by John Brocklebank, agent. Mill Ridge Sales, agent, consigned the bay filly, who is out of multiple Grade 2-placed stakes winner Her She Kisses, by Dehere.

The session topper is from the female family of Grade 3 winner and sire Mr. Shawklit, Grade 1-placed winner and sire Shawklit Won, Grade 1-placed winner and multiple stakes producer Her She Shawklit, Grade 2 winner Shawklit Mint, and multiple Grade 3 winner Crafty Shaw.

Ken and Sarah Ramsey purchased an Empire Maker filly for $230,000, Tuesday’s second-highest price. The dark bay or brown filly is out of Grade 3 winner Changing World, by Spinning World, and was consigned by The Acorn, agent for Mr. and Mrs. Samuel H. Rogers Jr.’s White Oaks.

The Ramseys were the session’s leading buyers, purchasing two yearlings for a total of $350,000. Lane’s End led all consignors on Tuesday, selling 28 horses for total receipts of $1,560,000.

Lane’s End, agent, consigned a Dixie Union filly who was purchased by Woodland Stable for $200,000, Tuesday’s third-highest price. The dark bay or brown filly is out of Grade 3-placed multiple stakes winner August Storm and is a half sister to Grade 2-placed winner Break Water Edison.

Tuesday’s highest-priced colt was a Grand Slam colt purchased for $180,000 by Off the Hook. Consigned by Mr. and Mrs. Jody Huckabay’s Elm Tree Farm, agent, the dark bay or brown colt is out of the winning Dixieland Band mare Restless One, a half sister to Grade 3 winner Chorwon.

The Grand Slam colt is from the female family of multiple graded stakes winners Rush Bay and Classic Elegance.

Through eight sessions, Keeneland reported 1,967 horses as sold for gross receipts of $295,453,300. Total receipts are down 13.1% compared with last year’s first eight sessions of the sale, in which 1,983 horses sold for $340,060,600.

This year’s average price of $150,205 is down 12.4% compared with last year’s $171,488 average through eight days. Median is down 5% to $95,000.

The sale continues through September 23, with sessions starting daily at 10 a.m. EDT.
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)

An Indian Charlie colt produced from the Touch Gold mare Touched brought a top price of $400,000 during the Sept. 15 session of the Keeneland September yearling sale.

Consigned by his breeders, John and Martha Jane Mulholland’s Mulholland Springs, the colt was purchased by Hoods Up Stable.

The session topper highlighted a session in which 284 horses were sold for $18,864,700, down 8.1% from the same session one year ago when 288 horses grossed $20,517,500. The session average fell 6.8% to $66,425 from last year’s $71,241, and the median of $50,000 represented a 9.1% decline from the $55,000 during the same session in 2007. The buyback rate of 21.5% was identical to last year’s rate.

Tom Thornbury, associate director of sales, said trading was solid throughout the session, with continued buying by American buyers who have been active during previous sessions augmented by an influx of new foreign buyers. As has been the case with every major North American sale in recent years, bidding “for the right horse was sensational,” Thornbury said.

Through Sept. 15, Keeneland has sold 1,697 horses for $281,336,900, with the gross down 13.2% from last year’s $324,091,200 for the same number of horses sold. The average of $165,785 is down 13.2% from last year’s comparable average of $190,979, while the median of $100,000 is down 16.7% from last year’s $120,000.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Barretts has cataloged 514 horses for its October mixed sale, which will be held Oct. 27 and 28 at the Hinds Pavilion at Fairplex Park in Southern California.

Selling will begin each day at 11 a.m. (PDT).

The catalog can be viewed at www.barretts.com.

Live interactive bidding on the auction’s horses will be available to registered bidders. More information about the requirements for registering to bid interactively can be found on the Barretts Web site.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

A colt by Macho Uno topped the sixth session of the Keeneland September yearling sale, which concluded on Sunday with declines in total sales, average price, and median.

