Keeneland November - Strong from Start to Finish

21 November 2005

The Keeneland November Breeding Stock sale wrapped up on Friday after selling 2,816 horses for almost $290 million, the third highest gross of all time.

The highlight of the sales was Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum’s purchase of champion filly Ashado for a world record $9 million on opening day, which grossed $98 million alone.

The biggest buyer at the November Sale, spending $14.8 million for 19 horses, was wine maker and breeder Jess Jackson under the name of Stonestreet Mares.

Altogether, the top 10 buyers accounted for almost one-fourth of the total sales.

Stonestreet Mares: 19 lots for US14.77m

Courtlandt Farm: 7 lots for US10.34m

John Ferguson Bloodstock: 1 lot for US$9m

Buzz Chace (for Aaron & Marie Jones): 6 lots for US6.37m

Gaines-Gentry: 15 lots for US$5.745m

Shadai Farm: 10 lots for US$4.91m

Dapple Bloodstock: 13 lots for US$4.595m

Gulf Coast Farm: 16 lots for US$4.017m

Frank Stronach: 12 lots for US$3.536m

Malibu Farms: 2 lots for US$3.3m

Gross sales were up 3.5 percent from 2004 for 2 percent fewer horses. The average and median were up 5.6 and 9.4 percent respectively. Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland’s director of Sales commented that the sale was “solid from start to finish” with the “not sold rate similar to last year”.

The November sale capped a record setting year for Keeneland, which sold more than $744.4 million at four sales, topping last year’s $675.9 million. Results show that Keeneland truly is an international marketplace for buying horses. Beginning with the September Sale and continuing through to November, 47 states and 38 countries have been represented among the buyers.

On the final day of the sale Keeneland sold 197 horses on Friday for $1,591,400, an average of $8,078 and a median of $4,200. During the comparable session last year, 188 horses brought $1,300,400, an average of $6,917 and a median of $4,200.

Vin Cox Bloodstock Purchases

Ready to Live

Becky’s Ransom

Saint’s Review

Third Keeneland Purchase for VCB

14 November 2005

With the sale at halfway point and all indicators up, the 2005 Keeneland Breeding stock sale is still going strong. Featuring amongst the buyers on Day 6 was Vin Cox Bloodstock.

Saint’s Review (Hip 1920) a 2YO filly by Saint Ballado out of stakes winning mare Smashing Review, was knocked down to Cox for $55,000.

“This filly has a fantastic pedigree” said Cox. She is by Saint Ballado, the sire of Ashado, the 3YO champion filly sold for $9 million on Day 1. Saint Ballado also sired this years Breeders Cup Classic winner, Saint Liam. Being a Halo line mare she will do exceptionally well Australia.

From a multiple group winning family, this filly’s pedigree is littered with Group winners. Holding plenty of residual value, this filly has two Saddler’s Wells siblings to follow.

An extremely good looking filly with plenty of scope, she is due to enter the next quarantine for Australia.

All Indicators UP at Keeneland

14 November 2005

Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale reached the halfway point on Saturday (November 12, 2005) with gross sales, average and median price all up from last year.

All the indicators for the session are the way we like them, said Keenelands Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell. Gross Sales are up 4.2 percent from a year ago, the average is up by 7.8 percent and the median is up 20 percent.

The middle market has continued to be strong, as it was in September. Now through six days of the 12 day auction, Keeneland has sold 1,389 horses for $257,839,000, with an average of $185,630 and a median of $90,000. Comparatively at this point in 2004, 1,436 horses had been sold for $247,342,900, an average of $172,244 and a median of $75,000.

The sale continues through till Friday.

Cox buys half-sister to More Than Ready

10 November 2005

The third session of the 2005 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale continued overnight in Kentucky with Vin Cox Bloodstock securing a winning half-sister to champion Australian first season sire More Than Ready (USA).

Becky’s Ransom (Lot 870), a seven year old mare by Red Ransom from Woodman’s Girl, was knocked down to Cox for $US150,000 with a positive test to leading sire Rahy, who stood this season for $US80,000 at Three Chimneys Farm.

Becky’s Ransom is also a three-quarter sister-in blood to Group One winner Bail Out Becky, a winner of nine races and over $US725,000 in prizemoney including the Del Mar Oaks.

“She was bought for a private Australian client and we think there is a huge amount of upside for this mare given her connection to More Than Ready,” said Vin Cox, Keeneland's Australasian representative.

“The plan would be for her to foal down here and then sell the resulting progeny to recoup on the purchase price of the mare, however if the foal was a filly there is always the possibility she too would come out to Australia.”

Being a half-sister to More Than Ready (USA) is a massive plus for Becky’s Ransom, from a Southern Hemisphere perspective, given her brother’s ongoing success in Australia this season.

More Than Ready (USA) leads the second crop sires list with nearly double the prizemoney amassed by his nearest rival and that spectacular Victoria Derby win by his top class son Benicio has shown that he can produce far more than just speedy juveniles.

Vin Cox Bloodstock also secured a stakes-winning daughter of More Than Ready (USA) during the second session, going to $US200,000 for the three year old filly Ready to Live (Lot 385) on behalf of a private Australian client.

“She is an unbelievably good type and will be sent straight over to Australia, in fact she starts quarantine tomorrow,” said Cox.

Ready to Live possessed brilliant speed, winning her first two starts as a juvenile and comes with an impressive Black Type family which includes the Group One winning sire Vicar.

“This sale has been exceptionally strong so far and the quality mares have been in keen demand, particularly the younger ones.

Racetrack performance by a mare is highly prized in the Northern Hemisphere, probably more so than we find in Australia, something clearly illustrated by Ashado, the multiple Group One winning mare which made a record breaking $US9 million on the first day of the sale,” said Cox.

The 2005 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale runs for 12 days so there are still many opportunities for the astute investor with aspirations to participate in the global market.

Two for Two Million on Day Two

9 November 2005

Sparks continued to fly at the second session of the 2005 Keeneland November Sale with a further 4 mares fetching $US 1 million or more bringing the overall gross after two days to $US157,438,000.

The cumulative totals for Day 1 and Day 2 have shown that the average and the median are both up from last year. Today two mares topped two million, Hip 462 Win’s Fair Lady at US$2,2 million and Hip 400 Scope at $US2.1 million

Win’s Fair Lady is a multiple stakes-winning 6YO by Dehere (from Gr3-winning Crafty Prospector mare Win Crafty Lady).

Vin Cox Bloodstock featured in today’s results with the purchase of stakes winning, More Than Ready filly, Ready to Live (Hip 385) purchased for US$200,000.

Cumulative Totals – Day 2

Record Breaking First Day at Keeneland 8 November 2005

Results from Session One

The opening session of the Keeneland November sale was nothing short of spectacular with 20 lots making $US 1 million or more.

John Ferguson and John Magnier went to battle over last year’s champion 3YO filly, Ashado. Ferguson the resulting victor walking away with the top price of $9 million and the world’s highest price ever paid for a mare.

Ashado won 12 races including seven Grade 1 stakes in 21 starts, earned $3,931,440 and was named champion 3-year-old filly of 2004 when she captured both the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders Cup Distaff. She is a sterling example of a thoroughbred and a great attribute to the Sheikhs broodmare band.

Ashado Brings World Record $9 Million As November Sale Begins

Keeneland November 2005 – STARTS TODAY!

7 November 2005