Keeneland’s November Sale ended on Saturday with declines in turnover (7%) and average (12%) after 13 days of trade.  All told, 2,929 horses were sold for a total of $147.39 million at an average of $50,322.

Comparisions with the last year’s results don’t give an accurate picture of proceedings as the 2009 sale included the Overbrook Farm dispersal that saw 148 horses sell for $31 million.

Frank Stronach’s Adena Springs topped this year’s sale with $2.55 million for the Irish stakes winner Dreamtheimpossible (Giant’s Causeway).  She was sold in foal to Galileo.

“The market is very resilient and we saw several positive signs for the industry,” Keeneland Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell said.  “There has been a tremendous international presence here these past two weeks.  Foreign buyers, particularly Australians, were bolstered by quickly recovering economies and that made it difficult for Americans to compete.”

Foreign purchases accounted for six of the eight horses sold for $1 million or more.  Half of those eight were bought by Australian or Japanese interests.

Topping Saturday’s final session was Gone West stallion Blackberry Road at $46,000.  He was a one-time Kentucky Derby candidate but has been plying his trade in allowance company around Maryland tracks for the last year or two.

Blackberry Road is a half-brother to leading sire Vindication (Seattle Slew).  Their dam Strawberry Reason (Strawberry Road) was a G3 winner and she is a half-sister to Silver Comet (Flip Sal) who also saluted at G3 level.