Anyone watching the Keeneland sale on TVG? (Or, better yet, in person?)
We’ve been there each day since Saturday.
Awesome, I am so envious. Best of luck with your sales/purchases!!
I’m with beaujolais, mucho envious 
Let us know if you go home with anything in the suitcase 
How cold were we? That’s my colt (who didn’t sell) on the front of today’s BloodHorse Daily News.
Donn’t get the BloodHorse Daily News but did read the BH (online) article about Erich Brehm acquiring some nice mares for Texas Red and got a giggle out of his comment about not liking winter horse sales.
Cold, not sure I want to know how cold…
[QUOTE=LaurieB;9005427]
How cold were we? That’s my colt (who didn’t sell) on the front of today’s BloodHorse Daily News. :D[/QUOTE]
Awww.
Found the link!
http://i.bloodhorse.com/daily-app/pdfs/BloodHorseDaily-20170111.pdf
CVPeg, thanks 
(I usually just check the web page every morning…)
Monday did not sound like fun.
What a cutie, for sure!!
I know someone who is at the sale and he told me when he got there the local weatherman said on TV “Whatever you do, don’t go outside!”
His problem is that no one will bring horses by the hotel.
Thanks for the link, CVPeg. I forgot to add that.
On Saturday and Sunday it didn’t get above 15 degrees at Keeneland. Monday, it was a balmy 25.
:eek:
I am. I have a question–what typically happens to these “no bid” horses? I’ve seen a handful of yearlings and a couple “broodmare prospects” elicit no bids.
Big_Tag, there is no “typical” answer.
This sale has been really terrible (despite what the racing press will tell you). There are very few buyers present. I have never seen Keeneland so empty when a sale is in progress. The fact that a horse has gotten a no-bid here doesn’t mean that it is useless. It might mean that its sire is currently unfashionable, or that it’s small, or has xray issues (that may resolve or can be fixed). Many of the yearlings that were bought back will appear in another yearling sale later this year. Some will be turned out and eventually put into training by their owners. A few will be given away.
As for the broodmare prospects, some will be put in foal and reoffered in a later sale. Some will go back into training. And some will be given away to become riding horses. It costs owners a minimum of several thousand dollars just to put each horse through the sale. Now they will explore other options.
LaurieB–Thank you for the answer. I have never been to a TB sale–my only frame of reference are the STB sales and I honestly cannot recall ever seeing literally no bid. I have, however, seen such low bids that there’s little doubt those horses made a one-way trip 
I too was shocked how few people are in the stands, but there are some horses selling for reasonably high prices.
[QUOTE=LaurieB;9005884]
Thanks for the link, CVPeg. I forgot to add that.
On Saturday and Sunday it didn’t get above 15 degrees at Keeneland. Monday, it was a balmy 25. :)[/QUOTE]
Laurie- Please tell us about your colt- he sure is one fluffy cutie!
Big_Tag, the minimum bid for any horse that’s offered for sale at Keeneland is $1,000. So “no bid” means no bid of at least that amount. There are no kill buyers here.
As for people in the pavillion, it’s often pretty empty. Buyers don’t have to be seated inside to bid. Many stand out back next to the chute that leads into the ring. That area is always crowded because that’s where you get your last look at a horse before it goes inside. Buyers also stand in the doorways behind the seats. You’re not supposed to bid from there but lots of people do. Ironically, most of the people who are sitting in the seats are just watching the sale.
ASB Stars, he’s a short yearling by Warrior’s Reward o/o Belleofthebridle (by Yes It’s True). His dam’s sister by Warrior’s Reward was a nice filly, which is why we did the breeding, but unfortunately that stallion is pretty “cold” now and we ended up buying him back at the sale. He has a nice 3yo half-brother by Ghostzapper who should race in NY this year. And we have his 2yo half-sister by Congrats in early training. Hopefully she will run next year too. Most likely we will offer him again in the September sale.
Laurie B–I gathered the minimum bid of $1k. I actually think the larger STB sales have the same minimum but I guess rather than “no bid” they state a $1k purchase price (even though they were likely no-saled in most cases, I guess).
I just assumed there would be more spectators. I’ve been to the sales pavilion (large STB sale held there in October) and I recall it being much more crowded. Though I was watching today which is the third day, correct? Maybe more spectators earlier in the sale.
To add to LaurieB’s spot on answers. No Bid on the result sheet used to be very rare. Not that there were people actually bidding for every horse. Sellers looking to just find a new home for a horse would almost always bid the first $1,000 to get things going and hoping that someone will bid at least $100 more.
The seller has nothing to loose bidding $1,000 it cost nothing. Commission is already paid up to X amount of the selling price by the entry fees. Seeing a lot of no bids is troubling.
Haven’t had a chance to fully digest the results yet. I am going to look back at the historical “no bid” numbers over the last 10+ years to see if there is a “trend” or higher than normal number.
Keep in mind a lot of horse may or may not have sold even if the sheet says sold. Some people set reserves with the auctioneers. But that can’t be changed, lowered once the bidding starts.
Others like to have a person bid on their behalf against “real” buyers. We are told what to bid to and stop. But if the market is softer for the horse than the seller thought they can “signal” to stop and or only go to X amount.
I have been a “professional under bidder”. Occasionally signed for horses as the “buyer” even thought it didn’t sell. There are other reasons besides not getting the sellers price in the ring. This is all perfectly “legal”.
As LaurieB said a lot of the bidding is done from the “back”. Especially at this type of sale. Most of the people are looking for bargains. I know with my personal budget that’s were I spent the majority of my time. With a bunch of other horse traders trying to out smart each other. Tough market to evaluate things on face value of a catalog page.
Good value can and does fall through the cracks. Watch, look at each horse in the back walking ring. hen one catches your eye, look at the page and decided to take a closer look. Wander over to the back bid spotter and follow the bidding. Shoot from the hip if the price is right. Sometime you win sometimes you loose. Time will tell.
