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Seven million dollar lots sell during Book 1 Of Keeneland November Sale
Spendthrift Farm paid US$3.1 million for the Grade 1-winning Curlin (Smart Strike) four-year-old filly Paris Lights to lead Wednesday's Book 1 opening session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Paris Lights, who was supplemented to Book 1, was the third-to-last horse to appear in the ring during the session, which featured seven horses who sold for more than $1 million each and the highest price paid for a weanling at public auction in North America this year.
Paris Lights was consigned by ELITE, agent, as a racing or broodmare prospect. The four-year-old is out of the winning Bernardini (A P Indy) mare Paris Bikini, she is from the family of Broodmare of Year Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister).
"Very classic American racehorse – big, scopey filly," Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey said. "I think she will fit Into Mischief (who stands at Spendthrift) really well. We are happy to have her."
Toffey said, "The market is very strong. It was pretty good across the board and very competitive. We tried on one earlier and didn't get her. (The price for Paris Lights) was very much what we thought we would have to pay. We were hoping to get her for less. She comes from as good a family as we have in the stud book. We are (always) trying to add select mares to our broodmare band."
Paris Lights raced for the WinStar Stablemates Racing partnership.
"For her to be our first Grade One-winning filly in such a short time period is very special in and of itself," WinStar Stablemates Director Mary Cage said. "And for her to then be able to come to Keeneland November and sell for such a high price tag really speaks to the quality of fillies and mares that we're able to offer to these people to be part of the ownership experience.
"Partnerships and syndicates are so important to getting people into the sport for a fraction of the cost, a fraction of the risk," Cage added. "And to be able to do it at this level, I think is a second-to-none sort of experience that they're gonna remember forever."
Masahiro Miki of Japan paid US$2.3 million for the Grade Three-winning Tapit (Pulpit) mare Pink Sands, who is carrying her first foal by Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday). Consigned by Gainesway, agent, the six-year-old mare is out of Grade One winner Her Smile (Include).
"She exceeded what we thought we'd get for her coming here by a bit," Gainesway General Manager Brian Graves said about Pink Sands. "It wasn't a lot more than we felt we could possibly get for her, but obviously everybody's really happy. She was really quality. We felt we had a chance to be one of the best mares in Book 1 with her, and we're just really thrilled with that."
Miki was the session's leading buyer, spending US$3,675,000 for three horses.
Claiborne Farm, agent, went to US$1.4 million to acquire Satin And Silk (Galileo), carrying her first foal by Coolmore Australia shuttler Justify (Scat Daddy). Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent, the four-year-old mare is a half-sister to Grade One winner Materiality (Afleet Alex) and Grade Two winner and Grade One-placed My Miss Sophia (Unbridled's Song).
"(Satin And Silk was purchased) for a farm client," said Bernie Sams, Claiborne's stallion seasons and bloodstock manager. "We liked her, and My Miss Sophia is at the farm and we know the family."
Taylor Made Sales Agency was the session's leading consignor, selling 29 horses for US$8,615,000.
"It was a good, steady, strong session," Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. "We felt great about the way today went. It was as we had expected and hoped. We heard a lot of people say it was tough to buy. They didn't get to fill their orders so hopefully they'll be looking to do that in the next nine sessions."
Keeneland sold 118 horses Wednesday for US$50,634,000, for an average of US$429,102 and a median of US$330,000. Last year, 128 horses sold for US$49,775,000, for an average of US$388,867 and a median of US$280,000.
"Overall it was a very honest, fair, encouraging session," Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. "The popularity and success of American pedigrees across the world is evident. (International buyers) are excited to be back (after the pandemic travel restrictions of the past). As we welcome more visitors from around the world, we see a more diverse group. They are active and they are going to be active into Books 2 and 3. They are not going anywhere anytime soon. That is encouraging as we step forward into the next year or two."
