Aussie buyers on the board as strong Keeneland trading rolls on

Australian buyers remained busy on day three of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in Kentucky with Twin Hills Stud, Newgate, Emirates Park and Peachester Lodge all on the buyers’ sheet.

Olly Tait’s Twin Hills purchased Go With Gusto, a half-sister by Medaglia D’Oro to Pegasus World Cup winner Mucho Gusto, for US$285,000.

She was placed in Grade 1 Summer Stakes for Mark Casse and was offered in foal to City Of Light.

Newgate teamed up with SF Bloodstock to secure Morning Matcha for US$250,000. Offered off the track, she was Grade 1-placed in the US and won eight races, including five at black-type level.

Emirates Park, which has enjoyed elite success this year through Golden Slipper winner Marhoona, paid US$230,000 for To Thyself B True, a daughter of Grade 1 Haskell Stakes winner Girvin and Creative Cause mare True Martha. To Thyself B True was thrice placed at black-type level and is a half-sister to stakes-performed Fire Pit.

Linda and Graham Huddy’s Peachester Lodge were also in action, paying $250,000 for Tolerated It, a three-year-old half-sister to Grace 2 winner and Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Filly and Turf placegetter Cambodia.  

The Kitten’s Joy filly was unraced and was offered in foal to War Front.  

The top lot of the day was Taylor Swifter, a daughter of American Pharoah, offered in foal to Flightline, selling to Bryant Prentice’s Pursuit of Success for US$700,000. She is from the family of stallions Liam’s Map and Not This Time.

Thursday was the second and final day of Book 2 and grossed over US$44 million for an increase of 30 per cent from the third session of the 2024 sale.

Through three sessions, 596 horses have sold through the ring for US$164 million, an increase of 30.7 per cent from 2024. The average of US$275,379 is up 21.90 per cent from last year, while the median of US$190,000 is up 11.8 per cent.  

“The day was fantastic – felt like a continuation of yesterday,” Keeneland vice president of sales Tony Lacy said.

“The momentum was there, and there was the same enthusiasm for quality stock. The market never seemed to waver all day, which was really encouraging. The session jumped out of the gates well and hit the wire hard.”

Lacy added: “A lot of people were here for the last hips going through the ring. It was busy in the back and out in the Show Barn for the last few hours while the inside was really vibrant. 

“A lot of people were really relaxed and smiling and enjoying it, which indicates the confidence percolating through the marketplace right now.”