2006 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale
14 november 2006
The 2006 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale has been an overwhelming success as predicted and despite the obvious strength of the market we've still been able to purchase some quality mares for realistic money. The sale attracted buyers from all over the world and it was pleasing to see good Australian participation particularly from the Cornish family's Torryburn Stud which secured four lots for over $US1million.
All figures in US dollars.
| Purchase | Mare/ Weanling | Comments |
| $300,000 | Weanling filly Smarty Jones x Til Forbid | From first crop of champion racehorse. Half-sister to Group Three winner Scoop from Group Three winner Til Forbid, Group One placed on four occasions. |
| $260,000 | Quiet Life / in foal to E Dubai | Unraced daughter of Sunday Silence from Group One Breeders Cup Juvenile winner Storm Song. Family is a young and improving one with loads of upside. |
| $200,000 | Kota / in foal to Dixie Union | Stakes-winning juvenile and Group Two placed in the Churchill Downs Golden Rod Stakes. In foal in first season to promising young sire who stands at a fee of $40,000. |
| $130,000 | Fleeting Touch / unraced 2YO filly | Three-quarter sister by Touch Gold to Group Two winner Fast Cookie, a winner of $557,480 and from Group Two winner Fleet Lady, a winner of $631,190. |
| $100,000 | Simply Enchanting / placed 3YO filly | Half-sister by Forest Wildcat to Group Two winner Shaniko from Group Two winner Sapphire n' Silk. |
| $87,000 | Rue Des Reves / stakes-winning racemare | By Royal Academy from stakes-placed Theycallmecharlie, this mare won 14 races and $293,397 including a Listed success at Canterbury Downs, has not been to stud. |
Vin Cox Bloodstock Major Player at 2006 MM National Sale
23 June 2006
The Magic Millions National Sale concluded after 11 long and weary days of selling with record turnover of $71.4 million highlighted by record figures in each category - broodmares, weanlings and yearlings.
Attending the Magic Millions Sale in June is now every bit as important as going in January and while there is still some fine tuning that could make the sale even better, it has undoubtedly taken over as the number one breeding stock sale in the Southern Hemisphere as a result of aggressive marketing and the support of vendors and buyers.
Broodmares
Vin Cox Bloodstock was the fourth largest buyer at the broodmare sale securing seven lots for $1.6 million.
The strength of the market was incredible, reflecting the upward trend experienced at yearling sales earlier this year such as Magic Millions and Easter, which went through the roof achieving a mind-blowing average of $288,497. When you have yearlings making this sort of money, it's no surprise to see the mares follow suit as it makes far more sense for breeders to spend money on upgrading their mares, rather than paying big service fees to use on average mares.
| Purchase | Mare | Comments |
| $560,000 | Queen's Choir (NZ) in foal to Al Maher and with a Flying Spur filly at foot. | Outstanding package! Unraced Queen's Choir is by leading broodmare sire Palace Music (USA) and is already the dam of three stakes performers and two other winners. Filly at foot is August foal by foolproof sire and in foal to one of the hottest freshman sires in the land. |
| $360,000 | Rubitoff in foal to Red Ransom (USA). | Stakes-winning mare with prizemoney in excess of $200,000 and sister to dual Group One winner Rubitano. Dam of stakes-placed Sweet Ransom and in foal to the sire of that filly in Red Ransom (USA). |
| $320,000 | Upsetthym (NZ), has not been to stud. | Winner of the Group One Auckland Cup, Group One placed on two other occasions and rated the Champion New Zealand Stayer of 2004. Free of Danzig blood and from a stout European family on her mother's side, she'll be perfectly suited to any one of the young Aussie speed sires. |
| $170,000 | Culturalrevolution, has not been to stud. | Young Danehill (USA) mare from very popular and commercial international family that has been successful in Australia as well. Was a $350,000 yearling and is a full sister to HK stakes-winner Dr More and local stakes-winner Presumed Innocent. |
| $125,000 | Walk The Wild Side, in foal to Al Maher. | Former very smart two-year old, Group Two placed in the VRC Maribyrnong Plate and in foal to very popular new sire on a 1st September service. |
| $73,000 | Noise Barrage, has not been to stud. | Young winning mare from outstanding family of champion two-year old and Golden Slipper winner Burst. By Mujahid (USA), the sire of smart Group winning juveniles this season in Danleigh and Paris Petard. |
| $40,000 | Miscount, has not been to stud. | Half-sister to leading first season sire Show a Heart, a four-time Group One winner who could well develop into an outstanding stallion. Free of Northern Dancer blood so has all options available. |
Weanlings
The weanling market was as strong as expected with keen competition on anything remotely commercial. The sale achieved record results all round with 495 weanlings selling for gross receipts of $16.1 million (up from $10million last year) at an average price of $32,556 (up from $25,369).
