Recent Keeneland Winners Top Horses of Racing Age Sale

Normandy Coast, a 3-year-old colt by Omaha Beach who won the April 6 Palisades Stakes at Keeneland, sold for $355,000 to Steven Judy to lead the Keeneland April Horses of Racing Age Sale, held April 25 following the final race of the spring meet. Consigned by Kenneally Racing, agent, Normandy Coast has started five times, producing three wins and earnings of $269,525. “This sale was a lovely complement to the race meet,” Keeneland vice president of sales Tony Lacy said. “Everyone here tonight was having fun, and there was a buzz around the grounds. The energy from the race day rolled down the hill from the race track to the sales pavilion, and we look forward to even more excitement when we open our new venues.” Including post-ring sales, Keeneland sold 45 horses, from 50 offered, for total sales of $3,914,000, down slightly from last year’s gross of $4,050,000 when 56 horses sold from 77 offered. The average rose 20% from $72,321 to $86,978. The median of $65,000 was up 69% from last year’s $38,500. Buyback rate decreased significantly from 27% down to just 5%. “Trade tonight was solid and the median was more comparable to the April sales of 2022 and 2023,” Keeneland director of sales operations Cormac Breathnach said. “The horses were well received and most of all them sold through the ring.” Donald Wells, agent for Judy’s Four Sons Stables, signed the ticket for Normandy Coast. “(Trainer) Eddie (Kenneally) is going to stay in; bought him for a friend of mine that’s newer to the business,” Wells said. “We are going to run him on Wednesday at Churchill Downs (in the $300,000 William Walker Stakes for 3-year-olds racing 5 1/2 furlongs on turf). He has already been entered.” Wells said the price was fair. "(Normandy Coast is) is a very good individual, strong, got a lot of future. He is just a 3-year-old. So we are going to take him and run him, see how he does on the turf and we will go from there.” Kenneally was pleased with the sale. “I think there’s a lot of eyes on the races at Keeneland, and if you’re fortunate enough to run well in any race, let alone a stakes race here, everybody notices,” Kenneally said. “So it’s a good platform, and it’s a good place to showcase a horse, especially a good horse like this. And I think the timing of the sale is ideal, too, with Churchill coming up, a lot of people in town for Derby week. It’s just a good fit for me because we run a lot of horses at Keeneland, we’re stabled here, and it all worked out good. “We sell a lot of horses,” Kenneally continued, “and I own a good portion of this horse, so we’re always selling horses. Horses that I own myself, we sell. They’re all for sale. The fact that he won the stakes here earlier in the meet, it just cemented the idea to go ahead and put him in the catalog.” Trainer George Weaver, agent, paid $350,000 for the supplement Tough Critic, a 2-year-old colt by Caravaggio who April 24 at Keeneland scored a 1 1/4-length debut victory racing 5 1/2 furlongs on the turf in maiden special weight company. Weaver trained the colt, who is out of Thatchit, a daughter of Invincible Spirit (IRE), and from the family of champion Champagne Room. Weaver’s assistant Blair Golen signed the ticket. “I have always liked this horse since we have had him,” Golen said. “He’s matured and grown up so much. "There is Ascot, and that is a lovely place to go and we have a string in New York. He’d be very competitive at Saratoga. He’s a cool horse.” Paramount Sales, agent, consigned Tough Critic. “We were thrilled to consign this colt,” Paramount’s Lesley Campion said. “The move he made yesterday was phenomenal. I feel we are selling a lot of ‘blue skies,’ and he is loaded with potential. Going forward, they can have all the fun in the world at Royal Ascot and Saratoga, and you have the New York-bred program for him.” Campion said Paramount consigns horses for former owner Dew Sweepers, adding, “It is part of their business plan to race and sell.” Tracy Adams/Team Adams Racing paid $220,000 for two-time winner Clever Mischief, a 4-year-old colt by Into Mischief who is coming off an allowance victory March 1 at Gulfstream Park. Consigned by ELiTE, agent, Clever Mischief is out of the Tiznow mare Suraya and from the family of grade 3 winners Holiday Disguise and Naughty New Yorker. “That’s the one we wanted,” Adams said. “We’ve got our trainer (Dana Hancock) with us. I’ve got my co-owner (Sal Perito here), so they’re the ones that really take care of this whole thing. So when they tell me when (to bid on a horse), that’s what I go by.” With sales of $1,885,000 for 23 horses, ELiTE was the leading consignor. ELiTE, agent, also consigned two colts sold for $200,000 apiece. The first was Speak Easy, a 4-year-old colt by Constitution purchased by Marquee Bloodstock, agent. A winner at Gulfstream and Saratoga Race Course, he is out of grade 1-placed Fun, by Harlan’s Holiday, and from the family of grade 2 winner Ninth Inning. Exploration, a 4-year-old son of Curlin who has won his past two races, at Laurel Park and Aqueduct Racetrack, sold to Michael Dubb for $200,000. From the family of grade 1 winners Tara’s Tango and Visionaire, he is out of the Malibu Moon mare Tangere.