WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2013 732-747-8060 $ TDN Home Page Click Here STRONG RESULTS AT KEENELAND GAI’S GREATEST DAY The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale In improving on his runner-up finish in last year=s G1 opened its 10-day run Tuesday with a strong day of Emirates Melbourne Cup, British import and race selling and figures up across the favorite Fiorente (Ire) (Monsun {Ger}) provided a board. A total of 113 head sold storybook ending to this Monday for $42,255,000--up from year=s edition, giving the 2012 opening day gross of Australia=s adored Hall of $27,665,000 from the sale of 100 Fame trainer Gai Waterhouse head. The average rose 35% to her first Melbourne Cup $373,938 and the median soared to victory, and storied jockey $220,000--up 73% from a year Damien Oliver his third. ago. Settling slightly worse than AIt was a very good day,@ midpack through the early confirmed Keeneland=s Director of stages of the 3200 meter Geoffrey Russell Sales Geoffrey Russell. AIt was very Fiorente (left) marathon, Fiorente and Oliver Keeneland photo strong, especially at the top. It was Racingandsports.com.au patiently worked their way a continuation of the market we=ve into contention. Ready and seen--there is plenty of money for the quality stock.@ waiting when a seam opened at the top of the lane, the The buy-back rate fell from 30% last year to 20% pair pounced on veteran galloper Red Cadeaux (GB) yesterday. (Cadeaux Genereux {GB}) and, after tussling with that AThe RNA rate is very good, so that is very positive,@ rival for about 200 meters, disposed of him in the final Russell continued. AThat means that the market is being stages to post a popular victory. Cont. p20 met by consignors and buyers, so that is a very important statistic.@ ORB RETIRED TO CLAIBORNE The striking gray mare Awesome Maria (Maria=s Stuart S. Janney III & Phipps Stable's Orb (Malibu Mon), part of the Robsham Stables dispersal which Moon--Lady Liberty, by Unbridled), impressive winner of highlighted Tuesday=s session, topped the sheets with a the GI Florida Derby and GI Kentucky Derby this spring, final bid of $4 million from Coolmore=s M. V. Magnier. has been retired to stand the 2014 breeding season at An additional two lots from the dispersal brought six Claiborne Farm, the nursery said in a release. "The figures. decision to retire Orb was made with mixed emotions," The dispersal of the late Eric Kronfeld was also Janney commented. Cont. p23 responsible for a seven-figure sale when Eblouissante (Bernardini), a half-sister to multiple champion Zenyatta (Street Cry {Ire}) brought $2.1 million from Ian Banwell=s St. George Farm. In all six lots, bought by six distinct buyers, brought seven figures Monday, up from five a year ago. The top price during the opening session in 2012 was $4.2 million brought by Plum Pretty (Medaglia d=Oro). The diversity of Monday=s leader board was another key indicator to the market=s strength, according to Russell. AI like the fact that it was like in September, when we had 18 million-dollar horses spread over 15 buyers,@ Russell said. AIt is good to see the top end spread around. I think that is very healthy for our market.@ A colt by War Front was the day=s top-priced weanling, bringing a final bid of $800,000 from Coolmore partners. AThe weanling-to-yearling pinhookers did very well last year, so we anticipated they would be back again this year and they are,@ Russell said. AWeanlings were pretty strong today and the good weanlings sold very well.@ Cont. p3 Into Mischief numbers continue to shine by % of Stakes Winners/Runners. 14% in 2012 13% in 2013 He was the only horse to sire two runners in this year’s Kentucky Derby (G1) - both from his first crop including multiple G1-Winning Millionaire GOLDENCENTS, who recently dominated the $1 million Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1). In This Issue PEB’s TDN Sketch of the Week 60 Broad St., Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 (732) 747-8060 (732) 747-8955 (fax) www.thoroughbreddailynews.com www.thetdn.com Barry Weisbord, co-publisher [email protected] • @barryweisbord Sue Finley, co-publisher [email protected] • @suefinley EDITORIAL [email protected] Jessica Martini, Editor-in-Chief Alan Carasso, Managing Editor Christina Bossinakis, Senior Editor Steve Sherack, Racing Editor Brian DiDonato, Racing Analyst/Soc. Media Dir. Justina Severni, Assistant Editor Christie DeBernardis, Assistant Editor Click here to buy a print of this sketch, or the original. Currently accepting commissions. Visit www.pebsite.com for details. ADVERTISING [email protected] Alycia Borer, Director of Advertising Lia Kusch, Senior Advertising Designer Hip Happenings Sarah K. Andrew, Adv