'He just seemed to be all class' - $900,000 Practical Joke colt tops fifth session of Keeneland

A colt by Practical Joke topped the fifth session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, selling for $900,000 to Monique Delk on Saturday. The colt is out of the Graded stakes-producing mare Ridingwiththedevil.

Hip 1361 was bred in Kentucky by Whisper Hill Farm, Gainesway Thoroughbreds, and Brian Graves, and consigned by Gainesway. Gainesway also consigned hip 1343, a colt by Liam's Map who fetched $700,000, and Hip 1458, a $675,000 Constitution colt, to have the top three hips of the session.

"The horse [hip 1361] sold a fair a ways over the reserve but it's a competitive market for the top offerings and I suppose that's the answer. People thought he was a top offering. He's a real leggy colt, one of the best walkers on the farm. It does seem like if you have sire power and enough on the dam's side to make a case for a stallion prospect that prices like this can materialise, so we're really grateful to Monique Delk and the buyers and I wish them the best of luck and hope it updates the mare," said Brian Graves, general manager of Gainesway.

The colt is by Coolmore's Practical Joke, sire of Grade 1 winners such as 2022 Frizette Stakes winner Chocolate Gelato, 2023 Santa Anita Derby winner Practical Move, and current runners Domestic Product, who took the H. Allen Jerkens Memorial Stakes, and Test Stakes victress Ways And Means. 

"He's a beautiful colt, he checked all of our boxes: beautiful physical, beautiful walk, just seemed to be all class. We were happy to stretch for a colt like this," Delk said.

"I was [surprised], but for a horse like that, you have to expect that could happen," she said on the $900,000 it cost to secure the colt. "We were willing to go the extra, but I thought he would be a little less than that.

Monique Delk: buyer of the $900,000 Practical Joke colt during the fifth session of the Keeneland September Yearling SaleCredit: Keeneland photo

"I'm not overly surprised [with the demand], it was such a competitive Book 2 that now we've trickled down and the top offerings, especially colts that look they could be a stallion if they can run, are breaking through," Graves said on the strength of Book 3.

"For the good horses, it's very competitive. They're bringing the money. I felt like earlier on it was a little slower, but I feel like the momentum has picked up. And, you know, good horses are going to sell well, no matter what book they're in, and they really stand out," added Delk.

The second-highest priced colt of the day was hip 1343, a Liam's Map colt out of the Bernardini mare Pop A Choc. He sold for $700,000 to Pin Oak Stud. Hip 1343 is the first foal out of Pop A Choc, a half to multiple Graded stakes winner Airoforce.

The grey or roan colt was bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds and Graves. 

"When I saw the vet work coming in on him, I thought that he could sell really, really well. We were delighted with the price but again, a Bernardini mare, enough Graded stakes quality in the pedigree you could see him becoming a good stallion prospect one day if he can run. I think if a mare is young it escalates the price of these stallion prospect colts. Good broodmare sires and a little bit of sire power is the secret formula to having a chance," said Graves.

The top-priced filly of the day was hip 1293, a filly by Liam's Map out of the Uncle Mo mare Mo Dean who sold for $400,000 to Meah/Lloyd Bloodstock, agent for BG Stables. The mare is a half-sister to Graded stakes winner Crupi, who was recently second in the Whitney Stakes at Saratoga.

Hip 1293 was bred in Kentucky by Kim Nardelli, Rodney Nardelli, and Susan Casner and was consigned by Nardelli Sales. 

The average for the fifth session was $167,789, with a gross of $49,330,000, including private sales, from 294 horses sold. The median was $140,000. Seventy-six horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 20.5 per cent.

The gross, average, and median are all up from this time last year at the September Sale. Overall, gross sales increased 6.6 per cent through the first five sessions over 2023, with the average up 7.7 per cent.

Gainesway was the leading consignor Saturday with gross sales of $6,495,000 from 22 horses sold. Delk was the leading buyer with five yearlings bought for a total of $2,335,000. Practical Joke topped the day as leading sire with 14 sold for a total of $3,420,000. Liam's Map came in second also being represented by 14 sold for a total of $2,660,000.

"It seems like there are new faces around, it seems like people are wanting to buy horses. I love the changes they made in the pavilion. We all have to keep adapting and keep trying to improve, it feels good and it's a lot brighter," said Price Bell Jr. of Mill Ridge Sales. 

The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continues on Sunday at 10am. ET. With hips 1551-1970 to go through the ring. As of Saturday evening, Keeneland has reported 42 outs.

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