Joe Appelbaum, of Off the Hook, signed the ticket for $400,000 for the Macho Uno colt on behalf of Venezuelan businessman Jose Castro’s Paula C Racing.

“He’s been with us all week and looking for a real nice horse that is a prospect for either pinhooking or racing,” Appelbaum said. “He was excited to get this one; it’s the one he targeted.”

Consigned by Hidden Brook, agent for breeder Adena Springs, the session topper is out of Grade 2-placed multiple stakes winner Bag Lady Jane, by Devil’s Bag. His grandam is two-time Canadian champion Deputy Jane West.

Appelbaum said he was impressed by the colt’s balance and athleticism.

“He’s just looks like he’ll be super athletic and he has a beautiful walk. That’s his strength,” he said. “We had some success with the Holy Bulls and Macho Unos. Macho Uno seems to be doing nicely, especially with the three-year-olds. That didn’t hurt.”

Keeneland reported 295 horses from 377 offered as sold for $27,081,500. Total sales dipped 4.3% from $28,302,500 at the corresponding 2007 session. Average price dropped 6.6% to $91,802 and median declines 12.5% to $70,000.

The buy-back rated improved to 21.8%, compared with 23% during the sixth session last year.

“It was a good session,” said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland’s director of sales. “There was good representation by both domestic and foreign buyers. The Europeans are here along with South Americans.”

Demi O’Byrne, bloodstock agent for the associates of Coolmore, went to $375,000 to secure a bay colt from the first crop of Coolmore stallion Powerscourt (GB). Consigned by Blandford Stud, agent, the colt is out of Grade 2-placed winner Beefeater Baby, by Thunder Gulch.

The top-priced filly of the session was a Dixie Union filly, who was purchased for $330,000 by Bob Feld, agent for Sagamore Farm. Out of Grade 2-placed winner Rosthern, by Broad Brush, the Dixie Union filly was consigned by Brookdale Sales, agent for Audley Farm.

Through six sessions, Keeneland reported 1,412 horses as sold for total receipts of $262,457,200, a 13.5% decline compared with $303,573,700 after six days at the ’07 Keeneland September sale. Average price is down 13.7% to $185,876.
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)

RELEASE

The 2009 Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale has been further boosted by the announcement that Mr Yaseen, owner of perhaps Australia’s most valuable broodmare, Shantha’s Choice, has decided to enter the mare’s Encosta De Lago colt for next year’s sale.

This is the first time Mr Yaseen has elected to sell a yearling from the Canny Lad mare and the colt will be offered by Coolmore as agent.

“It’s a rare jewel when such a well bred horse like this has looks that match his pedigree,” Coolmore’s Peter O’Brien said.

“He is a beautiful, big strong horse with terrific balance and very correct. He’s as good a colt as you will ever see and even by Easter standards, he’s a special horse.”

Shantha’s Choice is the dam of five individual winners, including three stakes winners – two of which are Group 1 winners.

Redoute’s Choice and Platinum Scissors were both G1 winners for the mare by Danehill, while that pair’s three parts sister Sliding Cube (Rock Of Gibraltar) has won up to Group 3 level.

She is also the dam of stakes placed Monsoon Wedding and Superior Sateen (both by Danehill).

Shantha’s Choice is from the wonderful producer Dancing Show (dam of G1 winners and top sires Hurricane Sky and Umatilla) from the Best In Show family, which boasts countless G1 winners around the world.

“He would certainly be the early favourite to be topping the sale I would think, being such an imposing individual with a pedigree like that,” Inglis Director Jonathan D’Arcy said.

“We are very grateful to Mr Yaseen for giving Inglis the opportunity to sell such a valuable colt.”

D’Arcy said nominations for all three of the Inglis major sales next year – Melbourne Premier, Easter and Classic – were outstanding.

“We received something in the vicinity of 4000 entries, made up of around 2000 for Premier and 1000 each for Easter and Classic,” he said.

