Hot Mash, a grade 1-placed daughter of Not This Time , topped the Book 3 opener of the Nov. 6 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, selling for $750,000 to Hugo Merry Bloodstock for Blue Diamond Stud USA.
"She was the prettiest filly that sold today," Hugo Merry said. "The underbidder (Gainesway) was the same underbidder on her as a yearling."
Hot Mash was purchased for $375,000 by Main Line and Avalon Stable at the 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale. She broke her maiden on debut at 2 by 7 3/4 lengths and followed that effort up with a second-place finish in the 2025 Natalma Stakes (G1T), where she lost by half a length.
"The full of her value was that price," Merry said. "But, there's a lot of people to give less just underneath that. If you want to buy these quality individuals that have group 1 form, that's where the market is now. You've got to step up and fortunately we have a great guy in Imad Alsagar from Blue Diamond Stud, who owns Stonereath (Farm), and he's a hugely passionate and clever man. Hopefully, she's going to be one of his better broodmares going forward."
Alsagar purchased Stonereath, a 252-acre farm near Paris, Ky., in 2023. The farm is a hub for Blue Diamond Stud's growing North American operation.
Merry said that being by Not This Time certainly added to the 3-year-old filly's appeal.
"He's currently the top of the pops," he said.
Hot Mash was bred in Kentucky by Sally Andersen and is out of the Smart Strike mare More Oats Please. Hot Mash is a half sister to grade 1 winner Peace and War (War Front), and to Conquest Angel (Colonel John), the dam of graded stakes winner and second-crop sire Rushie. She was offered as a racing or broodmare prospect by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, which was the leading consignor of the day, selling 34 from its draft for $3,961,000.
Merry noted that both the November sale and the global market are highly polarized.
"The top quality like her (Hot Mash) are making all their money but, underneath it, there are soft spots," he said. "But it's a sign of the times at the moment. Lack of depth in the middle market, with the same problem in Europe, only more (there). We don't have the buying bench you have here, so very thin middle market at the moment."
At the end of the day Friday, a total of 246 horses had changed hands for gross receipts of $23,395,200, including post-ring sales. The total was down 10.1% compared to last year's corresponding session, where 41 more horses found a buyer. The average price was up 4.9% to $95,102 and the median dipped 7.1% to $65,000.
Eighty-three horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 25.2%.
Gainesway Goes to $450k for French Friction
Gainesway went to $450,000 for stakes winner French Friction (Hip 1272), a 3-year-old daughter of City of Light who hails from a deep Phipps family.
"She was a beautiful mare and we love that she goes back to a Phipps family, tracing back to Personal Ensign," said bloodstock agent Larkin Armstrong, acting on behalf of Gainesway. "The progeny of her half sister Great Sister Diane have sold really well. We just thought she would be a really nice mare to have all around."
French Friction is out of the A.P. Indy mare Private Ensign and is a half sister to stakes winner Great Sister Diane (Will Take Charge). Private Ensign is a half sister to graded stakes winner Ocho Ocho Ocho and hails from the family of grade 1 winners Miner's Mark, Traditionally, and My Flag.
Great Sister Diane has achieved much success with her progeny in the sales ring. Her first foal, Barricade, a son of Quality Road , brought $725,000 as a yearling at the 2023 Keeneland September sale. In 2025, Warranted, her colt by Justify , commanded $550,000.
Armstrong said the filly's price was on par with where they appraised her.
"That's where we valued her," he said. "We got outbid on some really pretty mares yesterday. It's just the reality if they're really attractive horses and you want them, you have to be willing to pay a little extra for them. We were happy with the price because that's where we valued her."
Armstrong said the market has been very competitive for the top-quality offerings.
"I think it's been strong, but we've been after a lot of ones that other people have been after, so that's been strong," he said. "When you find something that maybe slips through, it's exciting and it can happen. But it's hard to find those."
French Friction was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for a DJ Stable Graduate.
Weatherford Bloodstock Strikes for Khuluq
Khuluq, a 7-year-old mare by top broodmare sire Bernardini, also brought $450,000. The stakes-placed mare, in foal to Gunite , was purchased by Weatherford Bloodstock, which led the buyers for the day with two purchases totaling $780,000.
Khuluq was bred by Shadwell Farm and is out of the Tapit mare Mahasen, who is a half sister to graded stakes winner Shagaf (Bernardini). Khuluq also hails from the family of multiple grade 1 winner Habibti (Tabasco Cat) and multiple graded stakes winner and millionaire Eldaafer.
The mare was consigned as Hip 1335 by Mill Ridge Sales, agent.
In addition to Khuluq, Weatherford Bloodstock also purchased Hip 1161, a colt by first-crop weanling sire Domestic Product for $330,000. The colt is out of the stakes-winning Flatter mare Baby Nina, who is a full sister to multiple stakes winner Silver Tongued. Hip 1161 is the fourth foal of the mare, who has produced two winners from two to race, including stakes winner I Got Game (Game Winner).
Good Magic Colt Tops Weanling Offerings
A colt by Good Magic (Hip 1457) was the highest-priced weanling of the session, selling for $450,000 to Castleton Way. The colt is a half brother to the recently stakes-placed Life's Mystery (Life Is Good ).
Hip 1457 is the second foal of the graded stakes-placed mare Shesa Mystery, who is out of the graded stakes-placed mare Mystery Itself. The colt comes from the immediate family of multiple grade 1 winner You'd Be Surprised.
The colt was consigned by Lane's End, agent.
The highest-priced weanling filly of the day was Hip 1543, a member of the first crop of Newgate , who brought $250,000 from DG Stable.
The filly is out of stakes-winning Uptown Twirl, a Twirling Candy half sister to 2016 champion 2-year-old male Classic Empire. Bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm, which stands Newgate, Hip 1543 is a half sister to stakes winner Presidential (Pioneerof the Nile).
The fifth session of the Keeneland November Sale begins at 10 a.m. ET Nov. 7 with hips 1563-1990 slated to go through the ring.
As of Friday evening, Keeneland had reported 87 outs.