Weanlings still represent great value for buyers who plan to keep and race their purchases, but for pin-hookers there was probably little room for error with many of the nicest horses making top dollar.
| Purchase | Breeding | Comments |
| $80,000 | Filly Encosta de Lago x Kahuna's Girl | By leading sire who will stand for $175,000 this year and whose yearlings averaged $247,221. Second foal of young unraced mare from international Black Type family. |
| $75,000 | Filly Dehere (USA) x Dewana | By an outstanding proven shuttle sire whose yearlings averaged a massive $331,882 at the sales this year. Half-sister to five winners including a Group Three place-getter. |
| $56,000 | Colt Falvelon x Coolataq | By former champion sprinter, whose first crop of yearlings were well received and look like runners. Second foal of At Talaq (USA) mare whose first foal is a winner this season at two. |
| $42,000 | Filly More Than Ready (USA) x Sharbon | By leading second crop sire from former very good metropolitan winning racemare, from strong international winning family. |
| $15,000 | Filly Carnegie (IRE) x Electricity | By group One producing sire from a winning half-sister to Group One winner Mr Bureaucrat. Fast running family on the dam side to offset 'classic type' tendencies of sire. |
| $6,000 | Filly Desert Prince (IRE) x Aine | First foal of wining daughter of Group Two winner Ausmart, a winner of nine races and nearly $300,000. |
| $4,500 | Colt Desert Prince (IRE) x Helen | From winning half-sister to stakes-winner Walnut by top class sire and broodmare sire Quest for Fame (GB). |
Yearlings
The yearling section of this sale achieved a substantial rise in the aggregate with 433 yearlings generating turnover of $12,193,200, up from last year when 262 sold for $7.2 million. The average rose marginally up to $28,160 and although the top price of $260,000 could not match last year's $480,000, there were 26 yearlings that sold for $100,000 or more, up from just 11 last year.
The problem with this sale is that it has become too big, too quick and has developed a very large tail, with a disturbing number of vendors treating it as a dumping ground for sub-standard horses. Few horses were offered with x-rays and while there were certainly some very nice horses in the catalogue, it was a considerable task to go and seek them out.
The third and final session of the sale was noticeably stronger than the previous two, so maybe the introduction of a one-day select session of yearlings is something that could be looked at for the future.
| Purchase | Breeding | Comments |
| $80,000 | Colt Commands x Jactris (NZ) | By leading BOBS eligible sire and is first foal of well-related Sir Tristram (IRE) mare, which is ¾ sister to Qld Oaks winner Vouvray. |
| $31,000 | Colt Desert Prince (IRE) x Gilded Angel | By BOBS eligible sire out of former very good Group Three winning mare, from a prolific South Australian family renowned for speed and precocity. |
| $10,500 | Colt King Cugat (USA) x Miss Mojo (NZ) | Light pedigree page and is by a young sire with a bit to do, but whose progeny should improve with maturity. Goes back to strong running NZ family and looked a value buy. |
2006 Inglis Easter Yearling Purchases
The 2006 Australian Easter Yearling Sale shattered all previous records with 406 horses selling at an average price of $288,497 (up 40%), generating gross receipts of $117,130,000 (up 29%) with a new record top price of $3 million paid for a Redoute's Choice colt from Deja Slew (USA).
