Shades of the 1980s
Keeneland sale records encouraging numbers

The mother lode of all thoroughbred yearling sales took place at Keeneland in Lexington last month. It didn't take long for records to fall.

On the second day of the 11-day sale, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al Maktoum paid $3.9 million for a bay colt by Kris S. out of Mr. P's Princess -- the highest priced yearling to ever sell at Keeneland in September since the sale began in 1944. The colt is a half-brother to leading European two-year-old Fasliyev and will enter the ranks of Sheikh Mohammed's Goldolphin Racing program next year.

Over the first two days of the sale, Keeneland had sold 471 yearlings for $120,889,000 for an average of $256,665 and a median of $150,000. Gross sales totaled $233,075,800, the average price per lot was up 30 percent from 1998 and 23 horses brought $1 million or more.

The Midway-based stallion operation Vinery was sold last month to Roselands Stud, an Austrailian-based facility backed by European partners. A purchase price was not disclosed. The sale of Vinery was made possible after the farm's founder, Ben Walden Jr., sold his remaining minority interest in the entity to George and Kay Hofmeister, who purchased a majority interest in the operation last spring. Walden still plans to board all his mares at Vinery and will sell horses with the farm. Hofmeister will retain ownership of his Highland Farms broodmare facility near Paris, Kentucky and Vinery West, near Kaysville, Utah.

Bea and Robert 'Country' Roberts, who rank among the nation's leading thoroughbred owners, will disperse their horses in training and breeding stock at Keeneland in November. Roberts, a Louisville contractor, will keep his yearlings and remain in racing. Roberts will sell 80 broodmares, 6 weanlings and 100 horses in training. Among the horses in training to be sold are stakes winners Gold From the West and Tres Coronas, and the promising two-year-old colts Sky Dweller and Afternoon Affair.

Data compiled and edited by The Lane Report. Source: Keeneland Association and Thoroughbred Times

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