Pollara (IRE), a Group 3 winner in France who is carrying her first foal by War Front, sold to Arthur Hoyeau, agent, for $975,000 during Tuesday’s second session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, which was marked by international and domestic participation.
A total of 197 horses sold today for $27,690,000, for an average of $140,558 and a median of $100,000.
Through two sessions, 325 horses have grossed $77,465,000, for an average of $238,354 and a median of $135,000.
“Overall the market is strong,” Keeneland President-Elect and Interim Head of Sales Shannon Arvin said. “Five mares sold today for more than $500,000, which is pretty comparable to last year’s session. Consignors have commented to us that they have been a little surprised at the strength of the market. So trade is strong.”
Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell agreed.
“Phil Schoenthal from Maryland brought Matt Dorman, who’s developing a breeding operation, so they are here to fill up a farm,” he said. “Our international clients who came last year are back buying to lay down the foundations for their breeding operations. Keeneland is where the world comes to buy. If you look at the leading buyers at the end of the day. you have European, American and Japanese interests. There was a great mix of people today, and we hope that continues.”
Pollara, a 5-year-old daughter of Camelot, is out of the winning Storm Cat mare Brooklyn’s Storm, a half-sister to French highweight and Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) winner Solemia. She is also from the family of French highweight and multiple Group 1 winner Silasol and group winners Prospect Wells and Prospect Park (GB).
“She is going back to France,” said Henri Bozo, manager of Ecurie des Monceaux, about Pollara. “She is a very exciting mare. She is in foal to a very proven stallion. We try to breed classic winners. She stood out in Book 2.”
Pollara was consigned by Claiborne Farm, agent.
“She’s such a nice mare, a group winner in France and in foal to the right horse,” Claiborne President Walker Hancock said. “Every single mare in the family is in foal to a world-leading sire. It’s a very active family and they’ve all been bred to the best sires in the world. There are tons of upside to the family. When you have a page like that, a race record like that and in foal to the right sire the sky’s the limit.”
Schoenthal, agent for Dorman’s Determined Stud, paid $800,000 for Style and Grace, a winning, 4-year-old daughter of Curlin who is carrying her first foal by City of Light, and $600,000 for Vevina, a 5-year-old, stakes-placed daughter of More Than Ready who is carrying her first foal by Uncle Mo.
Style and Grace, a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1) winner Furthest Land, was consigned by Lane’s End, agent. Out of the Rahy mare Flagrant, she is from the family of Grade 2 winner Ready for Rye and Grade 3 winner Dynever.
Vevina, who was consigned by Kingswood Farm, is out of My Sugar Bear, by Giant’s Causeway. She is from the family of Grade 2 winners Possible Mate and Guided Tour.
Determined Stud is a new breeding and racing operation that acquired several horses at Keeneland’s 2020 September Yearling Sale.
“We’re just buying quality,” Dorman said about Determined’s broodmare purchases on Tuesday. “We have some stallion shares so we have some stallions in mind. The farm is in Boyds, Maryland. We are really looking for quality, so I think the band will be around the 15-horse mark and then we will go from there.”
Lane’s End was the session’s leading consignor, selling 31 horses for $4,716,000.
Woodford Thoroughbreds paid $575,000 for Grade 3-placed mare Hot Cash, a full sister to Grade 1 winner Stately Victor carrying her first foal by Curlin. Consigned by Hidden Brook, agent, the 5-year-old daughter of Ghostzapper is out of Grade 1 winner Collect the Cash, by Dynaformer.
“She will be a good addition to the broodmare band,” said Lincoln Collins, who signed the ticket for Hot Cash. “No breeding plans yet; we will sit down and think about it. We knew she was going to be expensive but you never quite know what that means. It is a better market than I think any of us thought it would be. The horse business is alive and well.”
“She sold well. We are happy,” Hidden Brook’s Dan Hall said. “She’s a young mare who could run and she’s in foal to the right horse. (Her sale is part of) a major reduction (for Adena Springs), getting the numbers way down. It makes sense right now. We have close to 90, between mares and weanlings, all in this sale. There has been a lot of interest at the barn at all levels.”
For the second day, a colt from the first crop of undefeated 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify was the session’s top-priced weaning. On Tuesday, M.V. Magnier paid $475,000 for the first foal of Grade 3-placed winner Inchargeofme (GB). Nursery Place, agent, consigned the colt, who is from the family of Group 1-placed Johann Straus.
“He’s a beautiful-looking horse, and Justify is making very good foals,” Coolmore’s David Wachman said. “We’re just excited to be able to buy a very nice horse by him. Across the board, they’re very good, and he’s a very smart horse, that horse. We’re happy to have him.”
Yeguada Centurion of Spain led buyers by spending $3,127,000 for 17 horses.
The November Sale continues Wednesday with the second session of the two-day Book 2. TVG2 will present live coverage of the session when it begins at 10 a.m. ET until 12:30 p.m.
The auction continues through Wednesday, Nov. 18 with all sessions beginning at 10 a.m.
The entire sale is streamed live on Keeneland.com.