Full credit to Inglis, they put together an outstanding catalogue and then got the buyers there in droves, creating the most aggressive market we've seen in this country. There were so many good horses to choose from, it seemed like everywhere you looked there was a nice horse.
| Purchase | Breeding | Comments |
| $925,000 | Colt Dehere (USA) x Hill of Grace (NZ) | Outstanding individual by a proven Group One sire from a top Group One winning daughter of champion sire Zabeel. Purchased on behalf of an American client who was seeking the best colt in this sale on type and pedigree and I believe this is it. Trainer to be decided. Pedigree |
| $600,000 | Colt Dehere (USA) Lady Mulan (NZ) | Superb colt, second foal of Group Two winner and multiple Group One placed, from great winning NZ family. Purchased on behalf of a local Sydney client and will be trained by Gary Portelli. Pedigree |
| $500,000 | Filly Dehere (USA) x Unison | Magnificent filly from stakes-winner Unison a grand-daughter of super producer Summoned. Great residual value female family to get into. Knocked down to us on behalf of private client. Pedigree |
| $360,000 | Filly Flying Spur x Queen Kathleen | Full sister to Roedean, a filly who appears as stakes-placed but did in fact win the Blue Diamond of her year so should in fact be a Group One winner if not for losing the race due to a positive swab. We'd have paid a lot more if that Group One was still there so she is great value. Purchased on behalf of valued client George Altomonte, trainer to be decided. Pedigree |
| $350,000 | Filly Encosta de Lago x Calming | First foal of tough and speedy stakes-winning racemare by top broodmare sire Zeditave. Purchased on behalf of US based client looking for a running type of filly with residual value, trainer to be decided. |
| $300,000 | Filly Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) x La Baraka | Half-sister to a Group Two winner from Group One winning daughter of champion Triscay. Once in a lifetime opportunity to get into a brilliant and tightly held female family. Purchased on behalf of private client. Pedigree |
| $160,000 | Colt Flying Spur x La Bella Dame | First foal of Group Two winner by Royal Academy (USA), bred on same Danehill / Royal Academy cross as Fastnet Rock. Purchased on spec and already sold, trainer to be decided. Pedigree |
| $160,000 | Filly Rory's Jester x Glorified | Half-sister to stakes-winner British Lion from grand old sire now pensioned. Totally free of Northern Dancer blood, an appealing asset for a future broodmare. Purchased on behalf of George Altomonte. Pedigree |
| $160,000 | Filly Elusive Quality (USA) x Silk Veil | First foal of stakes placed Danehill mare. Dam is sister to stakes winner Danasia. This filly's pedigree is stacked with black type. She was brought for a private client. The trainer for this filly is yet to be decided. Pedigree |
| $150,000 | Colt French Deputy (USA) x Light Music | Half-brother to a handy galloper Chess Record, which ran second in the Listed Gosford Cup after the catalogue came out. From the first crop of proven NH sire and comes from prolific NZ Black Type family. Knocked down to us on behalf of private client. Pedigree |
| $120,000 | Colt Giant's Causeway (USA) x Will Fly | Half-brother to Group Two winner Sanziro from an outstanding Group Three winning racemare. The sire Giant's Causeway (USA) is great value here at the moment due to a slow start, but that could turn around quickly at any time. Purchased for the same US client as the earlier Dehere (USA) colt and Gary Portelli to train. Pedigree |
| $80,000 | Filly Red Ransom (USA) x Portview | Half sister to dual stakes winner and group place getter Barawin. Dam was stakes placed 3yo. This filly comes from the family of Brief Embrace and she was one of the buys of the sale. This filly was purchased for a private and will be trained by Gary Portelli. Pedigree |
2006 Inglis Select Weanling Purchases
The 2006 Inglis Select Weanling Sale provided a solid result for what was on offer with 150 weanlings bringing gross receipts of $3.7 million at an average of $24,855. It proved a good even market with a high clearance of nearly 90% reflecting the strong demand for quality commercial grade weanlings.
