Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm added another prospect to the broodmare band, going to $600,000 for the 3-year-old filly Adoptable (Hip 1285) at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale Nov. 8 in Lexington. The unraced daughter of Curlin was consigned by Claiborne Farm, agent.
Adoptable was bred in Kentucky by Don Alberto Corporation out of the multiple stakes-producing Ghostzapper mare American Story, making her a half sister to grade 1 winner American Gal, stakes winner Americanize, and grade 3-placed Magic Tap.
"I own part of the family (American Gal) and have been happy with the foals," Pope said. "She's good-looking and we're just trying to keep the family going. She could have been in Book 1 or Book 2, she qualified for that."
Pope purchased American Gal at Fasig-Tipton's The November Sale in 2018 for $3 million. Her first foal, a filly by Curlin named Weather Delay, sold for $500,000 to Repole Stable at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Last year, her Into Mischief colt sold for $1.1 million to Grandview Equine at the Keeneland September sale.
"Very happy with the sale," said Bradley Purcell, farm manager at Claiborne Farm. "She was a $450,000 yearling (sold at the 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale) so we were thinking maybe $250,000 or $300,000. Very pleased with the outcome and with the home she got. She was a standout with her pedigree and her looks. She was in the right spot."
A pair of colts shared the top spot at $250,000 for highest-priced weanling.
The first through the ring was Hip 1347, a colt from the first crop of 2021 champion male sprinter Jackie's Warrior . Offered from the Scott Mallory consignment, the colt was purchased by Arrowhead Farm. Hip 1347 is out of the winning Speightstown mare Caribbean Lady, a half sister to grade 2 winner Halory Leigh. He was bred in Kentucky by Torie Gladwell, Jordan Wycoff, and Jimmy and Martha Gladwell.
Caribbean Lady is the dam of four winners from five foals to race, including the Practical Joke daughter Let Her Inspire U, winner of the 2022 Empire Distaff Stakes at Aqueduct Racetrack and earner of $427,080.
"There's a very deep group of stallions in this class that have first-crop weanlings," said Cormac Breathnach, director of sales operations at Keeneland. "From Flightline, to Life Is Good, Olympiad, etc. ... There are so many really well-credentialed horses in the sire class that are proving to be popular. It's an annual thing, but this class might have even more sort of headline members than a lot of years. It's very rewarding for those breeders. I'm sure they will be very popular at the yearling sales next year."
Near the end of the session, the Lane's End-consigned Hip 1459 went to Easy Living Stables. The Kentucky-bred son of Twirling Candy was produced from Jemmabelle, a winning daughter of Street Sense hailing from the family of 1987 Breeders' Cup Juvenile (G1) winner Success Express, grade 1 winner Greenwood Lake, and 1989 Canadian champion grass horse Charlie Barley. He was bred by Jamie Corbett and W.S. Farish.
The fourth day of the sale produced a gross of $18,612,500 from the 255 horses that changed hands, with an average of $72,990 and a median of $55,000; all up from last year's results. An 18.8% RNA rate represented the 59 horses who failed to meet their reserve.
"Today was a really strong day," said Breathnach. "It's very encouraging. All the metrics are up about 20% on last year's corresponding session; that being the median, average, and gross, and RNAs came down.
"There's really a lot of activity on the grounds, a lot of people still looking to fill orders. It was noticeable in Book 2, that the second day's trade was actually stronger than the first day's trade. Today was very good, hopefully tomorrow can match today as well, and then we'll carry into Book 4."
Last year's session saw a gross of $15,539,000 from the 257 horses to change hands. The average was $60,463, with a median of $50,000. Sixty-six horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 20.4%.
The November Sale continues Nov. 9, with the fifth session beginning at 10 a.m. ET. As of Friday evening, Keeneland has reported 80 outs.
