OXO Equine goes to $1.4 million for American Pharoah colt

Progeny of American Pharoah was back in the spotlight Wednesday evening as the third session of Keeneland's September Yearling Sale wound down.

Hip 729, a colt by the 2015 Triple Crown winner and consigned as Property of Sierra Farm, hammered at $1.4 million and went to OXO Equine’s Larry Best, the topper for the day.

Seven million-dollar sales on Wednesday increased the total number of yearlings sold for seven figures or more through the first three days of the 2018 September Sale to 20, eclipsing last year’s total of 13 for the entire auction. It also marks the highest number since 2007.

• See more on the top-selling Keeneland yearlings

“It was one of the stronger, robust-looking American Pharoah colts here,” Best added, describing what attracted him to the horse. “Nice walk. It just looked a little more beefy and muscular like an American Pharoah would be, so I thought I’d give it a shot.”

“I wasn’t sure that I was going to find an American Pharoah colt that I liked, but I liked this one enough,” Best said. “Paid more than I thought I would have to.”

Such is the way of this sale for the first crop of the Triple Crown winner. On Monday, Godolphin went to $2.2 million -- the overall sales-topping figure -- for another American Pharoah colt.

On Wednesday, Keeneland sold 151 yearlings for $52,883,000 for an average of $350,219 and a median of $270,000. Through the first three sessions, 457 yearlings have sold for a total of $167,338,000 for an average of $366,166 and a median of $280,000.

“The session started very strong and certainly ended with a bang," said Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell, referring to the four horses that brought more than $1 million near the end of the day. “There is a diversity of buyers regarding those who bought the million-dollar horses and regarding where they are from geographically. There is international and domestic money at the top, which is very good for our industry.”