$52,000 Candy Ride filly tops penultimate Keeneland session

The Keeneland September Yearling Sale wraps up Tuesday (Photo by Z/Keeneland Association) Albatroz Bloodstock, agent for Haras Cifra, purchased a Candy Ride (Arg) filly for the top price of $52,000 at Monday's penultimate session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Consigned by Stony Point, agent, the bay was cataloged as Hip No. 5038. The filly is the second registered foal from the unraced Dixieland Band mare Wise Love, who is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Short Stay (Citidancer), multiple stakes-placed Notaro (Imperial Falcon) and steeplechaser Indispensable (Mane Minister). The youngster's third dam is noted producer Mystery Mood (Night Invader), ancestress of such top performers as Stevie Wonderboy (Stephen Got Even), the champion two-year-old male of 2005.

The last to go through the ring on Monday, a daughter of Devil His Due who

sported Hip 5237, brought the gavel down at $42,000. From the consignment of

Margaux Farm, agent, she was acquired by Diamond G Ranch. The bay was produced

by the stakes-winning and Grade 3-placed My Sweet Westly (West by West) and

hails from the same female line as 2000 champion turf mare Perfect Sting (Red

Ransom) and Grade 1 hero Greek Answer (Northern Answer).

A colt by Domestic Dispute, Hip 4908, was sold to Heiligbrodt Racing Stable

for the day's third highest price of $40,000. Out of the winning Paper Cut

(Notebook), the chestnut comes from the family of Grade 3 victress Rullah Runner

(Be a Rullah), stakes winner and Grade 3-placed Drums of Thunder (Concerto), and

multiple stakes scorer Are You Serious (You and I), most recently successful in

the August 2 Harvey Arneault Memorial S. at Mountaineer. The colt was offered by

Warrendale Sales, agent for Whitechurch Farm.

Monday's numbers continued the downward spiral evident throughout the sale.

For the session, 211 yearlings changed hands for $1,585,700, a 39.7 percent

plunge from the comparable session last year, when $2,630,500 was realized by

243 horses. The average dropped 30.6 percent, from $10,825 to $7,515, and the

median fell 35.7 percent, from $7,000 to $4,500.

With 14 sessions in the books, the cumulative numbers reflect declines of

14.8 percent for gross receipts, 10.5 percent for the average price and 14.9

percent for the median. So far this year, 3,456 horses have been sold for

$326,863,500, posting an average of $94,579 and a $40,000 median. Through the

penultimate session in 2007, 3,627 yearlings brought $383,467,100, recording an

average of $105,726 and a $47,000 median.

The 15-day sale concludes Tuesday, with the final session opening at 10 a.m.

(EDT). For more information, visit keeneland.com.