Storm the Hill tops Keeneland November session at $275,000

STORM THE HILL, winner of the $70,000 Unzip Me on September 30 and third in the Autumn Miss (G3) on October 29, both at Santa Anita, brought a final bid of $275,000 from Alastar Thoroughbreds at Saturday's fifth session of the 2017 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Offered as a racing or broodmare prospect by Bluewater Sales, agent, the three-year-old daughter of Get Stormy toured the ring as Hip No. 1570. The Kentucky-bred is out of Thornhill, by Good and Tough, and is a half-sister to the stakes-placed Fleur de Lilly. Her race record currently stands at 14-3-1-4, $172,995.

The session's leading weanling was a March 9 filly by Lea that sold to Mike Ryan, agent, for $230,000. Hip 1460 was consigned by St. George Sales, agent.

The Kentucky-bred is out of Nippy, a Pulpit half-sister to Grade 2 winner Well Monied, multiple stakes winner Jimmy Simms, and Grade 1-placed stakes winner Economic Model. This is also the family of Grade 1 winner Nany's Sweep.

At the end of trading Saturday, 248 horses had sold for $15,313,000, up 9.6 percent from the corresponding session in 2016 when 226 head brought $13,975,700. The session average declined modestly from $61,839 to $61,746, while the median was flat at $47,000.

Through the first five days of the auction, 908 horses have sold for $159,410,000, down 6.1 percent from this point a year ago when 921 horses grossed $169,809,200. The average is down 4.8 percent, from $184,735 to $175,562, while the median is up 5.3 percent, from $95,000 to $100,000.

The sale continues daily through November 18 with sessions beginning at 10 a.m. (EST). Full results are available at keeneland.com.