“We will be on the road over the next five weeks continuing our annual round of inspections.”
www.inglis.com.au

Release

Another group of exciting racetrack prospects to go under the hammer in the upcoming Magic Millions National Horses in Training Sale have had important pedigree updates in the past week.

Close relations to the recent stakes performers Bank Robber, Enzedex Eagle, Kaphero and Tuesday Joy are all in training and heading for the country’s premier breeze up style auction.

Bank Robber raced to the top of betting charts for the upcoming Group One Epsom Handicap when he scored a brilliant Group Three win in Sydney on Tuesday.

The Gai Waterhouse trained son of Dash for Cash is now the winner of his only two starts at black type level. He had previously won the listed Show County Handicap.

“He’s the horse they will have to beat in the Epsom,” Waterhouse said of Bank Robber. “He gets better each run and I can’t wait until he runs again.”

Bank Robber’s half brother, who is a member of the Eliza Park draft, is catalogued as lot number 228.

Dash for Cash himself has three newly turned two-year-olds set to go under the hammer - a colt, a gelding and a filly.

Also set for the Gold Coast auction is a half brother to last week’s Wyong Cup placegetter Enzedex Eagle.

In the main catalogue as lot number 36, the colt is a member of the first crop of Southern Halo’s Group Two winning son Star Cross. He is paid up for the lucrative Magic Millions race series.

Enzedex Eagle, who is trained by leading Sydney horseman Chris Waller, is one of Sydney’s most in form gallopers and looks to be a stakes winner in the making.

His dam Gay Finale is a half sister to Group winners Hermod and Orsay as well as the dams of Hire, Lease and Prankster and grandam of Fantasia.

The outstanding win of Tuesday Joy in Saturday’s Stocks Stakes at Moonee Valley provided the family of Lot 80 with yet another boost.

The youngster by Red Ransom is from the stakes performed Geiger Counter mare Joie - a half sister to Tuesday Joy.

The colt, paid up for the Magic Millions Race Series, is one of the outstanding lots catalogued by BC3 Australia - the draft assembled by renowned American pin-hooker John Brocklebank.

Joie, stakes performed in her own right, is a daughter of the Queensland Oaks winner Joie Denise and grandaughter of the champion Denise’s Joy.

Meanwhile, one of the well bred youngsters in the first supplementary catalogue for the sale is a close relation to Manikato Stakes placegetter and Moonee Valley Horse of the Year Kaphero.

Lot 491, as the bay colt is catalogued, is by Giant’s Causeway and from Memoir - a three quarter quarter sister to Kaphero.

Others in the supplementary (part one) are by Antonius Pius, Aucash, Dane Shadow, French Deputy, Giant’s Causeway, Hussonet, Iglesia, Moon Rocket, Ombra Della Sera, Statue of Liberty, Street Cry and Tsuimai.

A second supplementary catalogue will be assembled and anyone interested in offering their horse should contact James Dawson at Magic Millions as a matter of priority.

The following sires, who had stakes winners in Australia on Saturday, have young prospects catalogued for the Magic Millions National Horses in Training Sale:

CAPE CROSS - the sire of Tokyo City Cup winner Capecover has 4 catalogued - 3 colts and a gelding

CARNEGIE - the sire of Stocks Stakes winner Tuesday Joy has 3 catalogued - 2 colts and a filly

CHOISIR - the sire of Theo Mark Stakes winner Hurried Choice has 7 catalogued - 5 colts and 2 fillies

FLYING SPUR - the sire of Lindsay Park Guineas winner Sparks Fly has 2 catalogued - a gelding and a filly

STATUE OF LIBERTY - the sire of Champagne Stakes winner Dan Baroness has 3 catalogued - 2 colts and a filly

STREET CRY - the sire of Ming Dynasty Stakes winner Predatory Pricer has 2 colt catalogued
www.magicmillions.com.au

Zayat Stables paid $500,000 for a colt by Medaglia d’Oro to top the Sept. 13 session of Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent, the colt is out of the unraced Clever Trick mare Game Trick, and from the family of champion sprinter and sire Langfuhr.

