Keeneland November Sale Continues Strong Momentum Through Book 2
The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale maintained its robust performance as the auction’s Book 2 section concluded Thursday, delivering significant gains over 2024 figures.
“It felt like a complete continuation from yesterday,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “The momentum was there and there was the same enthusiasm for quality stock. The market never seemed to waver all day. It seemed to be steady and strong and consistent.”
Through the two Book 2 sessions, 474 horses sold through the ring for a gross of $91,389,000. The Book 2 average of $192,804 jumped 25.9% from 2024, while the median of $160,000 increased 28.0%. Twenty-five horses sold for $500,000 or more over the two sessions, compared to just five reaching that mark last year.
The 4-year-old broodmare Taylor Swifter (American Pharoah), in foal to Flightline, commanded Thursday’s highest bid when selling to Bryant Prentice’s Pursuit of Success for $700,000. Gainesway consigned the mare.
“The mares have been the flagbearers of the last few days,” Lacy noted. “As long as they are not overly exposed, there is a market for them.”
Weanling sales have shown particular strength during Book 2, with 200 selling for a gross of $34,496,000. The average reached $172,480 — up 27.4% from last year — while the median of $150,000 increased 36.4%.
“The weanling market was sensational again today,” said Keeneland Senior Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “We had 239 sales through the ring today to 179 different buyers. The consistency of the day is really supported by the depth of the buyer base that is here.”
A colt by Nyquist (hip 830) topped the weanling market Thursday, selling for $600,000 to Clover Leaf Bloodstock. Bred by Viking Breeding and consigned by Indian Creek, the chestnut is out of Intense Honor (Honor Code), a half-sister to graded winners Money Multiplier (Lookin at Lucky) and Intense Holiday (Harlan’s Holiday).
“We thought he would sell very well today,” said Indian Creek’s Sarah Sutherland. “Obviously, you are always thrilled when it actually pans out. We had end-users and pinhookers on him–everybody appreciated the horse.”
Despite the competitive weanling market, pinhooker Tami Bobo has been active through the first three sessions, signing for five weanlings Thursday and bringing her total Keeneland November purchases to 13 head for $1.81 million.
“The market is strong, but I think if you put in the time and diligence there are horses to be bought,” Bobo said. “There is going to be a marketplace with the new beautiful bill, so in 10 months, if we really evaluate the marketplace, I think there are a lot of us who need to put money in the market.”
The Keeneland November sale continues through Tuesday with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.
## Taylor Swifter Commands $700,000 as Session Topper
In a fitting coincidence, Taylor Swifter received significant attention while leading Thursday’s Book 2 finale with a $700,000 final bid at the Keeneland November Sale.
Consigned by Gainesway, the 4-year-old daughter of American Pharoah, in foal to Flightline, was purchased by Pursuit of Success’ Bryant Prentice with agent Archie St. George handling the signing duties.
“She’s a very nice physical,” said St. George. “She’s by American Pharoah, who looks to be possibly a very good broodmare sire. And she’s in foal to an exciting stallion, Flightline. The team, Mr. Prentice and Bill Oppenheim seemed to like the mare.”
The unraced filly is out of SW and GSP Taylor S (Medaglia d’Oro), herself a daughter of GSW Miss Macy Sue (Trippi). Her siblings include GI Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile and GI Woodward winner Liam’s Map (Unbridled’s Song) and GSW and GISP Not This Time.
Bred by the Albaugh Family, Taylor Swifter was a $725,000 KEESEP yearling purchase before bringing $170,000 at this season’s Fasig-Tipton February Sale. Her filly by Flightline brought $1.5 million at Keeneland September in 2024.
“It’s a big pedigree with stallions on there, Not This Time and Liam’s Map,” said St. George. “There’s a lot of upsides to her and there’s a half-brother that potentially could run. She will go back to us now and, hopefully, we’ll have a Flightline colt, and [her offspring] can run.”
## Family & Friends Secure Apple Picker for $650,000
Grade III winner Apple Picker (Connect) drew $650,000 from the partnership of Martha Jane Mulholland and Judy Pryor, who signed as Family & Friends early in Thursday’s session.
“I buy horses mostly on conformation and she was a beautifully-conformed mare,” said Mulholland. “They have to be pretty first, and then we start looking how much race record we can afford.”
Consigned by Elite, Hip 678 is out of Silent Fright (Yes It’s True), a half-sister to Canadian Champion Grass Horse Grand Adventure (Grand Slam). Victorious in the GIII Barbara Fritchie Stakes in a career that saw her amass $478,433 in earnings, Apple Picker hails from the family of Classic-winning filly Lakeway.
Pryor, whose background includes the Quarter Horse show industry, maintains about 50 Thoroughbreds at her 400-acre Pryor Ranch near Omaha, Nebraska.
“Judy was in the Quarter Horse show business and then she came into the racing business in Nebraska a few years ago,” explained Mulholland. “She is trying to step up the game a little bit with some really quality mares.”
Pryor’s ambitions extend beyond regional racing: “I want to win the Kentucky Derby and the Oaks! I am not going to work this hard to say I am going to win in Nebraska. But I do want to win there, too.”
The partnership has been active at Keeneland this week, also purchasing Ms. Tart (Maximus Mischief) for $375,000, Low Mileage (Mineshaft) for $385,000, Promise of Hope (Ghostzapper) for $240,000, and Know It All Audrey (Shackleford) for $310,000.
All the mares are expected to head to Mulholland Springs to foal and board.
## Taiba Colt Delivers Strong Return for Mulholland Springs
Martha Jane Mulholland’s investment in the stakes-winning mare Bet She Wins (First Samurai) paid significant dividends Thursday when the mare’s weanling colt by Taiba (hip 699) sold for $385,000 to Go Go Greys, BSW/Crow, agent.
Mulholland acquired the then 9-year-old Bet She Wins for $120,000 at the 2024 Fasig-Tipton February sale from the Lothenbach dispersal.
“She was a very pretty mare,” Mulholland said. “I was very pleased to get her for that price.”
Mulholland bred her new mare to first-year stallion Taiba, who was standing at Spendthrift for a fee of $35,000.
“I think Taiba is one of the most beautiful sons of Gun Runner that is standing at stud right now,” Mulholland said. “And I was hopeful with the kind of body this mare has and that Taiba has, that we would get a stunning foal. And we did.”
Bet She Wins is currently in foal to Muth.
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