KEENELAND posted significant gains in turnover, average and median at Book 1 of the November Breeding Stock Sale on Tuesday, with European import Lush Lips topping trade at $3.7 million.

The Grade 1 heroine was one of 17 to reach the million mark, compared to nine last year, with 16 different buyers signing for the millionaires. The 122 horses sold in the ring generated sales of $72,737,000 - up 16.62% on last year. The average price rose by 36.7% to $596,205, while the median grew by 20.71% to $422,500.

Domestic buyers dominated the top of the market, with Zhang Yuesheng the only international to net a seven-figure buy, signing as Raging Torrent Syndicate, as the operation did at Fasig-Tipton earlier this week.

William Shively’s Dixiana Farm signed for the top lot and confirmed that the daughter of Ten Sovereigns will return to trainer Brendan Walsh. “We got to see her win the Grade 1 here,” Shively said. “We’ve been trying to get grass fillies that really can run. We bought two today, and that’s the future for Dixiana. Brendan (Walsh) trains for us already, so we’ll be keeping her at Brendan’s.”

Bred by the Pocock family, Lush Lips was bought by Avenue Bloodstock, Medallion Racing, Donnacha O’Brien at the Goffs UK Premier Yearling Sale for £82,000, and placed for O’Brien before shipping Stateside. She has gone from strength to strength as a three-year-old, winning the Tepin Stakes with ease, before going close in the Del Mar Oaks and went on to land the Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup Stakes last time out.

New career beckons

Industry newcomers Jenny and Randy Boyd continued their spending spree with an outlay of $3.1 million for Vahva, with Killora/Linton securing the Grade 1 winner on their behalf. The five-year-old daughter of Gun Runner was offered by Lane’s End following her second-place effort in the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint.

“She was everything we could have wanted in a broodmare prospect,” Killora Stud’s Hannah Jennings commented. “Jenny and Randy Boyd, they’re getting into the game and they want to have a broodmare band at the top level and she fits the bill for sure.”

Cherie DeVaux, who trained Vahva to win five graded stakes, reflected: “After she ran (in the Breeders’ Cup) and we got her on the plane to come here, it’s out of our control. Lane’s End did a great job reaching out to us and making sure they were going to continue her care the way that we took care of her.

“The pressure’s off because I didn’t have to do any training. I didn’t have to give any jockey instructions. You get to just enjoy the moment without any expectation.”

George ‘Rusty’ Arnold’s Grade 1 winner Kilwin became the third and final mare to reach $3 million when knocked down to Rick Arnold, who revealed he would race the Twirling Candy filly in partnership with existing owners BBN Racing.

Fifth to Lake Victoria in last year’s Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf, the $225,000 yearling gained her top-flight victory in the Test Stakes at Saratoga in August.

Wow weanlings

The market strength extended to the weanling trade, generating the highest prices for a colt and filly foal at the sale since 2015. Fifty weanlings sold for an average price of $380,400 on Monday, while the median returned at $295,000.

The $2.2 million colt is a half-brother to Round Tower Stakes winner Ides Of March, but more importantly for US buyers, he is by sire sensation Gun Runner, out of the Grade 1-winning Scat Daddy mare Nickname.

The March-born bay will race in the colours of Zedan Racing, who bought the colt through agent Donato Lanni. He was consigned by Denali Stud on behalf of breeders Three Chimneys Farm, who stand Gun Runner, and Brookdale Racing, the banner of Nader Al A’Ali , the brother-in-law of Phoenix Thoroughbreds founder Amer Abdulaziz.

There is no doubting who will train the Curlin half-sister to dual Grade 1 winner Kopion, as it was Wesley Ward who signed the docket at $1,250,000. Bred by Tall Oaks Farm in partnership with The Curlin Syndicate, the February foal is a half-sister to four stakes winners out of Tall Oaks’ home-bred mare Galloping Ami.

“She’s a special filly from one of our flagship broodmares,” Colleen Dallos of Tall Oaks Farm said. “I was hoping for the million dollars and I always just want them to go to a great home. We are thrilled that she’ll go to Wesley Ward.

“Lexington has become my favourite place to be, and I love Keeneland,” Dallos added. “It’s so special here. I love the people, I love the environment and this market is unbelievable right now, this entire year. It just shows you how vibrant horse racing is. We’re so thrilled to be part of it and I can’t wait to see where we’re going to go next.”

At the conclusion of the opening session, Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said: “It was a really great day that felt strong from start to finish. We had 17 horses that brought a million dollars or more. Eight of those brought $2 million or more. The weanling market was incredibly strong, with selling a $2.2 million weanling for the highest price since a decade ago.

“Today’s results showed an overall confidence and continuation of excitement about our sport and about our industry,” Arvin continued. “It was fun for us and rewarding in many ways because Keeneland is the only race track and sales company in the world, and top sellers Vahva, Kilwin and Buchu sold here as yearlings; Lush Lips, Vahva and Buchu won graded stakes here, and then they returned to the sales ring here.”