On the fifth day of the marathon sale, Keeneland sold 280 horses for gross receipts of $30,677,000, down 4.1% from 2007 when 267 horses brought $31,980,700. The average of $109,561 was down 8.5% from last year’s $119,778, while the median of $90,000 was down 10% compared to $100,000 in 2007.

“As we talked about on Thursday, consignors are doing a spectacular job of adjusting to the market. The sale was consistent throughout the day, and the not sold rate of 21.1 percent is excellent,” said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland’s director of sales.

Through day five of the 15-day sale, Keeneland has sold 1,117 horses for $235,375,700, down 14.5% from last year’s $275,271,200. The average of $210,721 is down 14.2% from the $245,559 at this point in the sale a year ago, while the median of $150,000 is down 6.3% from $160,000 in 2007.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

The Medaglia d’Oro filly who topped Thursday’s session at the Keeneland September yearling sale but never changed hands after a credit issue arose with the buyer was resold privately.

Celebrity chef Bobby Flay is the new owner of the Medaglia d’Oro filly. No purchase price was disclosed.

Karen Sanderson, an oral surgeon who lives in London, went to $1.1-million for the filly to outbid John Ferguson, bloodstock adviser to Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum.

Keeneland confirmed on Friday that Paul D’Arcy, representing Sanderson, did not have approved credit.

Keeneland’s Director of Sales, Geoffrey Russell, said Friday the company was exploring the options for the Medaglia d’Oro filly out of the Forty Niner mare Amizette as well as two other yearlings originally purchased by Sanderson on Thursday. Keeneland elected to resell the yearlings pursuant to the company’s conditions of sale

The two other yearlings—Hip 942 and Hip 1132—were slated to be resold at 4 p.m. EDT Saturday.
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)

The buyer of the session topping yearling at the Keeneland September yearling sale on Thursday did not have approved credit, and thus the $1.1-million filly is back up for sale.

Keeneland Vice President Harvie Wilkinson said the credit issue popped up shortly after Karen Sanderson, an oral surgeon who lives in suburban London, outbid the biggest spenders in the Thoroughbred world for the rights to the Medaglia d’Oro filly out of the Forty Niner mare Amizette.

“She did not have her credit approved prior to buying the horse, and she has given us consent to resell the horse this weekend,” Wilkinson said on Friday evening. “At the time she bought the horse, we had not completed her credit review and were waiting for confirmation from her bank. That failed to appear.”

Keeneland Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell confirmed the situation.

“We are going over our options as we speak,” he said.

Those options would appear to be to put the filly back through the ring or to sell her privately. The direct underbidder was John Ferguson, primary bloodstock agent for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum.

Ferguson was believed to be travelling to Belmont Park for Saturday’s racing, where Sheikh Mohammed has contenders entered in various graded stakes.

The Medaglia d’Oro filly is out of a full sister to multiple graded stakes winner and sire Twining. She is a half sister to the three-year-old Montjeu (Ire) colt King of Rome, winner of the Royal Whip Stakes (Ire-G2) and Meld Stakes (Ire-G3) at Leopardstown this year.

Newmarket-based trainer Paul D’Arcy signed the ticket for Sanderson, who had not purchased horses at Keeneland previously. D’Arcy and Sanderson also bought a $75,000 Afleet Alex colt out of Real Cat, and a $120,000 Indian Charlie filly out of Christmas Affair.

All the horses are back up for sale, Wilkinson said.

“Ms. Sanderson is cooperating, and she has made a commitment to us if there is a shortfall on any of the resales, she will make up the difference,” Wilkinson said.

Tom Evans’ Trackside Farm consigned the Medaglia d’Oro filly on behalf of Richard and Audrey Haisfield’s Stonewall Farm and Rob Whiteley’s Liberation Farm et al.
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)

Release

Inglis is pleased to announce its appointment as selling agent for Malaysia’s National Stud Farm Sale in November.

