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| Staff Writer |
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The opening session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale got off to a solid start on Nov. 10 with seven horses topping the million-dollar mark, indicative of the robust trade that is expected to continue through the subsequent nine sessions of the sale.
Keeneland reported 118 horses sold during Wednesday's opening session, grossing $50,634,000. In 2020, the auction house reported 135 horses sold for a $52,942,000 gross. Wednesday's average price of $429,102 showed a gain of 10.35% from last year's $392,163 average. The median also rose to $330,000, a 17.86% increase from $280,000 in 2020. This year, 48 horses failed to meet their reserve for a 28.92% RNA rate, slightly up from the 27.68% RNA rate of a year ago.
In 2020, nine horses sold for $1 million or more on the first day of the sale, topped by the $1.95 million sale of Gr.1 winner Concrete Rose.
With international travel restrictions easing up, a strong international presence was seen on the grounds and in the results sheets. Japan-based Masahiro Miki was the session's leading buyer with three mares bought for a combined total of $3,675,000.