Average sale price up from last year at Keeneland

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) – Ready for Romance, winner of the 2015 Ontario Damsel Stakes at Woodbine, sold to Mike Ryan, agent for Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, for $240,000 to top Wednesday’s third session of the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale.

Sam-Son Farm, who bred and raced Ready for Romance, sold the filly as a racing or broodmare prospect. The 4-year-old daughter of More Than Ready out of the winning Mr. Greeley mare Strange Romance, is from the family of Grade 3 winners Matt’s Broken Vow and High Button Shoes and stakes winner Victory Thrill.

On Wednesday, Keeneland sold 220 horses for $3,817,300, for an average of $17,351 and a median of $9,000. Gross sales dipped 6.31 percent from last year’s $4,074,300 for 242 horses, while the average rose 3.06 percent from $16,836 in 2015 and the median increased 9.09 percent from last year’s $8,250.

Through the first three days of the five-day sale, Keeneland has sold 595 horses for $30,468,900, down 4.4 percent from $31,872,700 for 694 horses sold during the same period last year. The average of $51,208 increased 11.5 percent from $45,926 in 2015. The median of $22,000 is just below last year’s $23,000.

A yearling colt by Shanghai Bobby brought the day’s second-highest price of $105,000 from Blue Sky Stables. Catalyst Bloodstock, agent, consigned the colt, who is out of the winning Cape Town mare Six Ribbons and is a half-brother to Canadian stakes winner Prayforthesoldiers. He is from the family of champion and Grade 1 winner Benny the Bull and Grade 1 winner Shotgun Gulch.

The day’s leading consignor was Taylor Made Sales Agency, which sold 35 horses for $727,400.

With his purchase of Ready for Romance, Mike Ryan, agent for Fifth Avenue Bloodstock, was the day’s leading buyer.

The January Sale continues through Friday. Sessions begin daily at 10 a.m. ET. The entire sale is streamed live at Keeneland.com.