“We are delighted to renew our association with the MNSF sale and look forward to again conducting the auction,” Inglis Director Peter Heagney, who has been involved with the sale since its inception in 1992, said.

“I have seen this sale progress from a modest beginning with principally imported horses being sold, to a sale that can be sustained with horses bred locally.

“These horses are now proving highly competitive on the race track.”

To be held on site at the Stud Farm, the sale will be made up of home-bred two-year-olds by sires including former Australian residents Magic Of Money and Pacific Prince, in addition to locally based stallions like Becquerel, Super Istana and Han Woon Tycoon.

All horses sold are eligible for a series of races restricted to Malaysian bred horses, valued at over RM 1.1million.

“It’s a great honour and sign of confidence in our company for the MNSL to ask us to take over management of their annual sale from the Magic Millions,” Inglis Managing Director Mark Webster said.

“Inglis is committed to developing closer relations with major buyers in Asia. In addition to running a first class sale for the MNSF, this sale will lift the Inglis profile in the region and benefit all Inglis vendors in the long run.”

The sale will be conducted in Perak on Friday November 21.
www.inglis.com.au

Doncaster’s two-part St Leger festival sale concluded Sept. 11 with figures below those of the 2007 numbers.

Although the £10,000 median was down only £250, the turnover for a reduced catalog fell 42% to £1,244,699 and the £11,697 average dropped by 22%.

But Doncaster managing director Henry Beeby was happy with the sale.

“Satisfied; that is the word that would sum up the last two days’ trade for the newest sale on the oldest date in the DBS sale calendar,” said Beeby. “The market is selective, but bring a likely sort to the sales arena and competition is as fierce as ever.

“While we have failed to match last year’s figures the consensus among our vendors was that they were happy with the trade, pinhookers made profits, and the unique St Leger sales atmosphere was backed up by plenty of potential buyers viewing proceedings. Given worldwide economic trends, that has to mean satisfied is a fair reflection.

“A clearance rate of 73% and a median that was essentially identical to last year tell the real story and while the sale is down we purposely took fewer horses so a turnover comparison is irrelevant.”

The sale topper came on the second night of the auction, a £50,000 Xaar half-sister to group III winner Ancien Regime, who was bought by agent Bobby O’Ryan to race for a syndicate in Ireland.

On day two, 71 were offered and 53 sold for £548,500, an average of £11,026 and median of £8,000.

For the two days, 143 were offered and 104 sold. The gross was £1,244,600 and the median $10,000. Last year, 189 were offered and 143 sold for £2,152,815, an average of £15,055 and a median of £10,250.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Dr. Karen Sanderson, a surgeon who lives in suburban London, outbid the industry’s two biggest players to purchase a Medaglia d’Oro filly for $1.1-million on day four of the Keeneland September yearling sale.

The bidding duel, which included representatives of Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and Coolmore Stud, ended with Sheikh Mohammed’s primary bloodstock agent, John Ferguson, turning his back on the auctioneers in the back ring following Sanderson’s bid of $1.1-million.

“[Sanderson] was an interesting victress, considering who was bidding on the horse,” said Keeneland Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell, who characterized the sale as “very solid,” given the current economic climate.

Keeneland reported 267 of 369 horses offered as sold on Thursday for total sales of $40,534,700, a 10.1% decline from the corresponding session last year. Average price dropped 13.4% to $151,815, and median declined 16.7% to $125,000 on year-to-year comparisons.

Thursday’s buy-back rate of 27.6% was an improvement on last year’s mark of 29.8%, and Russell commended consignors for adjusting their reserves to fit market conditions.

Cumulatively, Keeneland has reported 837 horses sold for $204,698,700, a decline of 15.9% from last year. Average is down 14.2% at $244,562, and median is down 10% at $180,000.

Through four days of selling, 18 horses have sold for $1-million or more, compared with 31 at this point last year.

