Horse of the Year Azeri brings $2.25 million at Keeneland sale

Horse of the Year Azeri brings $2.25 million

LEXINGTON, Ky. — Horse of the Year Azeri brought $2.25 million Tuesday in the opening session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Shunsuke Yoshida purchased the 11-year-old mare in foal to Distorted Humor on behalf of his family’s Japan-based Northern Farm.

“We didn’t expect we’d be able to buy this mare,” Yoshida said. “We just kept on bidding. She will go to Japan. She is a beautiful mare, of course, and had a really good race result.”

John G. Sikura’s Hill ‘n’ Dale Farm consigned Azeri on behalf of the Allen E. Paulson Living Trust, who campaigned her to a 17-4-2 record from 24 lifetime starts and earnings of more than $4 million.

Later, at the Fasig-Tipton one-night November mixed sale, Holiday Runner brought a final price of $2.15 million from Frank and Jane Lyon of Summer Wind Farm. Consigned by Baccari Bloodstock, the 9-year-old stakes-winning daughter of Meadowlake was produced from the Dixieland Band mare Dixie Holiday.

Azeri, who was named champion older mare in 2002, 2003 and 2004 and earned Horse of the Year honors in 2002.

“I’ve got mixed emotions,” Sikura said. “We spent years with an important and special mare, and she became a part of the farm. Everyone at the farm has a connection to her. We feel a sense of loss, but the other side is that there was a trust that was liquidating its assets. She happened to be the most valuable of the remaining assets. She was here to sell and she did sell.”

Azeri brought the top price for the day. Keeneland reported 126 horses sold for $26,291,500 — an average $208,663, down about 35 percent from 2008. The number of horses sold was down 15 percent, and gross sales fell 45 percent.

Fasig-Tipton’s figures were also down, unable to match last year’s numbers when Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honor sold for a record $14 million and champion 2-year-old filly Stardom Bound brought $5.7 million. The sale Tuesday reported 78 horses sold for $28,505,000, an average of $365,449.

Compared with 2008, the number of horses sold declined 14 percent while the gross fell 59 percent. The average was down 53 percent.

“Those were very unusual circumstances last year,” said Boyd Browning, Fasig-Tipton president. “To evaluate this sale, I would say it was pretty strong. The quality horses still have significant demand.”

The Keeneland sale continues through Nov. 22.