$1 Million Juvenile Colt by Into Mischief Tops Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale

Mick Wallace, agent for Ghandarvi, paid $1 million for a 2-year-old colt by Into Mischief who is from the family of multiple Grade 2 winner and successful sire Munnings during today’s Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale, a single-session auction for racehorses that followed the 10-day November Breeding Stock Sale. 

This year, Keeneland created the stand-alone auction for horses of racing age, which in previous years were incorporated as part of the November Breeding Stock Sale. A total of 161 horses sold today for $11,029,500, for an average of $68,506 and a median of $35,000.

“It was a very healthy day of trade,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “There was plenty of action in the barns, in the back rings and a lot of action in the Repository. We know this is a really good time of year for people who are trying to reorganize their barn to transition horses in or out of their programs. They are looking for horses to run at Oaklawn or Fair Grounds or other winter tracks, and here they are able to do their homework and be well educated on the horses that are in front of them. It’s very welcome for both buyers and sellers.”

“This segment is its own sale now, and we think it’s off to a really good start,” Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach said. “It’s contiguous with the Breeding Stock Sale, but it’s a different market with a later entry deadline and more flexibility with supplements. There’s now a concentration of racehorses before trainers rather than before when the racehorses were spread out over days with breeding stock. We did a little over $6 million in gross last year when we put the racehorses at the end of the Breeding Stock Sale, and this year we did just over $11 million. That’s significant. We’ve set a baseline for what the November Horses of Racing Age Sale can be, and we’ll try to grow it from here.”

Consigned by Highgate Sales, agent, the sale topper is a half-brother to Group 3-placed Snowboarder. He is out of Gaudete, by Distorted Humor.

Highgate Sales, agent, was the leading consignor with sales of $3,383,000 for 15 horses. Highgate also sold a 2-year-old daughter of Practical Joke for $560,000 and a 2-year-old colt by Street Sense for $450,000. Both were purchased by CHC Inc. 

The Practical Joke filly is out the Dixie Union mare Competition and from the family of Grade 1 winners Sailor’s Valentine and Coup de Fusil.

The Street Sense colt is out of Sweeter Than Ever, a winning daughter of Exchange Rate, and from the family of Grade 3 winner Bibury Court.

CHC Inc. purchased four horses for $1,385,000 to lead buyers.

L & L Racing paid $350,000 for Lovemesomeme, a 4-year-old stakes-placed filly by Paynter who is a three-time winner at Churchill Downs. Consigned by Mill Ridge Sales, agent, she is out of the winning Pioneering mare Eagle Putt and a full sister to Grade 2 runner-up Scarto.

Clay Scherer said he purchased Lovemesomeme “for a client to go to (trainer) Brad Cox. She ran very consistent numbers at Churchill Downs, and she will fit in very well at Oaklawn Park. She has been fast and consistent, and (former trainer) Tommy Drury has done a great job with her. It’s nice to go into a big-time winter meet at Hot Springs with a nice, fresh horse. The market has been very strong for good racehorses, and it continued into today.”

“She certainly exceeded our expectations,” Price Bell of Mill Ridge said. “She’s a lovely, hard-trying mare. She’s been off the board only once. Her best attribute is that she’s willing. She tries every time. It was an exciting sale for a group of friends who owned her and an exciting sale for the group that bought her. I wish them all the best and hope they have many pictures taken with her and that she becomes a momma when her racing career is over.”

David Ingordo, agent, spent $290,000 for Anywho, a 2-year-old daughter of Bolt d’Oro who won her career debut Oct. 23 at Belmont at the Big A. Consigned by Denali Stud, agent, she is out of the winning, stakes-placed Zensational mare Fancy and Flashy and a half-sister to Grade 3-placed Wipe the Slate.

Mick Wallace, agent for Ghandarvi, also acquired a 2-year-old colt by Quality Road for $250,000 from Highgate Sales, agent. Out of winning stakes-placed Sweet Dreams, by Candy Ride (ARG), he is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Subconscious and from the family of champion Gold Beauty and Grade 2 winners Cat Charmer and Strike Charmer.