Chapel Royal filly tops Keeneland's Thursday session

A weanling filly by first-crop sire Chapel Royal sold for the top price of $180,000 to

Diamond J Racing at Thursday's session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale in

Lexington, Kentucky. The bay filly, Hip No. 4094, was consigned by Morris B.

Floyd and Chuck Givens, agent for Fairway Farm.

The Kentucky-bred lass is out of the unraced Cox's Ridge mare Staretta, a

half-sister to stakes-placed Artemisia (Mr. Prospector) and Machikane Ran (Wild

Again). Her second dam is the 1986 Alcibiades S. (G2) heroine Zero Minus (It's

Freezing), who is a half-sister to 1980 Tremont S. runner-up Great Prospector

(Mr. Prospector) and stakes-placed What a Phantom (Fairway Phantom).

Chapel Royal won the 2003 Sanford S. (G2) and compiled a record of 3-2-1 from

eight starts, earning $495,571. He stood the 2006 breeding season at Ashford

Stud near Versailles, Kentucky, for a fee of $10,000.

The second most expensive weanling was Hip 4031, a filly by first-crop sire Spanish Steps,

who fetched $85,000 from Clear Stable. The Louisiana-bred lass is the third

foal out of the unraced Red Ransom mare Prophetic, a half-sister to

stakes-placed Premier Park (Mt. Livermore) and Point Reyes (Subordination). Her

third dam, Grade 2 winner Chieftan's Command (Turn and Count), produced multiple

two-year-old stakes winner Barbara's Nemesis (Sovereign Dancer) and Grade

2-placed Secretly (Secretariat).

The dark bay filly was consigned by Legacy Bloodstock, agent.

Spanish Steps is an unraced full brother to Unbridled's Song. He stood the

2006 breeding season at Martin Stables South near Reddick, Florida, for a fee of

$5,000.

IMTIYAZ (Woodman), who was cataloged as a stallion prospect, sold for $95,000

to Hugo Merry Bloodstock. The seven-year-old gray won the Glasgow S. and the

Foundation S. in England and placed in five other black-type events, including

the Prix Jean Prat (Fr-G1). In all, he compiled a record of 16-4-4-2 while

racing in four countries.

Consigned by Shadwell Farm, Imtiyaz is out of the multiple Group 1 winner

Shadayid (Shadeed), who was named champion two-year-old filly in England in

1990. He is a half-brother to Group 3 winner Bint Shadayid (Nashwan) and

stakes heroine Alshadiyah (Danzig). Imtiyaz sold as Hip 4140.

KAHLO (Broad Brush), in foal on a March 13 cover to freshman sire Buddha, was

the top-priced mare, selling for $60,000 to Tommy Trojan. The five-year-old mare

is out of 1996 Black-Eyed Susan S. (G2) winner Mesabi Maiden (Cox's Ridge), who

earned $240,314. Her second dam, multiple stakes winner Steel Maiden (Damascus),

is a half-sister to four stakes winners, including Grade 1 winner Private Terms

(Private Account) and Grade 3 winner Blue Ensign (Hoist the Flag). This is the

same female family as ill-fated champion Ruffian (Reviewer).

Kahlo, Hip 3936, was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency, agent.

On Thursday, 226 horses sold for $3,824,500, an increase of 49.7 percent

compared to the same session last year when 221 horses sold for $2,554,000. The

average price soared 46.4 percent, from $11,557 to $16,923, while the median

price rose 25 percent, from $8,000 to $10,000.

With three days of the 14-day auction remaining, 2,635 horses have sold for a

total of $308,580,000, up 7.1 percent compared to last year's aggregate of

$288,011,500 for 2,619 horses. The average price has increased 6.5 percent, from

$109,970 to $117,108, and the median price has increased 31.6 percent, from $38,000

to $50,000.

The sale continues Friday at 10 a.m. (EST). For complete results, visit www.keeneland.com.