| Purchase | Breeding | Comments |
| $100,000 | Filly Encosta de Lago x Western Hour | By leading sire out of stakes-placed mare from legendary Fanfreluche family. Had slight cut on her knee and was the first lot in, which made her exceptionally good buying. Purchased on behalf of George Altomonte and will be kept to race. |
| $70,000 | Colt Rock of Gibraltar (IRE) x Royal Accord | Half-brother to three stakes horses from Group Two winning mare. Purchased for George Altomonte as a prospect to trade on. |
| $65,000 | Filly Anabaa (USA) Tarathea | Terrific filly by leading sire, second foal of very good metropolitan winner. Purchased by a private client to keep and race. |
| $45,000 | Filly Viscount x Chador | Lovely filly by promising young sire from Group Three winner. Purchased on behalf of private client who will keep her to race. |
| $20,000 | Filly Over x Pseudonym | By the same sire as Down The Wicket and is first foal of young Woodlands Stud bred mare by Quest for Fame (GB). Purchased by a private client to race. |
2006 Inglis Premier Purchases
The 2006 Inglis Premier Yearling Sale set new records in every department with 382 yearlings generating gross receipts of $24,496,250 (up 8%) at an average of $64,126 (up 9%), while the median climbed by an impressive 19% to $50,000.
Any way you look at it this sale was a great success, offering buyers the best horses and pedigrees ever seen in Victoria and quite clearly laying the groundwork for further gains in years to come.
Competition was strong on the nicer yearlings, but I believe we’ve bought some really good horses that represent value for money.
| Purchase | Breeding | Comments |
| $80,000 |
Colt Red Ransom (USA) x Cool Chick | By proven Group One sire, second foal of winning half-sister to smart stakes-winner The Big Chill. Terrific colt with great sire potential, bought for a private client and will be trained by Clarry Conners. |
| $65,000 |
Colt Viscount x Freezing Point | BOBS eligible colt by promising young sire, first foal of Canny Lad half-sister to stakes-winner Cool Choice. Good looking colt, nice athletic horse, bought for a private client and will be trained by Matt Smith. |
| $60,000 |
Colt Viscount x Raven's Pal | Another by Viscount, who is great value at present. First foal of
very good racemare, seven-time metropolitan winner of over $150,000.
A real star to look at, bought for a private client and going to Gary
Portelli. |
| $52,500 | Filly Falvelon x Kamala Beach | From the first crop of champion sprinter and is first foal of good metropolitan winner. Very much in the Mimzical mould, sound, racy get up and run type of filly, to be trained by Gary Portelli. |
| $50,000 | Filly Johannesburg (USA) x Ngawhitu Star (NZ) (NZ) | From the first crop of world champion juvenile, second foal of good metropolitan winner from huge Kiwi Black Type family. Bought for a private client and going to Matt Smith. |
2006 Inglis Classic Purchases
The 2006 Inglis Classic Yearling Sale closed with a rise in average of nearly 10% with 376 yearlings averaging $38,041 for gross receipts of $14.3 million, a tick under last year where there were 42 more horses sold.
Classic is always a challenging sale as you know the good horses are there, it’s just a matter of finding them and this year there was tremendous competition among buyers. We were blown away on a number of horses that we valued at around $50,000 and left the sale with several orders unfilled, such was the strength of the market.
The Australian bloodstock industry appears to be in excellent shape as we head towards major sales in Melbourne, Adelaide and then back to Sydney for the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale.
| Purchase | Breeding | Comments |
| $46,000 |
Colt Beautiful Crown (USA) x Royal Magenta | BOBS eligible colt by proven sire. First foal of handy racemare
by Royal Academy (USA) from a strong Black Type family. Forward racy
type who has been gelded already, purchased on behalf of HK based
clients. Photo [pdf] |
| $40,000 |
Colt Johannesburg (USA) x You Jest | From the first crop of world champion juvenile out of a Rory’s Jester mare from the prolific stakes family of Canny Lad and Canny Lass, everything about him says ‘two year old’, purchased on behalf of HK based clients. Photo [pdf] |
| $30,000 |
Filly Mossman x Princess Luck | By a young sire who has done an outstanding job when faced with
very little opportunity with his first few crops. Light on pedigree,
as are many of Mossman’s best gallopers, but great on type,
she is a really lovely filly. No trainer decided. |
| $28,000 | Filly Beautiful Crown (USA) x Lae Lady Lae (NZ) | Great value BOBS eligible filly by the same sire as our good performer Chaud Roche, who coincidentally was also bought from this sale for $28,000. Some of the Chaud Roche syndicate are back on board for this filly, financed in part by a BOBS double up voucher. Photo [pdf] |
2006 Magic Millions Purchases
The 2006 Magic Millions Yearling Sale has been judged an overwhelming success by buyers and vendors alike with 572 horses changing hands during the first four sessions at a record average price of $140,083 up by more than 20% on last year.
