Keeneland Photo
By Sarah Mace
The 68 New York-breds who sold at the five-day Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale (Jan. 13-17) generated solid cumulative results that were largely on par with the figures for the auction overall. As polarization in the North American bloodstock market has led us to expect, a handful of New York-breds, all short yearlings, stood out from the crowd, bringing prices from $150,000 to $280,000.
The annual auction, which Keeneland’s vice president of racing and sales Bob Elliston pronounced “a solid January sale” returned to “normal” this year. In 2019 the key indicators were inflated by the blockbuster sale of champion Abel Tasman for $5 million, accounting for more than 10% of total sales that year.
Gross sales for the 2020 auction totaled $42,480,500 (compared to $48,280,100 in 2019). The cumulative average was $38,409 and the median was $14,000 (down from $50,768 and $20,000). The 2020 buy-back rate was 20.8%.
The New York-bred cohort of 68, which sold for a total of $2,474,300, posted an average price of $36,387 and $13,000 median. New York-bred buybacks, which tracked low early, crept up in the latter sessions, ending at 23.6%.
The New York-bred top-seller was a $280,000 Candy Ride colt bred by Dr. Jerry Bilinski and purchased by team Clement in the second and concluding session of Book 1 on Tuesday (read more). The New York-bred star of Book 2 was a chestnut colt by popular young WinStar sire Constitution who was purchased by Solis/Litt for $210,000 on Wednesday as Hip 908.
Bred by Fred W. Hertrich III, the Constitution colt was foaled on February 2, 2019 and consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, Agent VIII. He is the first foal out of Tiz Willy, a Kentucky-bred placed runner by Tiznow, whom Hertrich acquired for the bargain price of $7,500 at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Kentucky winter mixed sale.
Jason Litt, who signed the ticket, said, “We bought him for some clients and we’ll either bring him back to sell him or race him. Constitution is the hot horse and he’s a lovely bodied boy. We’re excited to have him.”
Out of stakes winner City Fair by Carson City, first dam Tiz Willy is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Win Willy, by Monarchos and stakes / graded stakes performer My Arch Enemy. City Fair is a sister to Lorenzon, who set a track record for six furlongs at Zia Park.
