Society Selection commands $1.85 million at Keeneland opener

Society Selection commands $1.85 million at Keeneland

opener

Society Selection is out of Grade 3 victress and Breeders' Cup Juvenile

Fillies (G1) runner-up Love That Jazz (Dixieland Band), who is herself a

half-sister to Grade 2-winning sire Sea of Secrets (Storm Cat) and Grade 3

scorers Fight for Love (Fit to Fight) and Dancing Jon (Gate Dancer).

Duignan later went to $1.4 million to secure dual Grade 1 queen GOLDEN BALLET

(Moscow Ballet), the dam of reigning Belmont S. (G1) winner Drosselmeyer

(Distorted Humor), from Taylor Made, agent for Aaron and Marie Jones. The

12-year-old mare is in foal to Unbridled's Song on a May 7 cover, and is thus

carrying a full sibling to Grade 1-placed stakes victress Stage Luck (Unbridled's

Song).

Cataloged as Hip 161, Golden Ballet is responsible for three winners from

five runners. Stage Luck was her first stakes performer, having garnered the

Affectionately H. and finished third in the Ruffian. Drosselmeyer placed in the

Louisiana Derby (G2) and Dwyer S. (G2) before scoring a career-high in the

Belmont. Golden Ballet, who was barren in 2009, had a dead foal this year.

Coolmore principal John Magnier reported that Golden Ballet would be bred

back to Galileo (Ire), who stands at Coolmore Ireland.

Carribean Sunset landed the Leopardstown One Thousand Guineas Trial S.

(Ire-G3) and Derrinstown Stud One Thousand Guineas Trial S. (Ire-G3), then

finished a close fourth, subsequently elevated to third, in the Irish One

Thousand Guineas (Ire-G1). Third in the Coronation S. (Eng-G1), the bay went on

to score in the Desmond S. (Ire-G3) and the Dr. James Penny Memorial H. at the

former Philadelphia Park. Also during the North American portion of her career,

she just missed in the Diana S. (G1), placed in the Palomar H. (G2) and Beaugay

S. (G3), and checked in fifth in the June 5 Nassau S. (Can-G2) in her finale.

She retired with a record of 20-4-3-4 and $911,750 in her account.

Carribean Sunset's dam, the winning Royal Academy mare Bonheur, is a

half-sister to dual German highweight Quebrada (Ire) (Devil's Bag), herself the

dam of French Group 3 victress Quilanga (Lomitas [GB]) and the second dam of

this year's Premio Presidente Repubblica (Ity-G1) hero Querari (Oasis Dream

[GB]). Another half-sister to Bonheur, Gara Yaka (Soviet Star), produced Preis

der Diana (German Oaks) (Ger-G1) heroine Silvester Lady (GB) (Pivotal).

Carribean Sunset's second dam is Queen to Conquer (King's Bishop), winner of the

Yellow Ribbon S. (G1) and third in the Irish Oaks (Ire-G1).

The day's top weanling was a $450,000 colt by Street Sense, who was knocked

down to Shadwell Estate Company. The February 22 foal sported Hip 66 and came

from the consignment of Paragon Farms, agent.

The bay colt is a half-brother to the Grade 1-placed Coronet of a Baron (Pure

Prize) as well as stakes winner Banga Ridge (Snow Ridge). Out of the winning

Time for a Crown (Time for a Change), he descends from the same female line as

recent Frizette heroine A Z Warrior (Bernardini), Grade 3 victor E Z Warrior

(Exploit) and multiple stakes queen J Z Warrior (Harlan's Holiday).

Numbers were mixed at the close of Monday's session. Gross sales spiked 48.2

percent, with 183 horses being sold for a total of $38,970,000, compared to the

$26,291,500 raked in by 126 head during the 2009 kickoff. The average crept up 2

percent, from $208,663 to $212,951, but the median fell 12.5 percent, from

$160,000 to $140,000.

Keeneland Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell commented on the day's trade,

which featured a diverse buying bench.

"The list of top buyers is very international in nature -- Irish, French,

Australian and Japanese. And the domestic market has been stronger than

expected, so that's good as well," Russell said. "I feel like we're off to a

good, solid start.

"Compared to this session last year, our gross and average are up," Russell

added. "We sold three horses for a million dollars or more compared to one in

the opening session last year. If you go a little further, we sold 15 horses for

$500,000 or more compared to nine last year."

Russell also cited the positive impact on the sale of last weekend's

Breeders' Cup held at Churchill Downs.

"We feel the industry benefits when the Breeders' Cup is held locally," he

said. "It draws more buyers -- both internationally and domestically -- when

they can take in the Breeders' Cup and then attend the sales. Like anyone else,

their time is at a premium, so it makes it more efficient for them."

The 13-day sale continues Tuesday and runs through November 20. Sessions

begin at 10 a.m. (EST) daily.

For the catalog, complete results and live video of the auction, log onto

keeneland.com.