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Ten lots sell for seven figures during opening session of Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale
Multiple Grade 1 winner Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), who is in foal to the Gainesway Farm-based Tapit (Pulpit), topped the opening session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale on Monday when she sold for $5.5 million to Katsumi Yoshida. The mare foaled a colt by the Hill 'N' Dale sire Curlin (Smart Strike) earlier this year, her first foal, and is herself a daughter of the Grade 3 winner Diva Delite (Repent).
The seven-year-old Midnight Bisou won 13 races and earned almost $7.5 million on the track. She was supplemented to the sale and consigned by Hill 'N' Dale.
"This mare has been so good to us in so many different ways," co-owner Jeff Bloom said. "I'm so happy about the home she is going to. She will forever hold an incredible place in my heart, my family's heart, my partner's heart. It's impossible to describe the journey she has taken us on. These horses afford us the opportunity to have these life experiences we wouldn't be able to have. It's been a great run."
Katsumi Yoshida was the leading buyer on Monday, spending $9.7 million on three lots.
"We'll take her back to Japan most likely – I'm kind of speechless," translator Shingo Hashimoto said on behalf of Yoshida.
"(He said) the first time I saw her was in Saudi when she was running for the Saudi Cup. I already knew of her race record, and she was really gorgeous. It was very lucky for us to purchase her. We were very excited when we saw her on the catalog. We are very satisfied. We are very happy with the result."
The other lots Yoshida bought on Monday were dual French Group 1 winner Dreamloper (Lope De Vega), who ran in Saturday's Grade 1 Breeders' Cup Mile (8f), for $2.7 million and Grade 2 winner Jouster (Noble Mission), the four-year-old costing $1.5 million.
Shamrock Rose also bound for Japan
Lane's End, agent, consigned the day's third highest-priced offering, champion Shamrock Rose (First Dude), who is in foal to Curlin and sold for $3 million to Japan's KI Farm.
The seven-year-old mare is out of the unraced Elusive Quality (Gone West) mare and is a half-sister to stakes winning filly Loyalty (Hard Spun).
"The physical and race record are what stood out," said Sean Toriumi, interpreter for buyer Tomoyuki Nakamura. "(Curlin is) a top sire and that is something that stood out as well. (The price) was in the rough range of what he was expecting. Right now, he is deciding whether to take her to Japan or leave her in the States. There are a lot of options for us."
Lane's End Director of Sales Allaire Ryan said the purchase price for Shamrock Rose surpassed their expectations.
Figures rise
During Monday's session, 136 lots sold for $66,980,000, at an average of $492,500 and a median of $290,000, The gross was 32.28 percent above the $50,634,000 from the first session last year, while the average rose 14.77 percent from $429,102, however, the median dropped 12.12 percent from $330,000. Ten lots sold for $1 million or more, compared to seven during the first session of the 2021 sale.
"We're seeing a focus on quality," Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. "And there's a broadness in the marketplace. The top 15 horses that went through the ring were bought by 11 different buyers. It's always good to see a mix of domestic and international buyers. Six horses brought more than $2 million plus with the Flightline fractional interest the number at that amount was seven. These are the increases we're looking for.
"We're coming off a very successful Breeders' Cup," Lacy added. "Our team put in a huge effort to turn this around from putting on the largest racing event in North America to switching to having the second-largest horse sale in the world within a few hours. I have to commend everybody."