Things will get underway at the Keeneland January horses of all ages sale in about 30 minutes.
It's only slightly more scientific than the groundhog's shadow, but one of the ways I predict how well a horse sale will do is by where I have to park when I arrive. (Plenty of good parking available today.)
The question most people are asking is how much will Azeri bring? My guess -- and it is purely a guess -- is between $5-million and $8-million.
It shouldn't take too long to get a handle on the top end of the market. Hip 9, multiple graded winner Elusive Diva (in foal to Giant's Causeway) is one of the jewels of this catalog.
---
Elusive Diva just sold to Claiborne Farm for $825,000. It seemed like the auctioneers were working it pretty hard, but consignor Craig Bandoroff of Denali Stud was happy enough with the price.
The last time she went through the ring, Elusive Diva sold for $1.6-million (in foal to Distorted Humor)at the 2006 Keeneland November breeding stock sale. Of course she was five years old then and as Bandoroff told me, "It's like a new car. When you drive it off the lot, it loses value."
---
Multiple Grade 1 winner Island Fashion is headed for Japan. Representatives of Katsumi Yoshida just bought her for $950,000, a bit of a bargain for the magnificent, multiple Grade 1 winner, in foal to Ghostzapper.
Island Fashion was bred and raised at Pope McLean's Crestwood Farm in Lexington for Jeff Nielsen's Everest Stables. Pope was definitely sad to see Island Fashion go. Crestwood has done a great job developing Everest's homebred stable.
---
The value on the buying end definitely seems to be with the mares. I might have to revise my estimate on Azeri, as I was off by about 20% on both Elusive Diva and Island Fashion.
---
It's official, Azeri has RNA'd for $4.4-million.
The back ring was packed with people trying to get a look at the Horse of the Year (and the potential bidding war that never developed).
It looked like few if any of the big outfits raised their hands. Neither Darley, Shadwell, nor Southern Equine appeared to enter the bidding. Coolmore put in a few bids but turned away at some point.
An amazing race mare with a correct, well-balanced frame, I can only imagine two things worked against Azeri: a somewhat obscure pedigree and the ridiculous reserve Michael Paulson placed on her first foal at the 2008 Keeneland September yearling sale ($7.7-million RNA, with no live money anywhere close).
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
Should be a good week for bargain hunters.
How are the yearlings selling in comparison to the mares?
I did not look at many yearlings presale. Hip 25 was one of the few I have notes on, a nice Tapit filly without a ton of pedigree. She went for $150,000.
So, there is certainly still a good market for nice individuals by a hot sire.
I have been watching on-line and have been dismayed that a couple of mares with nice pedigrees that are pregnant, have not gotten any bids.
There's no doubt this is a buyers' market on the mare end.
There are some great, great deals. And they're practically giving away the open mares. If you're willing to take a shot on a nice mare with no reproductive problems other than coming up empty for this year, you can get her bred early to the stallion of your choice, and hope the market picks up by the time you're ready to sell as a yearling. It's also a great market for breed-to-race folks who wish to improve their broodmare band.
Paulson has more money than brains!!
I wonder at the notion that an middle aged mare like Island Fashion, should be considered used goods when she's demonstrated she produces strong foals with potential. She should be worth more if the off-spring are good.
So is a stallion with good off-spring worth less than one half his age with no off-spring?
Post a Comment