Felicita, a half-sister to recent Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Dayoutoftheoffice, realised $250,000 to top the Keeneland December Digital Sale, held on Tuesday as part of Keeneland’s Digital Sales Ring platform.
The transaction represented a fine result for Harris Farms, who had paid just $10,000 for the mare at Keeneland in November 2019 when her celebrated sibling was still a yearling.
However, while the platform drew praise from various participants, especially in light of its forward development from its summer debut, overall it was a challenging day for vendors that was starkly illustrated by the fact that only 15 of 69 horses offered were sold.
In all, the sale grossed $508,000 for 15 lots, for an average of $33,867 and a median of $11,000.
Alpha Delta Stables struck the winning bid on Felicita. A four-year-old daughter of More Than Ready, she was offered in foal to Not This Time. Taylor Made’s leading first-crop sire was also the covering sire of Song Of Melody, a $50,000 purchase by Rose Hill Farm.
It was also a productive day for Four Bridges, which paid $55,000 for the unraced Warm Water, an English Channel granddaughter of blue hen Welcome Surprise. The five-year-old mare was sold by Machmer Hall Sales carrying a foal from the second crop of Grade 1 winner City Light.
Four Bridges also went to $31,000 for Distinctive Nature, a three-year-old Quality Road mare sold by Garrencasey Sales in foal to Blame. The mare had been picked up by Chad Schumer for just $15,000 at last month’s Keeneland November Sale.