The aggregate of $80,127,500 paved the way for Magic Millions to close the books on an amazing $91,682,750 worth of trade over the entire seven sessions.
Undoubtedly this has been a landmark sale for the company with many breeders now questioning the very definition of what constitutes an Easter yearling or a Magic Millions yearling and with a few more top grade yearlings in this sale next year it has the potential to progress forward once again.
From a buyers point of view the competition was strong, as you expect to find at a Magic Millions sale, however there is such depth through the middle market yearlings in this catalogue that there are always plenty of nice horses to go around at realistic prices.
Staying on for Session Five proved a worthwhile exercise with an overall rise in the quality on last year reflected in the session average of $40,343.
| Purchase | Breeding | Comments |
| $160,000 | Colt Commands x Nutshell | BOBS eligible colt by a sire who could not be going any better, from a good Woodlands Stud developed family. Outstanding pick on type, although probably not a two-year old, will be trained by Gary Portelli, not all sold yet. |
| $150,000 | Filly Catbird x Grand Jette | BOBS eligible filly by very good sire from a Group Three winner and is a full sister to stakes-placed Bouzy. Bought for a private client and will be trained by Gary Portelli. |
| $115,000 | Filly Danehill Dancer (IRE) x Frangipani | Second foal of a well-related mare by Snippets and is by a proven Group One performing sire. Very racy filly and a real two-year old type so is already being broken in and will be trained by Gary Portelli, not all sold yet. |
| $90,000 | Filly Tobougg (IRE) x Miss Apps | By first season sire who was a champion two-year old, from a young Marauding mare, whose family is one of the best in the book featuring Group One winners Zeditave and Greys Inn. Bought for existing clients and will be trained by Clarry Conners. |
| $90,000 | Filly Canny Lad x Lady of Letters | BOBS eligible half-sister to one of our most promising horses in Letter of Intent, so we couldn't pass her up and she's by Canny Lad one of the best broodmare sires in the country, has good residual value and looks like a runner. Bought for a private client and will be trained by Gary Portelli. |
| $75,000 | Filly Testa Rossa x Mirror Image | By a very good young sire from a metropolitan winning mare with a strong winning family. Bought for existing clients and trainer to be confirmed. |
| $65,000 | Colt Choisir x Hit and Run | From the first crop of former champion sprinter whose yearlings have impressed everybody, from stakes-placed mare by very good broodmare sire Success Express (USA). Bought for a private client and will be trained by Gary Portelli. |
| $62,500 | Colt Rubiton x La Marama | Second foal of an unraced half-sister by Luskin Star to a stakes-winner and the next dam is by Vain. He's by an outstanding sire of versatile Group One performers and was purchased on behalf of a group of clients. |
| $50,000 | Filly Hurricane Sky x Rose of Marizza | Half-sister to five winners including a Group Two winner and a stakes-placed performer, by a Group One producing sire. Bought for a private client and will go for a spell before being broken in and going to Gary Portelli. |
| $40,000 | Colt Royal Academy (USA) x Sugartree | By an outstanding sire from a young unraced mare whose dam is a stakes-placed daughter of Bletchingly. Bought for a new client and represents great value for the quality of the horse, trainer undecided. |
| SESSION FIVE | ||
| $75,000 | Colt High Yield (USA) x Pilgrim | Second foal of a winning half-sister by Danehill (USA) to Group One winner Arkady. Bought for long time Hong Kong client and trainer to be decided. |
| $30,000 | Filly Danehill Dancer (IRE) x Supermarket | Three-quarter sister-in-blood to champion sprinter and promising young sire Choisir, bought for an existing client and is a real two year old type as you would expect. |
