LEXINGTON, Ky. – The young stakes-winning broodmare Smash Ticket sold for $600,000 to lead the session as the Keeneland November breeding stock sale opened its Book 2 portion on Wednesday with figures that continued to be encouraging.
Keeneland reported that 201 horses sold during Wednesday's first of two Book 2 sessions, and the second of nine sale sessions overall, for gross receipts of $29,440,000. In last year's comparable Book 2 opener, 213 horses sold for $34,428,000. Both sets of figures include only horses sold through the ring, not private sales that Keeneland will later factor into official results
Wednesday's average price was $146,468, down 9 percent from $161,634 in the corresponding 2023 session. A decline in average price was also seen in the Book 1 session on Tuesday. But while Book 1 saw a decline in the median, Wednesday’s median was unchanged at $120,000.
“The median is the measure of the health of the market, through the middle of the market,” said Cormac Breathnach, Keeneland’s senior director of sales operations. “The averages are great for headlines, but the median really gives a better indicator of the level of trade. When your median is healthy and your RNA rate is acceptable, or particularly good as in the case of yesterday, then that means a lot of people are getting horses moved for acceptable numbers.”
In another encouraging sign, healthy trade led to an improved buyback rate, as it did in Book 1, although the figure changed less dramatically. The buyback rate was 32 percent, compared to 34 percent last year.
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“Very satisfied, a good, solid day’s trade,” sai Keeneland vice president of sales Tony Lacy. “I think it was fair. There were some sticky spots where it was a little selective in areas. The RNA rate was consistent, in the mid-20s for quite a lot of the day and just ticked up near the end. But it was very healthy in terms of quality.
“Weanlings by young stallions were very appealing, very strong. The top 15 highest-priced horses were sold to 15 different buyers. The median is rock solid with last year, and we’re trending ahead of last year’s sale overall. We’re very pleased.”
Session-topping Smash Ticket was purchased by Travis Boersma’s Flying Dutchmen, with Hunter Rankin signing the ticket, as agent. Boersma previously purchased horses and raced as Boardshorts Stables, but has rebranded his operation, and is now building a broodmare band for his recently acquired farm in Lexington.
“We are trying to get some really nice, fast mares that were good on-track to develop our program for racing,” Rankin said. “These guys are really committed long-term. They want to breed to race. They want to have a lot of fun.
“Ideally, we would like to get to 30, 35 mares. We bought a farm just off Old Frankfort Pike. We are excited about that, and trying to populate it.”
Smash Ticket, by Midnight Lute, was third in the Grade 2 Sorrento Stakes as a juvenile, and went on to win the Weather Vane Stakes at Pimlico as a 3-year-old. Now 5, she sold carrying her second foal. Her first foal, a colt from the first crop of champion Jackie’s Warrior, immediately preceded her through the Keeneland ring, and brought $30,000 from Todd and Shawn Hansen's HX3 Incorporated. Both mare and weanling were consigned by Legacy Bloodstock, as agent.
Smash Ticket is now in foal to champion Nyquist, who is enjoying a stellar year on the track. His current crop of 2-year-olds includes Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Immersive, Grade 1 winner Tenma, and multiple stakes winner Studlydoright, while his older runners this season include Grade 1 winners Johannes and Randomized.
“We really wanted to have part of [Smash Ticket’s female] family,” Rankin said. “It is a running family.
“Liked her physically, just really happy we got her. We love Nyquist, but we were buying the mare. Love that mating for her.”
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Smash Ticket is out of the multiple stakes-winning Roll Hennessy Roll mare Hennesey Smash, who is a half-sister to four stakes winners and the dam of five winners from seven starters, including Grade 2 winner Slammed and stakes winner Roll On Diabolical.
Slammed, also in foal to Nyquist, was a $1.1 million purchase by Stonestreet at Monday night’s Fasig-Tipton Kentucky fall selected mixed sale.
Keeneland November’s Book 2 section concludes with Thursday’s session. For hip-by-hip results, click here.
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