The eighth day of sales at the Keeneland November Sale expanded on the activity that had been building in previous sessions and offered more of the same, as evident by gross receipts that closed at over $184.6 million (through the ring). over the $173,925,300 point sold in 2023.
On Tuesday, Music City Stables purchased a weanling filly (Hip 2935) from first-year stakes winner Nashville for $85,000, recording the highest purchase of the penultimate session. Consigned by agent Buckland Sales (Zach Madden), the filly is out of the winning Be a Lady (Cindago) and from the family of Grade III winners Stem the Tide, Gottcha Gold and American Freedom.
As the top mare, Machmer paid Hall $75,000 Secret vote (Courageous Cat) (Hip 2840), an 11-year-old mare carrying a member of champion Arcangelo's first crop of foals. Outside of Private Status (Alydar) she is a half-sister of GISW Secret Status and Alumni Hall, who achieved grade III. The secret ballot is the mother of the stakes-based Savoy (Code of Honor).
Secret Ballot was sent by agent Lane's End, the session's leading consignor with sales of $492,500 for 25 horses.
Also in the penultimate session, Cem Sevim offered $50,000 for the stallion prospect Beatbox (Hip 3083), a Class III-winning son of Pioneerof the Nile, who is a half-brother of GISW Guarana (Ghostzapper). The 6-year-old, brokered by agent Lane's End, comes from the winning Distorted Humor mare Magical World and from the family of the GISW Pleasant Home and Grade II winner Country Hideaway.
The top buyer on Tuesday was Mahmud Mouni, who paid $191,200 for 11 horses.
During the session, a total of 236 Head Through the Ring players brought in $3,184,100 (+3.88%), up from $3,065,300 a year ago. Tuesday's average rose to $13,492, up 13.56% from a year ago, while the median rose 8.11% to $10,000.
Taking into account horses in the ring over eight sessions, 1,839 horses earned an average of $100,405 (+8.13%), with a median of $45,000 (+12.50%).
Including the four after-sales on Day 8, Tuesday's adjusted gross closed at $3,190,100, with an average of $13,292 and a median of $10,000.
Monday's Mandaloun filly buys First of Many for Perry
In the final moments of Keeneland's seventh session of November Sale Monday, Mary Claire Perry was in full swing. Having already been shut out in 10 attempts to make her first auction purchase at Keeneland, the 17-year-old found her budget stretched to the limit when she tried to land Hip 2708, a weanling filly by Mandaloun. After several heartbreaking moments, the daughter of dual stakes winner Keewatin Ice (Intidab) was snapped up to Perry and her partners for $105,000. One of seven horses to top six figures and the fourth-highest weaner of Monday's session, the Feb. 21 foal was consigned by Eaton Sales.
“This is just the first of many,” said Perry, a member of the massive Coolmore team in Kentucky. “I’m very excited!”
According to Perry, the high school student purchased the filly in collaboration with several well-known industry professionals – Charlie O'Connor, Aisling Duignan and Gabriel “Spider” Duignan.
Mary Claire Perry after signing her first ticket | O'Connor photo
“While I was bidding, Spider sat next to me and said to me, 'You have one more bid, Mary Claire,'” she recalls. “At $100,000, I nodded my head to bid $105,000 and no one else bid. My heart felt like it had just stopped. That was the last bid we wanted to make for them. When they called “sold” it was a little emotional because all the spotters know me now because I had offered so much up to that point. Many of them were so excited when I finally got one too. Everyone started cheering. It was so sweet.”
Perry admitted that she and her partners had taken many steps over the past week to consider a possible purchase.
“I started looking at Book 1. I pretty much watched all the popular numbers up until book 4,” she admitted. “It was a very long process, but I learned a lot.”
When asked what she wanted from her ideal weanling, she explained: “I'm quite picky when it comes to choosing horses, but she's great and I'm really pleased with her.”
She continued: “I had a few sires I was looking for including [first crop sires] Nashville and Mandaloun. There were a few sires I might want to purchase a weanling from. I went book by book.”
However, despite all the challenging work, she admitted that things didn't always go smoothly.
“We bid on 10 others before and were outbid,” she said. “But I chose some really nice ones, so I'm not too upset about it.”
The bay filly is one of five foals from Minnesota Oaks winner Keewatin Ice. Four of the mare's offspring have already found the winner's circle.
“She had a nice figure as well as her height and hips,” she explained. “She had a great walk. She has a great step and transition. She walks purposefully. She also had the family tree. Everything about her was quite stunning.”
Perry signed her first ticket as Grooms Lane, which has special meaning for her.
“It's special because we own a farm in Princeton, Kentucky, and that's the street it's on,” she explained. “It’s been in the family for generations, so I’d like to keep this name in the family.”
And it's abundantly clear that Perry's family has played an significant role in her horse racing journey. Her father, Mark Perry, is a football coach at the University of Kentucky, while her mother, Elizabeth, is an educator.
“My family loves horse racing and going to the races, but they’re not really involved in the industry,” she said. “I have been so closely connected to horses my whole life. I started riding at three. I always knew what I wanted to do and that I wanted to own racehorses.”
Underlining her family's support for the horse industry, she added: “I invested some of my money that I worked very challenging for. My parents and grandparents are also involved. You invest in me, my ideas and my dream. They were great.”
In addition to her family, Perry points to the invaluable experience she gained at Coolmore in addition to her sales work at Taylor Made Sales.
“Everyone is great. It was so much fun. At Coolmore I work a little in the office and a little with the mares and foals,” she explained. “I also realize that I know a lot of people now because I worked with Taylor Made on the sales. So when I was looking for horses, everyone knew me by name. Everyone supported us so much.”
With just one year left to complete her high school education, Perry explained that purchasing her first horse was just the beginning of her professional life and career with horses.
“I plan to go to the UK and do the Equine Management program there,” she confirmed. “I will also be working for Coolmore. I also photograph for programs such as Darley Flying Start. If I can do it, that would be the dream.”
But first things first. Perry admits she's only focused on one thing at the moment. This takes care of your novel purchase.
“I originally planned to buy two [weanlings]But [the Mandaloun filly] is my top priority right now and maybe I’ll stick with it for now,” she said. “I’m going to utilize it as a learning experience and go from there.”
Perry's purchase has already been shipped to Mesingw Farm on Senior Frankfort Pike in Lexington, where she will receive early instruction. Perry said the ultimate goal is to capture the filly at Keeneland next September.
“I picked her up [Tuesday] Tomorrow at 8 a.m. with the trailer,” she said. “I will also do a lot of the work with her. I did that with Taylor Made and now with Coolmore. I also helped prepare horses. There are also great people on the farm who will facilitate her prepare as the time to sell approaches.”
Reflecting on an eventful week of activities at Keeneland, Perry concluded, “Just selling the horses, I am so grateful for all the opportunities I have been given. It was incredible.”
