Keeneland has cataloged 3,777 horses for the 2020 November Breeding Stock Sale, which opens Monday, Nov. 9, two days after Keeneland hosts the Breeders’ Cup World Championships for the second time. Buyers will be able to participate in the auction remotely through online and telephone bidding options successfully introduced at the September Yearling Sale, while the new bidding location at the Show Barn next to the Sales Pavilion again will be available to allow for proper social distancing.
Keeneland’s COVID-19 protocols for the November Sale will be similar to those used for the September Sale.
For the November Sale, a total of 1,832 broodmares and broodmare prospects, 1,404 weanlings, 531 horses of racing age and 10 stallions have been cataloged. Keeneland will continue to accept supplemental entries for the premier Book 1 and for the horses of racing age segment of the sale.
The November Sale catalog is online on Keeneland.com. Print catalogs will be mailed Oct. 19.
“The November Sale is a globally important source of premium bloodstock, and the Breeders’ Cup at Keeneland immediately beforehand will only heighten the excitement surrounding the sale,” Keeneland President-Elect and Interim Head of Sales Shannon Arvin said. “This year’s catalog features a number of unique offerings, led by stakes-winning fillies, among them ones scheduled to compete in the Breeders’ Cup, and stakes-producing mares in foal to leading sires. Weanlings are another important segment of the November Sale, and we are especially excited to see members of the first crop of foals by undefeated 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. Meanwhile, the portion of the sale dedicated to horses of racing age has proven very popular with trainers.”
2020 November Sale schedule
The November Sale will span 10 sessions, two fewer than in 2019. The format is as follows:
Book 1 – Monday, Nov. 9. Session begins at noon ET. A total of 244 horses are cataloged.
All remaining sessions begin at 10 a.m.:
Book 2-6 – Tuesday, Nov. 10 through Wednesday, Nov. 18.
Horses of racing age highlight sessions on Monday, Nov. 16 and Tuesday, Nov. 17. They represent such leading consignors as ELiTE, Lane’s End, Paramount Sales, Taylor Made Sales Agency and WinStar Farm.
Keeneland will livestream the entire November Sale at Keeneland.com.
Remote bidding options available
Prospective buyers who attend the November Sale or participate in the auction remotely have a number of ways to prepare. The first step is to register for an account and establish credit within the Keeneland Sales Portal. Keeneland recommends doing so two weeks before the sale.
Remote bidding options at Keeneland sales integrate directly with the live auction experience in real time, just as if a buyer were standing in the Sales Pavilion.
Online bidding: Buyers may watch a real-time video view of the live sale and bid simultaneously from Keeneland’s online bidding platform accessible through their accounts in the Keeneland Sales Portal.
Phone bidding: Buyers can use the Keeneland Sales Portal to participate in bidding on horses in the November Sale by phone. Please notify Keeneland at least 24 hours prior to bidding. A Keeneland representative will call back prior to the bidding.
The Keeneland Sales team is available to answer any questions about expanded bidding options and the November Sale. Please contact Director of Sales Accounting Brent Hacker at 859 288-4231 or bhacker@keeneland.com.
Prominent sires represented by weanlings, in-foal broodmares
The November Sale is a vibrant marketplace for weanlings and in-foal broodmares with connections to exciting young stallions and successful established sires. Joining the aforementioned Justify as sires with their first weanlings in this year’s catalog are 2017 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Always Dreaming, champions Good Magic and West Coast, and Breeders’ Cup winners City of Light and Mendelssohn.
A total of 170 sires are represented by weanlings in the catalog, including American Pharoah, Arrogate, Bernardini, Constitution, Curlin, Distorted Humor, Empire Maker, Flatter, Ghostzapper, Gun Runner, Into Mischief, Kitten’s Joy, Lope de Vega (IRE), Malibu Moon, Medaglia d’Oro, Not This Time, Nyquist, Outwork, Pioneerof the Nile, Practical Joke, Quality Road, Speightstown, Tapit, Uncle Mo, Union Rags and War Front.
Broodmares in the catalog are in foal to 187 stallions, among them Always Dreaming, American Pharoah, Arrogate, Bernardini, Candy Ride (ARG), Catholic Boy, City of Light, Constitution, Curlin, Distorted Humor, Ghostzapper, Good Magic, Gun Runner, Into Mischief, Justify, Kitten’s Joy, Malibu Moon, Medaglia d’Oro, Not This Time, Outwork, Quality Road, Speightstown, Street Sense, Tapit, Uncle Mo, Union Rags and War Front.
Champions Mitole and Vino Rosso and Grade 1 winners Omaha Beach and Yoshida (JPN) are among the stallions represented by their first in-foal mares in the catalog.
Improbable, Shedaresthedevil among successful November Sale graduates
A number of accomplished runners in 2020 were offered at the November Sale as weanlings and horses of racing age.
Leading the runners who were weanlings at the November Sale is Improbable, whose three consecutive Grade 1 wins put him atop the National Thoroughbred Racing Association’s Top Thoroughbred Poll as of Sept. 28. Improbable’s Grade 1 string covers the Hollywood Gold Cup, Whitney and Awesome Again.
Another standout sold as a weanling at the November Sale is Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Shedaresthedevil.
Other successful horses in 2020 who were offered as weanlings at the November Sale include additional Grade 1 winners Keeper Ofthe Stars (Gamely) and Serengeti Empress (Ballerina); Grade 2 winners Bast (Santa Ynez), Diamond Oops (Twin Spires Turf Sprint Presented by Sysco and Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix), Ete Indien (Fountain of Youth), Laura’s Light (San Clemente), Mr. Monomoy (Risen Star Presented by Lamarque Ford), Mutasaabeq (Bourbon), Sleepy Eyes Todd (Charles Town Classic), Speaktomeofsummer (Lake Placid) and United (Charles Whittingham, Eddie Read, John Henry Turf Championship, San Marcos) and Grade 3 winners Chaos Theory (Green Flash), Dean Martini (Ohio Derby), Down On Da Bayou (UAE Oaks Sponsored by Range Rover), Fly On Angel (Charles Town Oaks), Identifier (Hal’s Hope), Island Commish (Kitten’s Joy), Ms Peintour (Astra), Neptune’s Storm (San Francisco Mile), Selflessly (Lake George), Sittin On Go (Iroquois Presented by Ford), Sombeyay (Canadian Turf) and Trophy Chaser (Challenger).
Shedaresthedevil was a 2-year-old with four starts, including a Grade 2 placing, when she returned to the November Sale in 2019 as a horse of racing age. Joining her as Grade 1 winners of 2020 who also were offered as horses of racing age at the auction are Santa Anita Handicap winner Combatant and Ricoh Woodbine Mile winner Starship Jubilee.
