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53.
$3.1M Storm Cat Colt Tops Keeneland
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17/07/2002 |
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Seven yearlings broke through the $1 million dollar barrier on the second and final day of the Keeneland July Sale. However the decline experienced at the opening session could not be arrested as the sale registered across the board declines.
With 32 of the original 100 yearlings withdrawn, 46 yearlings sold for an aggregate of $26,645,000 at an average of $579,239. Last year 45 yearlings sold for of a total of $37,365,000 an average $830,333. The medial declined from $450,000 to 327,500.
Over the two days the 87 yearlings sold bought a total of $42,385,000, a decline of 33 percent from last year when 89 horses sold for $63,212,000. Average price was $487,184, a drop of 31.4 percent from $710,247. The median price of $300,000, compared to $427,000.
The day began sensationally when Lane’s End Farm, which sold the only two yearlings to make more that a million on the opening day, withdrew the remaining three of the original 6 yearlings catalogued.
STORM CAT-AMELIA BEARHART
- the top price filly of the
sale at $2.8m
The lack of support from vendors for the July Sale had some questioning the future of the sale that once stood alone as the most prestigious thoroughbred auction on the planet.
Coolmore’s Demi O’Byrne, a great supporter of the sale said, “There are a few good horses who sold here. “It’s just a pity that vendors aren’t supporting this sale.”
Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland Sales Director said, “We thought tonight would be stronger than Monday. “I’d still characterize it as a disappointment and a surprise. We’re committed to the July Sale as long as the consignors are.”
The sale topper at $3.1 million was the Storm Cat colt out of winning Mr. Prospector mare Tacha, which is a full sister to French One Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Sha Tha, the dam of multiple European group winner State Shinto.
The winning bidder, Demi O’Byrne, purchased the colt on behalf of John Magnier and Michael Tabor. O’Byrne announced that the colt would be trained in Ireland by Aidan O’Brien. O’Byrne also bought the highest-priced colt last year.
The dark bay colt was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, which has consigned the July sale topper five times, and three years in a row.
It was the fourth time that a Storm Cat colt had topped the July sale, previously occurring in 1996-97 and in 1999.
A Storm Cat filly attracted the second-highest price of the session and of the sale at $2.8m. The filly is a half-sister to Canadian Horse of the Year and Eclipse Award winner Chief Bearhart, which stands at Glenmorgan Farm, N.Z.
“She was the best filly in the sale,” said pharmaceutical tycoon Eugene Melnyk who purchased the filly. “She is a bit smallish, but I know how well Chief Bearhart did. I knew everyone was all over her and that there would be a lot of competition for her.”
Buzz Chace bid $2.1 million for a Gone West colt on behalf of a client he declined to identify. “He’s new to the business,” Chace said. “He wants to race. This is the first horse I’ve bought for him.” He added they would look to buy additional yearlings but that this would be the sole purchase at the July Sale.
“We both liked him,” Chace said. “ I liked the physical part of him. The colt had a lot of substance to him. With his bottom line, he’s a candidate to be a classic horse. We got him for a good price. I thought we might have to go higher.”
Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency as agent, the bay colt is the first foal out of the Pleasant Colony mare Colonial Play, who won the Orchid Handicap (G2) and is a full sister to champion filly Pleasant Stage and to graded stakes-winning Stage Colony.
Reynolds Bell signed for a Seeking the Gold filly out of Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) winner Desert Stormer on behalf of longtime client Richard Santulli. Consigned by Eaton Sales as agent, the dark bay filly, a full sister to Stonerside Beaumont Stakes (G2) winner Sahara Gold, was purchased for $1.8 million.
John Ferguson, who bought the session-topper on Monday, also bought a Gone West colt for $1.8 million and a Kingmambo colt for $1.5 million.
The Gone West colt, consigned by Three Chimneys Sales as agent, is a half-brother to Irish highweighted colt Rossini and to graded stakes-winning Elusive Quality.
The Kingmambo colt, consigned by Calumet Farm, is a full brother to Rothmans Royals Champagne Stakes (G2) winner Dubai Destination.
Ferguson bought both colts for Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum and his Godolphin operation.
“He was a nice horse,” Ferguson said. “He was well bought. Consigned by Calumet Farm, the dark bay colt is out of the Alleged mare Mysterial, who is a half-sister to Japanese champion sprinter and miler Hishi Akebono, to Agnes World, who won stakes in Japan and then won Group 1 races in both England and France, and to Ellis Park Debutante Stakes winner My Sea Castles.
Top Prices – Over $1 Million – Day 2.
Lot 186 C Storm Cat—Tacha - D.L. O'Byrne - $3,100,000
Lot 105 F Storm Cat--Amelia Bearhart - Eugene Melnyk - $2,800,000
Lot 118 C Gone West--Colonial Play - Buzz Chace, Agent $2,100,000
Lot 123 F Seeking the Gold--Desert Stormer Reynolds Bell, Jr., Agent $1,800,000
Lot 189 C Gone West--Touch of Greatness - John Ferguson Bloodstock - $1,800,000
Lot 163 C Kingmambo—Mysterial - John Ferguson Bloodstock - $1,500,000
Lot 107 C A.P. Indy--Ballerina Princess - B. Wayne Hughes - $1,250,000
By: Mark Smith
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