NOTE: All monetary figures are in United States dollars
Champion Midnight Bisou, who is in foal to Tapit, sold for $5.5 million to Katsumi Yoshida of Japan to lead Monday’s Book 1 opening session of the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.
As reported Monday, before the session started, a 2.5 percent ownership interest in Flightline, a colt by Tapit and the undefeated winner of Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, sold for $4.6 million. Brookdale Farm’s Freddy Seitz, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed farm client, signed the ticket.
For the session, Keeneland sold 136 lots for $66,980,000, for an average of $492,500 and a median of $290,000. The gross was 32.28 percent above the $50,634,000 from the first session last year.
Ten lots sold for $1 million or more, compared with seven during the first session of the 2021 sale.
Midnight Bisou, a 7-year-old daughter of Midnight Lute out of Grade 3 winner Diva Delite, by Repent, won 13 races and earned $7.47 million. Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa, she was supplemented to Monday’s auction.
“This mare has been so good to us in so many different ways,” co-owner Jeff Bloom said. “I’m so happy about the home she is going to. She will forever hold an incredible place in my heart, my family’s heart, my partner’s heart. It’s impossible to describe the journey she has taken us on. These horses afford us the opportunity to have these life experiences we wouldn’t be able to have. It’s been a great run.”
Yoshida was the leading buyer, with three purchases for $9.7 million. He acquired three seven-figure horses, including multiple French Group 1 winner Dreamloper, a 5-year-old mare by Lope de Vega who ran in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Mile, for $2.7 million and Grade 2 winner Jouster, a 4-year-old daughter of Noble Mission from the family of Racing Hall of Famer Personal Ensign, for $1.5 million.
Dreamloper was consigned by her trainer, Ed Walker. Jouster was consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa, agent.
Lane’s End, agent, consigned the fractional interest in Flightline, who has been retired to stud at the farm in Versailles, Ky., and was the session’s leading consignor with 10 lots bringing $13,125,000.
Lane’s End, agent, also consigned the day’s third highest-priced offering, champion Shamrock Rose, who is in foal to Curlin and sold for $3 million to Japan’s KI Farm. A half-sister to stakes winner Loyalty, the 7-year-old mare is out of the Elusive Quality mare Slew’s Quality.
M.V. Magnier went to $2.6 million to acquire Marion Ravenwood, a stakes-winning daughter of A.P. Indy who is in foal to Curlin and carrying a full sibling to Grade 1 winners Nest and Idol. Also the dam of stakes winner Lost Ark, the 14-year-old mare was consigned by Ashview Farm (Bryan Lyster and Gray Lyster), agent.
“Nest is just an incredible filly,” Magnier said. “She’s (Marion Ravenwood) produced very good animals, and she continues to do so. She’ll most likely go to Justify.”
