The annual Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale kicked off on Nov. 4 and will conclude on Nov. 11. “Breeding stock” refers to a variety of horses—ranging from broodmares in foal and broodmare prospects to weanlings, stallion prospects, and breeding shares in stallions. With just a few days left, though, the auction has already proven a success.
As of Nov. 8, Keeneland is reporting that this year’s gross has already surpassed the total gross of last year’s sale. In fact, the gross amount for 1,125 horses sold so far is up a whopping 31.54% over this time last year. The average horse price skyrocketed more than 23% (up to $190,996), while the median price rose to $130,000, up nearly 37% over last year’s.
The most expensive horse so far has been Lush Lips. Winner of the recent Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes Presented by Dixiana (G1T) at Keeneland, the three-year-old filly sold—as a racing or broodmare prospect—for a whopping $3.7 million to Dixiana Farm.
Costing $3.1 million was fellow grade 1 winner Vahva. Sold as a racing or broodmare prospect, the ultra-consistent Gun Runner mare finished second in last week’s Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint (G1). She was bought by Killora/Linton, agent for Boyd Racing. Also exceeding the $3 million mark was three-year-old Kilwin, who captured the Test Stakes (G1) earlier this year at Saratoga, as a racing or broodmare prospect. Kilwin may have excelled at sprint distances—after all, the Test is run at a distance of seven furlongs—but her dam is a half-sister to 2019 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Sir Winston.
Even though the Breeders’ Cup dominated last week’s racing cycle, there were still plenty of graded stakes to be run in its wake. Some of the highlights came in the New York City area. On Sunday, Nov. 2, Belmont at The Big A saw Cugino register his second consecutive stakes win; he posted a nose victory in the Red Smith Stakes (G2T), which was named for famed sportswriter Walter “Red” Smith. Cugino’s dam, multiple stakes winner Adorable Miss, also foaled 2024 River City Stakes (G2T) winner Battle of Normandy.
In the Bold Ruler Stakes (G3), named for the 1957 Horse of the Year and sire of Secretariat, the uber-consistent Damon’s Mound delivered again. A homebred for Cliff and Michele Love, five-year-old Damon’s Mound won the Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) at two, the Gallant Bob Stakes (G2) at three, and the Sunshine Sprint Stakes in January 2025. The Florida-bred has won six of 17 starts and earned $877,970 thus far.
The card at Nov. 8 at Aqueduct saw two major wins for progeny of a New York-bred sire. The 2020 Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Tiz the Law, an Empire State-bred, has had two crops to the races so far, with excellent results. On that day at Aqueduct, three-year-old colt Tiz Dashing—owned by Sackatoga Stable, who also campaigned Tiz the Law and New York-bred champion Funny Cide—brought home the win in the Hill Prince Stakes (G3T). Two races later, sophomore filly Fully Subscribed annexed the Mother Goose Stakes (G2); she is a maternal granddaughter of 2007 Del Mar Oaks (G1) heroine Ruthienne.
