Keeneland January Marches On

LEXINGTON, Ky – A pair of offerings broached the six-figure mark as figures dipped during Wednesday's third session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale even as the sale surpassed its 2017 gross. In all, 236 horses sold Wednesday for a total of $3,442,700. After a pair of sessions which produced double-digit increases, the third-session average of $14,588 was down 15.87% from the third session at last year's five-day auction. Wednesday's median decreased 8.82% to $7,750.

Springhouse Farm purchased the day's highest-priced offering when going to $145,000 to secure the broodmare prospect Runway Doll (Majestic Warrior) (hip 977) from the Elite consignment.

Asked about the market, Elite's Brad Weisbord said, “It's strong. There is a lot of enthusiasm and a lot of smiles around here. Buyers are smiling and sellers are smiling. And whenever that happens, you're in a very good market.”

Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency's John Sikura agreed the market for the right individuals was competitive.

“I think the first-service mares and young mares who are halfs to stakes winners, they are bringing more than I want to pay for them,” Sikura said. “I thought I might buy half a dozen mares to breed to some of our new horses and I thought they sold for full value, plus. But when the mare has had foals and she's 12 or 13, she brings a lot less than you thought. It's just a reoccurrence of what happens now in a consolidated-type market where everybody likes the same horses and you get extra for the ones that are in foal to the right sire or are really good individuals or there is an update in the pedigree. For the others, it's tough.”

A colt by Violence was the day's top-priced short yearling, selling for $130,000 to Summers Street Stables from the James Herbener, Jr. consignment.

“The market is strong for the right horse,” Herbener said. “The January sale is a little of everything and the prices sort of reflect that. For the ones they want, there is plenty of money.”

Eight of the top 10 prices Wednesday were brought by yearlings, as the market for foals and short yearlings remained strong, but polarized, according to Sikura.

“The weanlings that are nice are well-sold,” Sikura observed. “There is such professionalism now in the way they buy these foals. The teams and the four or five guys who buy most of them are world-class horsemen and they only want what they want. When they land on that horse, it seems like everybody wants the same horse and they keep bidding. If they are a little under that, there probably aren't enough new racehorse owners or breed-to-race people who buy them to race. I think there are lots of opportunities under the A+ level, sort of the B physical, who should make more money, but we need more people shopping for those.”

The Keeneland January sale concludes Thursday with a session beginning at 10 a.m.

Runway Doll in the Spotlight

Runway Doll (Majestic Warrior), tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' after romping to a 13 1/2-length debut win at Saratoga in 2016, brought $145,000 while selling as a racing/broodmare prospect to Gabriel Duignan's Springhouse Farm. The 4-year-old was consigned by Elite Sales on behalf of Bill and Corinne Heiligbrodt and Bobby Flay.

“I bought into her privately for Bobby Flay after she broke her maiden and was a 'TDN Rising Star' at Saratoga,” Elite's Brad Weisbord said. “I paid multiple of what she brought today, but she got hurt, chipped her knee, in the Spinaway and unfortunately never got to show her talent. So she was on our plate to get out.”

Runway Doll, a half-sister to stakes winner Song Warrior (Songandaprayer) and from the family of Grade I-placed Conquest Panthera, was sixth in the 2016 GI Spinaway S. and then was sidelined until a sixth-place effort in a Keeneland allowance last April.

“She was as popular as any horse that we've ever sold in terms of the action in the back ring and people coming to see her,” Weisbord said. “I think the story from the 'Rising Star' aspect and never having gotten the chance to show her talent helped carry her value today and her final price.”

Runway Doll worked four furlongs at Fair Grounds Dec. 31 in :51.00 for trainer Steve Asmussen.

“Steve Asmussen deserves a tremendous amount of credit–she came in during a hail storm earlier in the week from the Fair Grounds,” Weisbord said. “He and his team did all the prep work. So his operation sent her in looking like $145,000.”

Runway Doll will be retired and be bred this spring, Duignan confirmed.

Violence Colt Top Yearling Wednesday

A colt by Violence was first to reach six figures at Keeneland Wednesday when selling for $130,000 to Summers Street Stable. The short yearling (hip 904) was consigned by James Herbener, Jr. on behalf of a partnership which had purchased him privately.

“He was a very nice colt and obviously Violence was a major factor in what he brought,” Herbener said. “He was a big strong colt with a big walk and he looks like he still has a lot of room for improvement.”

The dark bay colt was bred by V. Gail Ray, who purchased his dam Ms Arch Stanton (Arch) for $6,000 at the Keeneland January sale in 2015.

Thornbury Hangs Up His Green Jacket

Tom Thornbury, who has been a staple of the Keeneland sales team since being named associate director of sales in 2002, will transition into a part-time role with the company with the close of the January sale Thursday. The final day of the four-day auction is also the Kentucky native's 67th birthday and he looks forward to traveling with his wife Barbara and spending time with his five grandchildren.

“I just thought it was time to take some time on my own,” Thornbury said. “I will still be involved, but I am not going to wear the green coat. I won't be here in an administrative role. But I'll still work with the yearling inspection crew–which I love doing. I inspect for sales in South America and I'll still be doing that.”

Thornbury, who grew up on his father's farm was involved in training and farm management, spent 10 years at Airdrie Stud, first as yearling manager and then general manager.

“The more I can look at horses the happier I am,” Thornbury said. “So during the September sale, maybe I'll be out looking at horses for buyers. That's the business I want to be in. That's what I want to do. I couldn't do that without a conflict of interest in my job, but now I can. And I'm really looking forward to it.”

Of his new role, Thornbury said, “It will give me more time with my wife to travel. We have five grandkids and that's a lot of fun. I felt like, I am older, but I'm young enough to enjoy it. If you can, why not do it.”

Thornbury said he is leaving the Keeneland sales team in capable hands.

“We have a couple of young guns in Chip McGaughey and Jesse Ullery, both of whom are in the sales department and both are 10 times smarter than I am,” he said with his ever-present smile. “They are bright young guys and they need room to express themselves. Administratively we have a super team. I love all of these people–all of the people behind the desk, the guys who run tickets, the bidspotters, the sale crew. Working with [Director of Sales Operations] Geoffrey [Russell] is a gas. That part I'll miss, but I will still be available if they need me for anything. I'm still green to the bone.” @JessMartiniTDN