Brisk trade continued during the second session of Keeneland’s November Breeding Stock Sale on Wednesday, which was highlighted by the sale of Grade 2-placed winner Smash Ticket, a 5-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute in foal to Nyquist, sold for $600,000 to Flying Dutchmen.  

On Wednesday, Keeneland sold 201 horses through the ring for $29,440,000, a decrease of 14.49% from the second session last year when 213 horses brought $34,428,000. The average of $146,468 dipped 9.38% from last year’s $161,634. The median of $120,000 was unchanged. 

Cumulatively, 344 horses have grossed $91,810,000, an increase of 3.43% from last year’s $88,768,000 when 333 horses sold. The average of $266,890 was on par with $266,571 in 2023, while the median of $200,000 is up 11.11% from $180,000.

“Very satisfied, a good, solid day’s trade,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said about the Wednesday session. “I think it was fair. There were some sticky spots where it was a little selective in areas. The RNA rate was consistent, in the mid-20s for quite a lot of the day and just ticked up near the end. But it was very healthy in terms of quality. Weanlings by young stallions were very appealing, very strong. The top 15 highest-priced horses were sold to 15 different buyers. The median is rock solid with last year, and we’re trending ahead of last year’s sale overall. We’re very pleased.” 

“The median is the measure of the health of the market, through the middle of the market. The averages are great for headlines, but the median really gives a better indicator of the level of trade,” Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach said. “When your median is healthy and your RNA rate is acceptable, or particularly good as in the case of yesterday, then that means a lot of people are getting horses moved for acceptable numbers. For the median to be up a little more than 10% through the first two sessions is very encouraging, and the RNA rate is significantly lower than it was at this point last year. Those are great indicators of a healthy market that we feel has good momentum to continue through to the end.” 

Wednesday’s session topper, Smash Ticket, is a half-sister to Grade 2 winner Slammed and stakes winner Roll On Diabolical. Out of multiple stakes winner Hennesey Smash, by Roll Hennessy Roll, she was consigned by Legacy Bloodstock agent.

“We really wanted to have part of that family,” said Hunter Rankin, who signed the ticket on behalf of Flying Dutchmen. “It is a running family. Liked her physically – just really happy we got her. We love (covering sire) Nyquist, but we were buying the mare. No stud plans. We talked a little bit this morning if we got her, but we have not made any decisions.

“We are trying to get some really nice, fast mares that were good on track to develop our program for racing,” Rankin added. “These guys are really committed long term. They want to breed to race. They want to have a lot of fun. Ideally we would like to get to 30, 35 mares. We bought a farm just off Old Frankfort Pike (in Lexington). We are excited about that and trying to populate it.”

Greg Tramontin paid $500,000 for Music Street, a 5-year-old mare by Street Sense carrying a member of the first crop of Grade 1 winner Taiba. Consigned by Grovendale Sales, agent, she is out of Sudden Heat, by Congrats, and from the family of Racing Hall of Famer Xtra Heat.

Tramontin was the day’s leading buyer, spending $825,000 for two mares. He paid $325,000 for a second mare consigned by Grovendale Sales, agent, the 5-year-old winning Grade 3-placed Moody Woman, a daughter of Gormley in foal to Uncle Mo.

Arm Candy, a 6-year-old mare by Twirling Candy carrying a member of the first crop by Horse of the Year Cody’s Wish, sold for $425,000 to Jody Huckabay, agent. Lane’s End, agent, consigned Arm Candy, a winning stakes-placed daughter of Chilly Fashion, by Artie Schiller, from the family of Grade 1 winner Peace Rules, Grade 2 winner and sire Corfu and Grade 3 winner New York Central.

At $410,000, Wednesday’s top-priced weanling was a filly from the first crop of Grade 1 winner Life Is Good sold to Classic Equine. Out of the Bodemeister mare Mezinka, she is from the family of Grade 1 winner and sire Pioneerof the Nile. The filly was consigned by Runnymede Farm, agent for Breed First (A Complete Dispersal).

“We are delighted for that sale,” Runnymede’s Romain Malhouitre said. “The right people were on her. I’m happy that she will go to (buyers Randy) Hartley and (Dean) DeRenzo. They had an experience with (pinhooking) Harlocap (filly’s Grade 3-placed half-brother by Justify), and they love the mare and the family. I’m happy they got the final bid.

“We all know the weanling market is one of the most stable and strong markets,” Malhouitre continued. “It’s always good, but I never expected she would make that at that level. Coming in this morning we had all the right people so we’re thankful for all of them to be there for a nice filly.” 

Two horses sold for $400,000 apiece.

D. J. Stable spent the amount to acquire Sabbatical, a 13-year-old daughter of Medaglia d’Oro in foal to Not This Time. Claiborne Farm, agent, consigned the mare, who is out of multiple graded stakes winner Daydreaming, by A.P. Indy. She is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Imagining and from the family of Grade 1 winner Chocolate Gelato. Sabbatical is the dam of stakes-placed winner Dreams of Tomorrow.

Shimokobe Farm/Polo Green Stables, agent, paid $400,000 for the 4-year-old Ghostzapper filly Swall, a winning stakes-placed half-sister to Grade 1 winner Drill. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, she is out of Cat Dancer, by Storm Cat, and from the family of Grade 2 winner Magic Storm and Japanese Group 1 winners Satono Aladdin and Lachesis.

With sales of $4,342,000 for 30 horses, Taylor Made Sales Agency was the leading consignor.

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The November Sale continues Thursday with the second session of the two-day Book 2. Remaining sessions of the auction, which continues through Wednesday, Nov. 12, begin at 10 a.m. 

On Thursday, Nov. 14, Keeneland will hold the November Horses of Racing Age Sale. The auction starts at noon.

All Keeneland sales are streamed live on Keeneland.com.