“The comments we all overuse were very apparent again today. A good horse sells,” Russell said. “The criteria buyers are using are getting tighter and tighter. And if they don’t like them, there’s very little safety net there. You have to be on top of the market and your appraisals have to be very tight.”

The Medaglia d’Oro filly out of the Forty Niner mare Amizette – a full sister to multiple graded stakes winner and sire Twining – is a half sister to the three-year-old Montjeu (Ire) colt King of Rome, winner of the Royal Whip Stakes (Ire-G2) and Meld Stakes (Ire-G3) at Leopardstown this year.

Newmarket-based trainer Paul D’Arcy signed the ticket for Sanderson, who was bidding from inside the sales pavilion. She said she had a feeling about the underbidder, who was bidding from the back ring.

“I knew it was John Ferguson,” Sanderson said, smiling. “We plan to race her in England or anywhere else she’ll run. We’ve seen several we liked, but this filly in particular was one we wanted.”

Tom Evans’s Trackside Farm consigned the Medaglia d’Oro filly on behalf of Richard and Audrey Haisfield’s Stonewall Farm and Rob Whiteley’s Liberation Farm et al.

“She was a lovely filly,” Evans said. “She had a great walk. She was a half to a horse [King of Rome] that won two group races since the catalog, and she’s from one of the best families in the stud book. So what’s missing? Nothing.”

The top-priced colt of the day was a $700,000 son of rising star Tiznow. Thoroughbred Legends Racing Stable purchased the colt out of Indian Snow, by A.P. Indy, from Lane’s End, agent.

The Legends, whose horses will be conditioned by trainers D. Wayne Lukas, Nick Zito, and Bob Baffert, have purchased 19 horses for a total of $9,920,000.

“I’ve had good luck with Tiznow. I had [2005 champion two-year-old filly] Folklore, and Bob’s had good luck with him,” Lukas said. “That’s our kind of horse. …

“We’re excited about getting back in that classic-type arena and Breeders’ Cups. I think sparks are gonna fly when these things start hitting the racetracks. We’re going to hold an NBA draft [to decide which of the three trainers gets which horses.]”

The sale resumes on Saturday.
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)

A dark bay or brown filly by Medaglia d’Oro fetched a final bid of $1.1 million from Dr. Karen Sanderson who was making her first purchase at the Keeneland September yearling sale during the marathon auction’s fourth session Sept. 11.

The $1.1 million bid marks the highest price of the fourth session through almost six hours of selling.

The filly, who was produced from the Forty Niner mare Amizette, was consigned by Trackside Farm (Tom Evans), agent for Rob Whiteley’s Liberation Farm, et. al. The filly was bred in Kentucky by Liberation and Stonewall Farm, who purchased Amizette for $90,000 at the 2006 Keeneland January mixed sale.

“She deserved to bring that level,” said Whiteley. “It’s always hard to know on Thursday whether that is realistic to expect that she would bring that level. But she combines everything. Physically, she is lovely and athletic and she’s by the most promising sire that I’ve been around at this stage.”

Discussing why she was interested in purchasing the filly, Sanderson, who is an oral surgeon near London, said, “We have a great deal of confidence of King of Rome (half-brother to Medaglia d’ Oro filly who is a group II winner in Ireland for trainer Aidan O’Brien and owners Derrick Smith, Michael Tabor, and Susan Magnier) on the racetrack and we feel this is a very firm purchase because she is a very fine filly, she walks very well and there is everything about her to like. My trainer (Paul D’Arcy) said she was the nicest filly he had seen for the day and I stand by his judgment. We came to buy the best and we feel we have bought the best lot of the day.”

D’Arcy, who has 20 runners in his yard, including two for Sanderson, said he liked the filly due to her athletic build, walk, catalogue page, nice deep chest, and good eye.

Sanderson added she believed she was the underbidder on the filly and was more than pleasantly surprised when the sales ticket was delivered to her.

