The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale got off to a strong start on Tuesday with brisk commerce from start to finish as evidenced by healthy results and the sale of Princesse Lele, a 2-year-old filly by Quality Road out of Grade 1 winner and millionaire Carina Mia, for $750,000 to Three Chimneys Farm.
On Tuesday, Keeneland sold 249 horses for $18,015,200, for an average of $72,350 and a median of $39,000. Last year, 206 horses grossed $12,095,400, for an average of $58,716 and a median of $35,000.
There were some Canadians on the buyer’s list and more are expected as the sale continues. (See below).
Three Chimneys Farm was the day’s leading buyer, spending $1.16 million to acquire Princesse Lele and another juvenile filly, Justly, for $410,000 from the consignment of Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, agent.
Justly is a daughter of Triple Crown winner Justify and champion Take Charge Brandi, by Giant’s Causeway. From the family of Grade 1 winner and millionaire Omaha Beach, she descends from Grade 1 winner, $2 million earner and Broodmare of the Year Take Charge Lady. Take Charge Lady is the dam of champion and Three Chimneys sire Will Take Charge, Grade 1 winner and sire Take Charge Indy and As Time Goes By, winner of the La Canada (G3) on New Year’s Day.
Three Chimneys teamed with Whisper Hill Farm to pay $470,000 for Grade 3-placed Remedy, a 7-year-old mare by Creative Cause from the family of two-time champion Beholder, leading sire Into Mischief and Grade 1 winner and young stallion Mendelssohn. She was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent.
Taylor Made also consigned the 11-year-old stakes-winning Ghostzapper mare Haunted Heroine, dam of Dec. 26 Santa Anita Mathis Mile (G2) winner Law Professor, who sold to Andrew Warren for $420,000. Out of Mona Mia, by Monarchos, she is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner and millionaire Celestine.
Taylor Made led all consignors during the session by selling 54 horses for $4,564,000.
Eight-time stakes winner Hello Beautiful, a 5-year-old daughter of Golden Lad who was supplemented to the January Sale, sold for $410,000 to Larry Best’s OXO Equine. Consigned by ELiTE, agent, she is out of the Tiznow mare Hello Now.
Narvick International paid $375,000 for the session’s top-priced yearling, a son of Gun Runner from the family of Grade 2 winners Memorette and Gervinho. Hunter Valley Farm, agent, consigned the colt, whose dam is the winning Empire Maker mare Take a Memo.
The colt was purchased for an undisclosed client by Narvick’s Emmanuel de Seroux, who said the colt would race in the U.S.
Three Chimneys also was involved in the final offering of Tuesday’s session: a 2022 no-guarantee season to Gun Runner, the leading first-crop sire of 2021, which was auctioned to raise funds for relief efforts for people affected by the recent catastrophic tornadoes in Western Kentucky. Gun Runner stands at Three Chimneys and is co-owned by the farm and Ron Winchell.
Bill Layni paid $130,000 for the season, which the stallion’s owners donated.
Canadians in action at the first session of the sale included:
One of Alberta’s top owners, DON DANARD, paid $10,000 for hip no. 140, a yearling colt by Collected from the winning mare Golden Orb by Orb. The colt’s dam is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Finely’sluckycharm.
Shannondoe Farm was the listed buyer of hip 85, an Ontario-bred 2-year-old filly by Malibu Moon – Count to Three by Red Ranson. The filly is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Ransom the Moon and Grade 2 winner Count Again.
Shannondoe also bought hip no. 134, a yearling filly by Sharp Azteca from the placed mare Gal Factor by The Factor. The Ontario-bred sold for $35,000.
DOMENIC DILALLA of Centennial Farm Niagara paid $30,000 for a yearling colt by Goldencents from the mare Ice Mint by Awesome Again, The yearling is an Ontario-bred half-brother to stakes-placed Mazaz.
Adena Springs was the listed buyer of hip no. 102, the mare Diggin Gold by Goldencents. The 5-year-old winner was sold for $5,000 as a broodmare prospect.
The January Sale continues Wednesday with the second of four sessions that run through Friday. All sessions begin at 10 a.m. ET.
The entire auction is livestreamed on Keeneland.com.
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