I Don’t Understand

Horse sales are opaque. That is a fancy word for cloudy or not transparent.

There were several strange RNA’s yesterday. What is even more strange is that these horses are not being re-offered at the end of day 2 under a new rule at this year’s sale.

I understand that the consigner pays 2.5% to Keeneland for the final hammer price of any RNA.

Here are a few that I did not understand:

1. #25 Quality Road – Justshistledixie – $1,900,000 – Clearsky Farm
2. #125 American Pharoah – Rigged Smart – $725,000 – Taylor Made
3. #20 West Coast – Joannie – $385,000 – Mill Ridge
4. #55 Violence – Marion Ravenwood – $290,000 – Ashview
5. #57 Connect – Mary’s Follies – $425,000 – Taylor Made
6. #143 Tapwrit – Sheza Smoke Show – $685,000 – Gainsway

My best guess is that the breeders have a private buyer lined up that is willing to pay the auction price. Maybe the owners just want to race these horses. It is too late to put them in the Timonium yearling sale. I guess they can try to sell them as 2 year olds at the training sales.