Talking about why she traveled from Europe to purchase yearlings in America, Sanderson said, “I think the way breeding is now and the way the gene pool is going it is more sensible to come out of Europe. I think outcrosses are very important and I think it is important for the genetic pool that we go forward.”

Concerning the price, Sanderson said, “We knew she was going to be expensive, but we came with a purpose so we decided to just go for it. The exchange rate (Dollars to Pounds) made a big difference.”
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

Improved racing in Russia has helped increase interest from buyers from that country at this year’s Keeneland September yearling sale.

Sergey Efros, president of the Jockey Club of Russia, expects Russian buyers to purchase about 100 Thoroughbreds at this year’s sale at prices ranging from $30,000 to $100,000. Last year, Russian buyers purchased about 40 horses at Keeneland September.

“This will be a record number of horses for Russian buyers,” Efros said.

Efros said interest in racing has increased in Russia since the department of agriculture approved the country’s Jockey Club to oversee all races. Previously, regional groups and racing clubs would conduct their own meetings.

This year, Russia conducted about 100 races worth a total of about $1.5-million in purses. All races are conducted at the Moscow Hippodrome.

Russia even conducted a day like the Breeders’ Cup World Championships, offering races for the country’s top horses in each division.

“We’re moving up,” Efros said.

Efros said in partnership he has purchased 12 horses and plans to buy ten more before sale’s end. Besides buying horses, Efros is working with other Russian buyers to coordinate transportation plans.
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)

Doncaster’s St. Leger Festival yearling sale began on a modest note on Sept. 11 in England,with two £32,000 lots topping the session. They were a Kyllachy colt bought by agent Bobby O’Ryan for Cockney Rebel’s owner Phil Cunningham from Ballyhane Sales and a Starcraft filly purchased by agent David Redvers for owner Keith Trowbridge.

The £12,000 median price equaled last year’s figure, but the £12,945 average price fell by 23% and the £660,200 turnover for the 51 horses sold was down 43%.

The sale finishes on Sept. 11.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)

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)

RELEASE

At the heart of the Qatar Arc weekend, the Arc sale offers a selection of horses in training from the most successful yards in France, Italy and Germany: André Fabre, (the largest draft with 13 lots), Jean-Claude Rouget (9 lots), Freddy Head, Henri-Alex Pantall, Alain de Royer-Dupré, Richard Gibson, Christiane Head-Maarek, together with Mario Hoffer (Germany), Jacques Heloury, Paolo Paciello (Italy) and others will be represented.

The horses set to go through the Saint-Cloud sales ring have borne such prestigious silks as the Aga Khan’s, Michael Tabor’s, the Wertheimer brothers’, the Baron von Ullmann’s or the Moussac family’s, the majority of them contributing to enriching their owners’ roll of honor with Stakes performances.

29 of the lots on offer are black-type, while no less than 14 have won or been placed at Group level.

Ready-made eligibility for the Dubai carnival
The average rating on the entire catalogue is 96, a steady increase on last year. This level guarantees a cosy ticket for Dubai, whether on dirt or on turf:
- 31 lots are rated above 90, the required minimum for dirt races at the Carnival
- 27 lots are rated above 95, the required minimum for turf races at the Carnival

Among the most attractive lots on offer are :

Two-year-olds:

- ELUSIVE WAVE (lot 18), from Jean-Claude Rouget’s, is unbeaten in three starts including the Prix Roland de Chambure (L.) and Prix du Calvados (Gr.3); she will be one of the most fancied chances for the Total Prix Marcel Boussac (Gr.1), run the day after the sale.
- SMOOTH OPERATOR (lot 19), from Mario Hofer’s, this son of Big Shuffle scored in a Listed event at Baden-Baden in early September.
- TEMPLE LORD (lot 22), from Yves de Nicolay’s, was placed in the Prix François Boutin (L.) this Summer behind subsequent Prix La Rochette hero Soul City; he will next contest the Prix des Chênes (Gr.3).

