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Quality Road colt tops second session selling for US$1.6 million to Woodford Racing & Westpoint Thoroughbreds.

A total of eight lots sold for US$1 million or more during session two of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale on Tuesday with the session topper being a colt by Lane's End Farm's Quality Road (Elusive Quality) who was bought by Woodford Racing and Westpoint Thoroughbreds for US$1.6 million. 

Offered as Lot 300 by Eaton Sales as agent for Stonestreet Bred & Raced, the colt is out of Catch The Moon (Malibu Moon) who has produced four winners from as many foals to race with all of those winning at stakes level, headed by Grade One winner Girvin (Tale Of Ekati). 

"The plan is to gather a partnership together with Woodford Racing, West Point and a few others and (Stonestreet owner) Barbara Banke," Woodford founder Bill Farish said. "He will go to (trainer) Shug McGaughey.

"The market is strong," Farish added. "For horses like this, it's been very, very hard to buy as you can tell by that price. It's competitive. That's how we hoped it would be."

"He is fabulous looking and, of course, the mare has had some great foals by some lesser stallions," Banke said. "I am hoping this one takes it all the way. I think I will be back in for (a piece) of him. I am excited about that. He was on my list of favorites. We need sire power; we need another sire."

Gainesway as agent sold two colts for US$1.3 million a piece. The first of these was the Tapit (Pulpit) colt out of stakes winner Danzatrice (Dunkirk) who was bought by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. 

"I love Tapit, as everyone knows – we've been buying a bunch of them," Pope said. "This one was raised at Gainesway. I have a lot of faith in how they raise their horses and their horsemanship on the farm. I felt like the horse had a good beginning, a good foundation built into him." 

Two lots later MV Magnier went to that same price for a son of Curlin (Smart Strike) out of stakes winning Medaglia d'Oro (El Prado) mare Dashing Derby. Offered as Lot 333, the colt is a half-brother to Grade One winning filly Dawn The Destroyer (Speightstown). 

"(Gainesway General Manager) Brian Graves – when we went down to see him first – really, really liked the horse," Magnier said. "All our guys liked him as well. Barbara Banke, she's bred some incredible horses over the last couple years. Curlin's doing very well." 

Magnier said the colt would stay in the US. 

On Tuesday, Keeneland sold 112 yearlings for US$52,300,000, at an average of US$466,964 and a median of US$400,000. Cumulatively, 208 horses sold through the ring have grossed US$90,622,000, for an average of US$435,683 and a median of US$350,000. A total of 11 yearlings have sold for US$1million or more.

During the second session a year ago, 111 lots sold for US$46,735,000 at an average of US$421,036 and median of US$330,000. The average showed gains of 10.9 per cent during the second session this year, compared to the corresponding session in 2020, while the median rose 6.1 per cent. 

"It was a great couple of days. We're really excited about the results, about the feeling and the excitement on the grounds," Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. 

"You've probably heard me say that (retiring Keeneland Director of Sales Operations) Geoffrey Russell likes to talk about the 'hustle and bustle,' which felt really present. It was a very diverse buying bench. Out of the ten highest prices today, there were nine distinct buyers, which is encouraging to see along with the domestic and international participation."