Steady Trade Continues on Day 3 at Keeneland January

The Book 2 opening session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, Jan. 11, saw the draft of Godolphin mares take the spotlight, accounting for the top five priced broodmares Wednesday. Short yearlings by first-crop sires Vekoma and Tiz the Law also proved popular, claiming the top two tags at $180,000 and $100,000, respectively. For a second year running during the third session, Godolphin's well-bred mares claimed top honors with Carella, a half sister to champion and leading sire Bernardini selling for $260,000 to Gary Broad's Walmac Farm. The 10-year-old Tapit mare was consigned as Hip 1140 in foal to Kantharos on a June cover. With their single purchase, Walmac was the session's leading buyer by gross, and Godolphin led consignors after selling 27 offerings through the ring for gross receipts of $1,798,700 at an average price per head of $66,618. "It's worked well for us. Everyone is at the sale; it's a four-day sale, so everyone can see them. We were able to group them together a lot nicer than we could in November," Godolphin USA director of bloodstock Michael Banahan said. "We have the Godolphin Flying Start group that comes in town right around New Year's. They've helped us out the last couple of years, and they've enjoyed working the sale. It's their only opportunity to work the sale. It's a win-win situation for everyone, and we've done very well the last two years at this sale." Wednesday's session concluded with Keeneland reporting 246 horses of the 298 through the ring selling for gross receipts of $5,605,700, suitable for an average price of $22,787 and a median of $8,000 (a 20% decrease over 2022). Fifty-two horses failed to meet their reserve to represent an RNA rate of 17.4%. During session three last year, 264 horses sold of the 298 on offer for final figures of $5,555,700, at an average of $21,044 and a median of $10,000. Thirty-four horses failed to sell, representing an RNA rate of 11%. Cumulatively over the past three selling sessions, 747 horses have changed hands from 948 to go under the hammer for gross figures of $43,374,600, suitable for an average price of $58,065 and a median of $27,000. Two hundred and one horses have failed to sell, representing an RNA rate of 21.2%. At this point last year, 802 horses had sold from 959 to go through the ring for a gross of $43,560,400. An average price of $54,315 and a median of $25,500 was recorded. One hundred fifty-seven horses did not meet their reserve, resulting in a 16.4% RNA rate. A yearling colt by first-crop sire Vekoma sold for $180,000 over the phone to G1 Investments as the day's highest yearling offering. St George Sales consigned the colt out of the grade 3-placed mare Inconclusive as Hip 1220. Brookstone Farm, Lee Mauberret, and Gary Joyner bred the chestnut March-born colt in Kentucky. "He was a very nice, straightforward colt that we had on the farm," Archie St George said. "He showed himself very well and put on a good display in the back ring. I would like to thank the buyers and everyone interested in him." The colt was sold during the supplemental catalog at the close of Day 3. "He was entered in the Keeneland November Sale, but we scratched him to give him a bit of extra time, and this was the right spot for him," St George said. "The supplement is nice, and Keeneland does a great job promoting it. Anytime you can get more horses in front of buyers, it's a good opportunity." Stalwart Lane's End sire Candy Ride (ARG) had seven offspring sell Wednesday for gross receipts of $338,000, at an average price per head of $48,286, to be the session's leading sire. Darley's sire Frosted saw five mares sell in foal for a gross of $590,000 to be the leading covering sire by gross for Day 3. The son of Tapit stands for an advertised fee of $10,000 in 2023. "I think the market overall is solid. It's been a strong sale, a good January sale," St George said. "Any quality stock sells well, and it's the old saying if they ticked all the boxes, you would do well." Derek MacKenzie of Vinery Sales added: "I feel like a broken record; it's again been very polarized. The top is really good, and the bottom and middle are a little slippery." The final session, Jan. 12, will offer Hips 1231 - 1601, beginning at 10 a.m ET. As of Wednesday evening, 64 horses had been withdrawn from Session 4.