Assistant/Distribution Amanda Crelin, Advertising Assistant Amanda Foster, Advertising Assistant CUSTOMER SERVICE Today’s Keeneland November Sale will see [email protected] some impressive horses go through the ring, Vicki Forbes, Director of Customer Service including the two-time GI Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Sprint champion Groupie Doll INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (Bowman’s Band), who will sell as hip 350. Robert Williams, Director of IT [email protected] Gregg Casillo, DB Administrator, Programming [email protected] Coverage begins page 19 BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Groupie Doll Gary King, Director of Business Development Horsephotos [email protected] WORLDWIDE INFORMATION Kelsey Riley, International Editor Ladies Day in Melbourne [email protected] Sean Cronin, Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing The A$1-million G1 Crown Oaks, Victoria's premier race for 3-year-old fillies, Tom Frary, Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing highlights Ladies Day at the Melbourne Cup Carnival. [email protected] Coverage begins page 22 TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 11/6/13 • PAGE 3 of 24 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Coolmore Makes Awesome Bid Team Coolmore held off challenges from Bridlewood Farm=s George Isaacs and the Wertheimer brothers to take home Awesome Maria (Maria=s Mon) for a session-topping $4 million during Monday=s first day of the Keeneland November sale. The Coolmore contingent did its bidding out back, while their main rivals for the Grade I winner sat inside the pavilion. The Wertheimers were the Irish team=s staunchest opponents. Alain Wertheimer nodded they Awesome Maria were out as bidding Keeneland Photo approached the $4-million mark, but the brothers jumped back in for another go at the gray mare before again indicating they were done bidding. This prompted auctioneer Cris Caldwell to quip, AWhy should I believe you now? You lied to me last time.@ But the Frenchmen were indeed finished. AShe was a lovely mare,@ said Coolmore=s M.V. Magnier after signing the ticket on hip 87 . AShe was a good racehorse, comes from a fantastic family and she=s in foal to Giant=s Causeway.@ Awesome Maria, consigned by Lane=s End as part of the complete dispersal of the E. Paul Robsham Stables, won the 2011 GI Ogden Phipps H. and GII Matron S. She also won the 2009 GII Matron S. and earned over $1 million on the racetrack. The gray mare is out of Discreetly Awesome (Awesome Again), a half-sister to Grade I winners Discreet Cat (Forestry) and Discreetly Mine (Mineshaft). AShe=s been bought for clients of ours,@ Magnier added. AWhen the foal is on the ground, we=ll decide who she is going back to; we=ll see what the Giant=s Causeway looks like.@ Of the $4-million price tag, Magnier added, AShe deserved to make that. She=s a nice mare. It=s good to see horses like that making prices like that. @ M. V. Magnier The Wertheimers were able Keenlenad photo to secure a member of the family later in the sale, going to $675,000 for the 11- year-old Discreetly Awesome (hip 126), in foal to Malibu Moon. TDN P HEADLINE NEWS • 11/6/13 • PAGE 4 of 24 • thoroughbreddailynews.com Show Stopper at KEENOV According to Bell, the mare represented the sole It didn=t take long for Bloodstock agent Reynolds Bell- purchase for John Clay at the sale. On behalf of Clay, -buying on behalf of John Clay=s Alpha Delta Stables--to Bell also signed for a pair of mares at Monday=s Fasig- come out firing. And when he did, he certainly made it Tipton November sale-Hip 23, Contita (Cozzene), for count, going to $2.15 $750,000 and Hip 111, Nerfertini, for $1.25 million. million for Hip 96, Clay, who currently has a broodmare band totaling Broadway=s Alibi about 15 mares, opts for quality over quantity, offered (Vindication--Broadway Bell. cont. p5 Gold, by Seeking the Gold), who is in foal to Smart Ï Ò Strike. A member of the E. Paul Robsham Stables complete dispersal, the 4- year-old filly was consigned by Lane=s End Farm. A (718) 978-8200 seven-length winner in her www.mersant.com second career start for trainer Todd Pletcher at two, Sponsors of the following stats for the: the Robsham Stables runner KEENELAND NOVEMBER SALE made the most of her limited SESSION 1 2013 2012 opportunities the following Catalogued 197 192 Broadway Alibi season, winning the GII No. Offered 143 143 Keeneland Photo Forward Gal S. and GIII No. Sold 113 100 Comely S. and finishing RNAs 30 43 second in the GI Kentucky Oaks. % RNAs 20.9% 4.3% AI just wish we didn=t have to pay that much, but No. Over $500K 23 9 that=s the way it goes when you are trying to buy nice High Price $4,000,000 $4,200,000 mares,@ said Bell.