Daily Racing Form National Digital Edition
Strong market for weanlings adds boost to November sales
Many North American yearling sales posted record or near-record figures in the resurgent 2021 season, leading to speculation that this fall’s weanling marketplace could be strong. Those predictions came to fruition when young stock helped boost both the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale and the Keeneland November breeding stock sale to improved figures this month.
The Keeneland sale, which concluded Friday, also posted a record median.
The highest-priced weanling at Keeneland November – and the highest-priced weanling sold in North America this year – was an $800,000 filly by unbeaten two-time European Horse of the Year and standout young international sire Frankel. The filly is a half-sister to Arizona and Nay Lady Nay, both Grade/Group 2 winners who also are Grade/Group 1-placed. She was purchased by Matt Dorman’s Determined Stud, with trainer Phil Schoenthal as agent, from the consignment of Four Star Sales, as agent.
“Obviously, a Frankel,” Dorman said. “It’s a great page, great family, and she’s got great conformation, so she ticked all the boxes. She’ll be in the racing program and hopefully improve her page and go from there. She’s long-term for us.”
Led by Dorman’s purchase, the top five weanling lots of Keeneland November also represented long-term investments for those who intend to race or even eventually breed their purchases, as opposed to pinhookers. Following on the leaderboard were a $625,000 Justify colt purchased by Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier; a $600,000 Quality Road colt purchased by Donato Lanni for Baoma Corp.; a $510,000 Into Mischief filly purchased by Jim McIngvale; and a $480,000 Into Mischief colt purchased by Tracy Farmer.
The activity in the weanling marketplace by end users represented a carrying of the momentum from a strong edition of Keeneland’s September yearling sale, as buyers who struggled to fill their orders in a competitive marketplace sought to jump ahead in the line for the yearlings of 2022. Bloodstock agent Jacob West made no secret of the fact that that was his strategy as he signed for the highest-priced weanling at Fasig-Tipton November, a $750,000 Curlin filly on behalf of owners Robert and Lawana Low.
“Horses were so hard to buy in September, we just kind of figured we’d come in here, and if we found a nice filly that had the pedigree and the physical and everything to match, we’d make a big run at her, and there we were,” West said. “If she would have [sold] as a yearling, the market that was there in September, and in Saratoga, was crazy. She probably would have brought more.”
The momentum from November’s weanling market may now spill over into the remaining mixed sales in Kentucky – the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale and the Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale in February. After the strong yearling season, weanling-to-yearling pinhookers were flush in time to restock for 2022; however, the number of end users in the high-end weanling marketplace may continue to push pinhookers deeper into the season to fill their orders.
Top first-crop weanling sires
Grade 1 winners Audible and Omaha Beach were among the leading first-crop weanling sires represented with a wide swath of offerings at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
Audible, who stands at WinStar Farm, finished as the leading first-crop weanling sire by gross at Keeneland, with his 25 lots sold grossing $2,970,000. The Spendthrift Farm duo of Mitole and Vino Rosso, both Eclipse Award champions, came next, grossing $2,452,000 from 29 sold; and $2,375,000 from 24 sold, respectively.
Audible, a son of leading sire Into Mischief, scored his biggest win in the 2018 Florida Derby before going on to finish third to Triple Crown winner Justify in the Kentucky Derby. His Keeneland offerings were led by a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runnerup Juju’s Map, sold for $360,000 to Susan Casner.
Omaha Beach, a Grade 1 winner both sprinting and routing, was the leading firstcrop weanling sire by average price among those with three or more sold. The War Front stallion’s 11 lots traded at Keeneland fetched an average of $135,909, against his introductory stud fee of $45,000 at Spendthrift. His highest-priced offering was a $300,000 colt sold to Freya Stables who is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Casa Creed and graded stakes winner Chess’s Dream.
Next on the leaderboard by average price were Audible, at $118,800 against a $25,000 stud fee; and Vino Rosso, at $98,958 against his $30,000 fee.