Colts by Quality Road and Gun Runner sell for seven figures on Thursday
Two lots sold for seven figures during Thursday's session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, taking the number of million dollar yearlings sold at the sale so far this year to 30.
A colt by Quality Road (Elusive Quality) sold for $1.7 million to Donato Lanni, agent, the third highest price of Week 1. The colt is out of the winning Street Sense (Street Cry) mare Act Now who is from the family of sires in Minardi and Tale Of The Cat.
"He's a lovely horse we bred and raised," Rodney Nardelli said. "He's got everything. He's beautiful. He's been nice all his life. We're appreciative of Keeneland's (September Sale) format and the support of the buyers. Most of the major players were on him."
Lanni said the colt will go to trainer Bob Baffert.
"He loved him, we all loved him," Lanni said.
"Everyone was waiting for him to walk into the Pavilion. He is a beautiful horse. Super athletic, pretty laid back. A fast-looking Quality Road and made really well; he is the kind you want to take home. This has been a great sale. (The price) is what I figured was going to happen. (This client) is always game to play at this level. Bob did such a good job with (champion) Corniche (by Quality Road). This horse kind of reminded us a lot of him."
Quality Road stands at Lane's End Farm in Kentucky.
The other lot to break the million dollar barrier was a son of Three Chimneys Farm's Gun Runner (Candy Ride) who was bought by Mike Ryan, agent for US$1.2 million. The colt, who was foaled on January 27, is out of the Grade 1 winner Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon).
Ryan signed the ticket as agent for a partnership and said the colt will be trained by Chad Brown
"He reminded me quite a bit of (2022 Preakness-G1 winner) Early Voting," Ryan said.
"He's a big, imposing horse that moved like a cheetah. And I said to Chad, 'Can you imagine Flavien Prat or Irad Ortiz on his back right now?'
" He was a magnificent horse, a lot of class, a lot of quality. Bred to get a mile and an eighth or a mile and a quarter. Look at the page: It's the best of Spring Hill Farm, Ned Evans, and Three Chimneys raises a great horse. And what more can you say about the stallion?"
The colt was sold by Four Star Sales.
"That was awesome," Four Star's Kerry Cauthen said.
"We knew we had a lot of activity on this horse. He is a great individual. The reserve was less than half (his sale price). That is the whole point of coming to an auction. You have a chance for people to fight it out. That is what makes an auction.
"He always was a good physical, but at the time of placement for the catalog, he seemed like a Book 2 horse. But he improved, and that changed the whole dynamic. You don't have a crystal ball when you are four months out from the auction when you are placing the horse (in the sale)."
Aggregate, average and median up from 2021
On Thursday, a total of 230 yearlings sold for US$56,635,000, at an average of US$246,239 and a median of US$202,500. The gross was 16.05 per cent above the US$48,801,000 recorded for the corresponding session of 2021 when 201 horses sold. The average and median were comparable to last year's figures.
"Today was competitive and energetic," Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said.
"This session last year was extremely strong so the fact that we ticked up a slight bit is very encouraging. The RNA rate (28 percent) was a little higher than we'd like. Buyers might have rushed on to Book 3 in some cases and overlooked a few quality individuals. But I know a lot of sellers were very, very happy today."
During the first four days of the sale, 669 have sold for US$236,990,000, at an average of US$354,245 and a median of US$275,000. Compared to Week 1 of 2021, the gross is up 18.25 per cent from US$200,419,000, while the average is 9.59 per cent up from US$323,256 in 2021 and the median increased 10 per cent from US$250,000.
Taylor Made sold 25 yearlings for US$5,915,000 to top the session's consignors.
SF/Starlight/Madaket, Courtlandt Farm and Richard Knight Bloodstock topped the Week 1 leading buyer list.
The auction resumes on Saturday.
