Darley shuttler Medaglia d’Oro topped Day 1 of the Keeneland September yearling sale on Monday with a $1.50 million filly that was purchased by agent Alan Cooper on behalf of the Niarchos family.

A total of 130 horses sold for $34.73 million resulting in a $267,192 average at a 70% clearance rate.  “The market was very good today,” Keeneland sales director Geoffrey Russell said.  “It was a very strong session with competitive, spirited bidding by a wide range of buyers.”

Australian shuttlers with progeny on Day 1 of the world’s largest yearling sale included;

BERNARDINI
Darley shuttler Bernardini had 3 sell for $1.15 million.  Topping the trio was the half-brother to G1 BC Juvenile winner Stevie Wonderboy (Lot 67) that made $650,000 to the bid of Whisper Hill Farm.

CONGRATS
Shadai Stallion Station director Katsumi Yoshida paid $220,000 for the sole offering by Vinery shuttler Congrats (Lot 35).  The colt was part of the Woodford Thoroughbreds consignment and is from G1 placed mare G City Gal (Elusive Quality).

HARD SPUN
Darley’s instant stud success Hard Spun had a well-related colt make $360,000.  Catalogued as Lot 106, he is a half-brother to Montgomery’s Arch (Arch) who won the 2004 G2 Richmond Stakes at Goodwood and was placed in Shamardal’s G1 Dewhurst Stakes.

HENRYTHENAVIGATOR
Coolmore shuttler represented by two colts that made $180K and $150K.  The top-priced yearling (Lot 44) is from Irish bred mare Glorificamus (Shinko Forest) who was a stakes winner in Kentucky.

MEDAGLIA D’ORO
Darley shuttler headlined Day 1 with his $1.50 million filly from the A.P. Indy winner Flying Passage (Lot 19).   She is a half sister to Group winners Hungry Island and Soaring Empire and will be trained in Europe.  Medaglia d’Oro had 7 lots change hands for $2.74 million.

MORE THAN READY
An even consignment from the Vinery champion with his leading Day 1 quartet selling between $200K and $270K.  Top priced was Lot 54, a colt from Gone West mare Grande Annee that Vinery sold on behalf of Millennium Farms to Sheikh Hamdan.  The dam is a daughter of Australian G1 winning Dehere mare Bollinger (Coolmore Classic).

STREET CRY
Darley champion had a disappointing session with one colt failing to reach a $275K reserve and the other making just $60K.  Sheikh Mohammed’s agent John Ferguson bought the latter listed at Lot 144.  That colt is a half-brother to the G3 winners Soneva (Cherokee Run) and Coronado Rose (Coronado’s Quest).

The Keeneland September Sale will continue through to September 21.

– Karl Patterson