Three-year-olds

- AMERICAIN (lot 28), from André Fabre’s, this Dynaformer colt took the Prix de l’Avre (L.), defeating WATAR, and was recently first past the post in the Prix de Lutèce (Gr.3).
- HOPES AND FEARS (lot 5), from Jean-Claude Rouget’s, won the 2008 Derby du Languedoc (L.).
- TRES RAPIDE (lot 7), from Henri-Alex Pantall’s, ran 2nd in the recent Prix de Liancourt (L.), having achieved 4th in Germany’s Preis Der Diana (Gr.1) in the summer.
- AZABARA (lot 13), from André Fabre’s, this Pivotal filly scored twice this season, holding off GOLDIKOVA on the first occasion before gaining black-type in the Prix des Lilas (L.).
- GRIS TENDRE (lot 16), from Jean-Claude Rouget’s, bagged two Listed races in the Spring.
- QUARAYED (lot 17), from Jean-Claude Rouget’s, this daughter of Dynaformer, closely related to Sadler’s Wells, was placed in Listed events on two occasions this year.
- HELLO MORNING (lot 21), from Christiane Head-Maarek’s, this brave Poliglote colt did nothing wrong in the 2008 Classics, achieving 5th in the Poule d’Essai and 6th in the Jockey- Club. He is offered at auction to dissolve a partnership.
- POMPEYANO (lot 24), from Carlos Laffon-Parias’, landed the Derby de l’Ouest (L.) in the Spring.
- NEVER ON SUNDAY (lot 31), from Jean-Claude Rouget’s, took the Prix Ridgway (L.) after defeating Prix Guillaume d’Ornano (Gr.2) hero RUSSIAN CROSS by 5 lengths.
- LESSING (lot 34), from Richard Gibson’s, the winner of the Prix Ronde de Nuit (L.) earlier this year, she also finished 3rd to ZARKAVA in the Prix de la Grotte (Gr.3).

Four-year-olds and over

- TIZA (lot 12), from Alain de Royer-Dupré’s, was the impressive victor of the Prix de Meautry (Gr.3) and will be strongly fancied for the Prix de l’Abbaye, run the day after the sale.
- NOBLE PRINCE (lot 14), from André Fabre’s, a handsome son of Montjeu who has been a model of consistency in Group races over 2400 metres and beyond.
- NOT JUST SWING (lot 15), from André Fabre’s, victorious in the Prix d’Hédouville (Gr.3) this year and set to start in the Gr.2 Prix Foy.
- LINDA’S LAD (lot 35) took the Gr.1 Criterium de St Cloud at 2 and the Lingfield Derby Trial at 3.
- QUEST FOR HONOR (lot 43), from André Fabre’s, landed the Prix Greffuhle (Gr.2) in 2007 and was consistently placed this season.

Catalogue online at www.arqana.com

Barretts Equine Ltd. has canceled its planned Classic I sale of horses of racing age, scheduled for the day after this year’s Breeders Cup World Championships, because of insufficient entries.

The sale had been scheduled to take place on October 26 at Fairplex Park in Pomona, California.

“We found that California’s racing stables primarily want to be buyers, not sellers, in that kind of market,” Barretts’ President Jerry McMahon said. “Prohibitive transportation costs kept us from attracting quality horses from out of the area.”

McMahon also indicated that the company had not made any decision regarding future sales of this kind.
(Source: Thoroughbred Times)

Three Chimneys, along with consignors Blackburn Farm, Brookdale Farm, Denali Stud, and Middlebrook Farm, will again host its annual September RNA Showcase sale Sept. 12 from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. (EDT).

Yearlings consigned by the partnering farms that did not meet their reserves at the Keeneland September yearling sale will be available for inspection and purchase at Three Chimneys Farm’s Big Sink division. Refreshments will be provided, and representatives from each farm will be available to discuss the horses with prospective buyers.

Information on the RNA sale and directions to the Big Sink division can be obtained at any of the participating consignors’ barns or at the Three Chimneys Farm Web site.
(Source: The Blood-Horse)