Business Booming at Keeneland November Sale

The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale doesn't end until Nov. 13, but it already has surpassed last year's gross for the entire sale. Heading into the ninth and final day, the improvement is about $7.3 million and counting. On Nov. 11, the seventh day of the nine-day auction, total sales reached $181.4 million, almost $5 million more than the gross of $176.5 million for last year's nine-day sale. The eighth session concluded Nov. 12 with 240 head sold for $3,190,100, including private sales, up slightly from last year's opening day of Book 5. The average was $13,292, with a median of $10,000. "We were very pleased today. The clearance rate was the highlight for us today, it was almost 90%," said Tony Lacy, vice president of Keeneland Sales. "Everyone seems to be very content. Horses are finding new homes and it’s a vibrant market from top to bottom. We’re very pleased to see that we passed our last year’s total yesterday. And it just seems like it’s getting better and better. There’s no real sign of slowing down. "It’s a very international marketplace still—the demand for American bloodstock is as high as it’s been in recent memory." A filly (Hip 2935) by WinStar Farm's Nashville topped the session at $85,000, going to Music City Stables from the Buckland Sales consignment. She was bred in Kentucky by Jason Hall, Mike Riordan, Herschel Martindale, Mike White, and ITR Racing. She is the third foal of the Cindago mare Be a Lady. Nashville stood his first year in 2024 for an advertised fee of $15,000 at WinStar Farm in Versailles, Ky. The speedy son of Speightstown broke his maiden on debut at Saratoga Racecourse, then went on to win the Perryville Stakes at Keeneland. The highest-priced weanling colt was Hip 2835, a son of Oscar Performance. Machmer Hall purchased the Kentucky-bred from the Claiborne Farm consignment, representing breeder Bruce Lunsford. He is the second foal of the Ghostzapper mare Screenwriter and hails from the family of millionaire and grade 1 winner Arravale. Machmer Hall also purchased Secret Ballot, the highest-priced broodmare of the day at $52,000. The daughter of Courageous Cat is in foal to Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Arcangelo. She is out of the multiple graded stakes-producing mare Private Status, making her a half sister to millionaire and grade 1 winner Secret Status, who is the dam of grade 1-placed Dunkirk. Mahmud F. Mouni was the leading buyer for the second day in a row, with 11 purchases totaling $191,200. Lane's End Farm was the leading consignor with 25 horses sold for a gross of $492,500. Spendthrift Farm's Mo Donegal was the leading sire with four weanlings selling for $114,000. Last year's eighth session had a gross of $3,132,300, including private sales. The average was $11,776, with a median of $9,000. The November Breeding Stock Sale concludes Nov. 13, with its final session beginning at 10 a.m. ET. As of Tuesday evening, Keeneland reported 68 outs. The Horses of Racing Age Sale will follow, starting Nov. 14 at 12 p.m. Two hundred thirty-six horses have been cataloged for the one-day sale. "We’re looking forward to the Horses of Racing Age Sale," Lacy said. "There’s already a strong interest from the Middle East and regional markets here in the U.S."