Keeneland September Powers Ahead
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WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 KEENELAND SEPTEMBER OPINIONS ON THE CAP POWERS AHEAD Editor=s Note: The Jockey Club has asked for public comment on their proposal to cap at 140 the number of mares a stallion can breed annually. In this ongoing series, we will publish the perspectives of breeders, stallion farms and others on the proposal. Tanya Gunther, Glennwood Farm I think we have bigger problems to worry about than capping mares to a stallion. I think our current PR issues, the public perception of horse racing and the survival of horse racing as an industry is more important. I'd like the industry to be focusing on that and trying to solve these issues rather than shifting focus to something secondary such as capping the number of mares in a stallion's book. Cont. p19 $4.1-million Curlin topper - Hip 274 | Keeneland IN TDN EUROPE TODAY by Jessica Martini, Christie DeBernardis, Brian DiDonato SMULLEN: HUMBLED BY RACING’S SUPPORT LEXINGTON, KY - After a powerful initial session Monday, the Champion jockey Pat Smullen’s column returns after a brief Keeneland September Yearling Sale only gained strength hiatus focusing on the upcoming Longines Irish Champions through Tuesday=s second of three Book 1 sessions, with a colt Weekend and Cancer Trials Ireland, as well the use of the by Curlin bringing the auction=s highest price since 2010 when whip. Click or tap here to go straight to TDN Europe. selling for $4.1 million to Godolphin. Sheikh Mohammed=s operation purchased the top two lots at Monday=s opener and was again the major player at the top Tuesday. In addition to the session topper, Godolphin also purchased a colt by War Front for $2.9 million and a filly by Union Rags for $1 million to secure three of the day=s five seven-figure yearlings. Sheikh Hamdan=s Shadwell Estate Company was responsible for the day=s other two million-dollar transactions. AWhat an incredible day,@ said Keeneland=s Vice President of Sales and Racing Bob Elliston. AWhen we were up here yesterday, obviously it was a very upbeat attitude, but I think we exceeded that today.@ With a smaller Book 1 this year, comparisons to last year=s auction are difficult, but figures from day-to-day prove Elliston=s point. During Tuesday=s session, 109 yearlings sold for $49,150,000. The average, which was $432,065 Monday, jumped to $450,917 Tuesday, and the median rose from $325,000 during the first session to $375,000 during the second. Cont. p3 How do you live up to the glory of your past? 09.13.19 THE BEST RACEHORSE IN THE WORLD IS SIRING THE WORLD’S BEST RACING PROSPECTS Congratulations to Buyer Godolphin and Consignor Eaton Sales, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised www.hillndalefarms.com LGB, LLC 2019 THE BEST RACEHORSE IN THE WORLD IS SIRING THE WORLD’S BEST RACING PROSPECTS Congratulations to Buyer Shadwell Estate Company www.hillndalefarms.com and Consignor Denali Stud, agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raised LGB, LLC 2019 THE BEST RACEHORSE IN THE WORLD IS SIRING THE WORLD’S BEST RACING PROSPECTS In 2019 Leading Sire of Yearlings $806,731 Leading Sire of Two-Year-Olds $863,428 LGB, LLC 2019 www.hillndalefarms.com *by sales average PUBLISHER & CEO Sue Morris Finley @suefinley [email protected] V.P., INTERNATIONAL OPERATIONS Gary King @garykingTDN [email protected] EDITORIAL [email protected] Editor-in-Chief Jessica Martini @JessMartiniTDN Managing Editor Wednesday, September 11, 2019 Alan Carasso @EquinealTDN Senior Editor Steve Sherack @SteveSherackTDN Racing Editor Brian DiDonato @BDiDonatoTDN News and Features Editor Ben Massam @BMassamTDN Associate Editors Christie DeBernardis @CDeBernardisTDN Joe Bianca @JBiancaTDN ADVERTISING [email protected] Director of Advertising Alycia Borer Advertising Manager Lia Best Advertising Designer Amanda Crelin Advertising Assistants Alexa Reisfield Amie Morosco Advertising Assistant/Dir. Of Distribution Rachel McCaffrey Spotted at the sale. Jockeys Javier Castellano, Mike Smith, and Florent Geroux are Photographer/Photo Editor some of the familiar faces seen at Keeneland September. | Keeneland Sarah K. Andrew @SarahKAndrew [email protected] Social Media Strategist Justina Severni HERE’S TO BELIEVING 8 Believe You Can (Proud Citizen) had already supplied the Jones Director of Customer Service family of Airdrie Stud with a lifetime of memories when she won Vicki Forbes the 2012 GI Kentucky Oaks, but the mare added to her legacy [email protected] when her colt by War Front sold for $2.9 million to Godolphin Marketing Manager Tuesday at Keeneland. Alayna Cullen @AlaynaCullen Director of Information Technology LAWSUIT ALLEGES ‘SECRET PLAN’ 19 Ray Villa [email protected] Citing a flawed bidding process and a "secret master plan" that was