Led by a Harlan’s Holiday colt who commanded $185,000 on Monday, New York-bred short yearlings made a strong showing at Keeneland’s four-day January Horses of All Ages this week, not only outperforming their counterparts in the same sale last year, but also doing better this year than the yearling population sale-wide.
In all 24 New York-bred yearlings sold at Keeneland January for an average price of $32,767 and median of $19,500. While the average represents a 22 percent increase on their 2013 average at the same venue ($26,873), both average and median outperformed the results for the general population of yearlings at Keeneland, who brought a $31,847 average and $15,000 median. In sum, regarded by many as a coda to the 2014 sales season, Keeneland January put a final exclamation point on an extremely successful year for the New York-bred weanling/yearling markets.
The top New York-bred yearling was Hip 344, a dark bay or brown colt by Harlan’s Holiday bred by Dr. Jonathan Davis’s Milfer Farm in Unadilla, who sold as the fourth highest-priced yearling in Monday’s opening session. Purchased by L & D Bloodstock for $185,000 from the Legacy Bloodstock consignment, the colt is out of Kaileysgal, a mare purchased by Milfer Farm in foal at the 2013 Keeneland November sale for $105,000. A placed daughter of Unbridled’s Song, Kaileysgal is out of Warside, a graded stakes placed multiple black type winner by Lord at War (ARG), and has already produced three winners from three starters, led by stakes winner Tensas Cold Front (War Front).
