Keeneland Book 1 Results, Links To KZN Stallions

The three day sessions have concluded of the Keeneland Book 1 Sale in Kentucky with interesting results associated to stallions standing in KZN such as Crusade, Curved Ball, Noble Tune, Traffic Guard and Visionaire.

The top seller, an outstanding grey Tapit colt sold as Lot 614 for $2,1million and is out of a Mr Greeley mare named Silver Colors. The Mr Greeley/Unbridled cross that has produced this colt bears a close resemblence to that of Gr1 Middle Park Stakes winner Crusade standing at Scott Bros, a son of Mr Greeley out of a mare whose broodmare sire is Unbridled.

Crusade’s first yearlings will be available at auction in 2016, strongly stamped by their sire, his progeny are predominantly black with no markings.

Australia’s leading sire Fastneck Rock proved popular, with his top lot – a filly sold as Lot 443 reaching $1million [pictured top right].

She is beautifully bred out of a Sadlers Wells/Blushing Groom mare, from the female line of Northern Guest and Malinowski, and a half-sister to Peeping Fawn (Danehill).

Fastnet Rock is the sire of Bush Hill Stud’s Gr2 Dingaans winner Curved Ball, the first son of Fastnet Rock to stand in South Africa. Curved Ball’s first progeny would have turned two this past August and their first runs are eagerly anticipated.

Noble Tune’s sire Unbridled’s Song topped the session on the first day as broodmare sire of the top seller, a colt by Distorted Humor who was knocked down for $1,525million. As a sire, Unbridled’s Song averaged $340,385 for 13 Lots sold; his top Lot 454, a chestnut colt sold for $625,000, interestingly again out of a Mr Greeley mare.

Unbridled’s Song is a top Sire, sire of sires and broodmare sire in the USA, recently achieving two Gr1 winners at Saratoga in a week. This will be his last crop of yearlings available.

There was one yearling on the sale [pictured left] consigned by Denali Stud from the family of immediate family of Serena’s Song, the fourth dam of Noble Tune and his half-brother, Gr1 Met Mile and Whitney Stakes winning Honor Code.

Noble Tune’s first impressive foals are arriving at Rathmor Stud and his book is full for the current season – he has received support countrywide and a high quality book of mares.

The quality colt by More Than Ready (the sire of Summerhill’s Traffic Guard) sold as Lot 484 for $360 000, out of Unbridled’s Song mare Day And Night, herself a daughter of the great Serena’s Song. This is her second produce to date.

It was the second highest price achieved for More Than Ready, and he averaged $323,375 for 8 Lots sold. His top price was for Lot 101, a colt out of a Distorted Humor mare who went for $750 000.

Traffic Guard, who placed second in both the Gr1 Irish Champion Stakes and Gr3 UAE 2000 Guineas, will have his first two year olds will be hitting the tracks soon.

National Champion Freshman sire Visionaire had his half-brother [pictured bottom right] by Street Cry sell in the third session as Lot 391. A dead-ringer for his Gr1 King’s Bishop winning half-brother, the handsome chestnut colt also consigned by Denali Stud sold for $275 000.

Overall the average price achieved for 443 horses sold was $303,298, the median price being $250 000.

Anthony Beck of Gainesway, the son of Graham Beck, added that Tapit’s book will remain capped at 135 mares for the 2016 breeding season.

“It’s amazing how mares are coming from all over the world to be bred to him, and, of course, some of the very, very best mares in America,” Beck said. “He’s done it on the track, and he did it the hard way. He started at $15,000 at stud and he’s now 20 times that, which is an unbelievable feat. He’s produced more Gr1 winners in his first seven years at stud than any other stallion in history, which is unbelievable.

“He really is a different-class animal, and it’s a real privilege to have him at the farm. And he knows he’s special, he really does. He loves having his photograph taken and being admired by everyone who comes to look at him.”