allegedly floated by the New York Racing Association (NYRA) Bookkeeper and discussed among state officials nine months before the state Terry May issued an official request for proposal (RFP) to build a hockey arena [email protected] at Belmont Park, the Village of Floral Park, where Belmont is located, WORLDWIDE INFORMATION has filed a lawsuit to block the $1.3 billion project. International Editor Kelsey Riley @kelseynrileyTDN [email protected] European Editor Emma Berry [email protected] Associate International Editor Heather Anderson @HLAndersonTDN Newmarket Bureau, Cafe Racing Sean Cronin & Tom Frary [email protected] 60 Broad Street, Suite 100 Red Bank, NJ 07701 732-747-8060 | 732-747-8955 (fax) www.TheTDN.com TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 3 OF 23 • THETDN.COM WEDNESDAY • SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 KEESEP cont. from p1 dollar mark--there were 27 at the entire 2018 sale--with AIt=s hard with the comparisons again until we get to the fifth Godolphin responsible for five. The group made its biggest session, but the numbers we can compare are today from splash with the $4.1-million purchase of the Curlin colt out of yesterday,@ Elliston said. Bounding (Aus) (Lonhro {Aus}), who AToday, the average horse was consigned by Eaton Sales on sold for $451,000 and the behalf of Barbara Banke=s median jumped $50,000 Stonestreet. Bidding on the yearling more from yesterday. So featured an old-fashioned slugfest that=s just staggering. There between powerhouse buyers was depth--that median Coolmore and Godolphin jumping like that shows it reminiscent of the boom market of wasn=t just two horses that the early 2000s. caused the jump.@ AAll the bidding stopped out front, Through two sessions, a and for the last at least $2 million it total of 216 yearlings have was all out back,@ Elliston said. AAnd grossed $95,381,000 for an it was $100,000 a pop. It sounded average of $441,579 and a like the old days and it was. Sheikh median of $350,000. The Mohammed against the Coolmore buy-back rate stands at $4.1-million Curlin topper - Hip 274 | Keeneland gentlemen and it was a great battle 29.64%. After two sessions of that Sheikh Mohammed ended up a four-day Book 1 in 2018, 306 yearlings had sold for taking, but it felt like >04 and >05 back in the old days when the $114,455,000. The average was $374,036, the median was market was really incredible.@ $300,000, and the buy-back rate was 27.83%. Through two days, Godolphin has purchased six head for Through two sessions, 12 horses have topped the million- $13,250,000. The operation=s bloodstock agent Anthony Stroud TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 4 OF 23 • THETDN.COM WEDNESDAY • SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 admitted bidding was competitive for the right horses. AI think the market is buoyant at the top,@ Stroud said. AThere is a demand for good horses.@ Taylor Made Sales Agency was the session=s leading consignor with 20 sold for $7,275,000, while Curlin led all stallions on the day with 10 yearlings bringing $8,525,000. The September sale continues with a final Book 1 session beginning at noon Wednesday. Following a dark day Thursday, the auction resumes Friday at 10 a.m. and continues through Sept. 22. Curlin & Godolphin Continue to Dominate Curlin has been red hot at the yearling sales this season with three seven-figure colts at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale and another at Monday=s opening session of the Keeneland Anthony Stroud | Keeneland September Sale. Demand for sons of the Hall of Famer reached signing the ticket in their usual spot by the back walking ring. new heights Tuesday at Keeneland when a colt out of New When asked if the price was above what he expected Hip 274 Zealand champion Bounding (Aus) summoned $4.1 million from would reach, Stroud said, AOh gosh, yes. I needed oxygen. We Godolphin. Coolmore was the under bidder on the bay colt, who were gasping for air at that stage. Luckily, we are under the is the highest-priced yearling to sell at KEESEP since Mr. Besilu leadership of Sheikh Mohammed and he is a decisive man. He is (A.P. Indy) brought $4.2 million in 2010. completely in control and is the one who makes these decisions. AHe is a very athletic horse, a lovely, well-balanced horse from In this particular case, he told me to continue. As a group, it was a good farm,@ said Godolphin=s bloodstock advisor Anthony definitely more than we anticipated him to make.@ Stroud as Sheikh Mohammed and the team dispersed just after TDN HEADLINE NEWS • PAGE 5 OF 23 • THETDN.COM WEDNESDAY • SEPTEMBER 11, 2019 Sheikh Mohammed | Keeneland With Sheikh Mohammed in town for the sale, Godolphin led all buyers during Monday=s session and repeated that feat Tuesday, buying six horses for $13.25 million for an average of $2,208,333.