Bishops Bay, Keeneland photo
LEXINGTON, KY – Pedro Lanz, stable agent, bought multiple Grade 3 winner Bishops Bay, a 5-year-old son of Uncle Mo, for $1.3 million, taking the top price at Wednesday’s Keeneland November Horses of Racing Age Sale. The amount for Bishops Bay, who won the Forty Niner (G3) at Belmont in The Big A 10 days ago, is a record for the sale, which Keeneland started in 2022 after including racing-age horses in the November Breeding Stock Sale.
Today, Keeneland sold 108 horses through the ring for $10,455,000, a 21.39% increase over last year’s gross of $8,613,000 for 105 horses sold through the ring. The average of $96,806 rose 18.01% from $82,029 in 2024. The median fell 20% from $50,000 to $40,000.
“This was a strong ending to a remarkable sales season,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “Setting a record for the top price in this format is very satisfying and reflects the continued demand for quality, race-ready horses as we enter a new season. The momentum we have seen throughout the year has continued to the end and we are grateful to all the buyers and sellers whose participation and confidence make this success possible.”
On behalf of agent ELiTE, who sold six horses for $200,000 or more, Bishops Bay also captured the Salvator Mile (G3) and the Westchester (G3) this year, recording five wins in seven starts with earnings of $468,600 in 2025. In his career, Bishops Bay has won eight races in 12 starts and earned $702,800.
Lanz called Bishops Bay, a half-brother to Grade 2 winner and Preakness (G1) third-place finisher Catching Freedom, “a very honest horse” and said he will remain with trainer Brad Cox. Bishops Bay could make its next start on December 6 at the Cigar Mile (G2) at Aqueduct, Lanz said, while a possible future race is the Pegasus World Cup Invitational (G1) at Gulfstream Park in January. A long-term goal is the Saudi Cup (G1) at the King Abdulaziz Racecourse in Saudi Arabia in February.
Lanz said Bishops Bay had been on his radar “all year” and expected the horse to fetch a high price.
“That’s what usually happens when the Middle East is fighting for the same horse,” Lanz said. “He was the best horse for me – two turns, long-distance horse. We (had) to be ready.”
“We were very pleased with the award,” said ELiTE co-founder and partner Liz Crow. “When we had him here the last few days, he never put a step wrong and showed beautifully. He’s a beautiful horse, so I think he’ll be a beautiful stallion when he’s done running. I hope he goes on and does great things in Saudi Arabia and really shows everyone there in those big races.”
Bishops Bay is also a half-brother to stakes winner Strava, which sold for $825,000 at the November 2021 Breeding Stock Sale to top a segment dedicated to racing-age horses that Keeneland held on the final day of the auction.
The Bishops Bay sale made Lanz the auction’s top buyer and helped ELiTE, agent, secure a $5,370,000 ring sale for 41 horses to leading consignors.
“We take this day seriously. It’s kind of our Super Bowl of the year,” said Liz Crow of ELiTE. “We’re trying to recruit as many horses as possible so we have good volume for people so we have the $20,000 horse all the way to the million dollar horse. We were really happy with the way things went. It was just a great day for our team. There’s a lot of work going on behind the scenes to get the 44 horses sold today (including three post-sales).”
In other sales, RRR Racing paid $900,000 for the World Record, Class 2 winner, a 4-year-old son of Gun Runner, entered by ELiTE, agent. The colt, whose dam is Marwa (GB), by Exceed And Excel, comes from the family of Group 1 winner Penelopa along with Grade 2 winners Miss Isella and Sir Cherokee.
Winner and Grace 3-placed Crevalle d’Oro, which was added to the auction, sold for $500,000 to Meah/Lloyd Bloodstock, agent for Michael and Jules Iavarone and TCC Stable. Signed by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, she is out of the winning Medaglia d’Oro mare Sonoma d’Oro and is a half-sister to stakes winner Valuation Metric.
Chad Schumer, agent for KGS, went for $475,000 for Burning Glory, a 3-year-old winner and Grade 3 ranked colt by Into Mischief from the family of recent Breeders’ Cup Distaff (G1) winner Scylla. Under contract with Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent for Juddmonte, he is out of the winning mare Hail by Tapit, and also from the family of champion Close Hatches and Grade 2 winner Belmont (G1), runner-up and sire Tacitus.
ELiTE, agent, sold two colts for $350,000 each
Crudo, a three-year-old son of Justify who finished second in Aqueduct’s Dwyer (L) four days ago, was sold to NAJD Stud for the amount. Out of the Vice Minister mare Blossomed, he is a half-brother to Grade 1 winner Sippican Harbor and a full brother to the Japanese stakes winner Awesome Result. Crudo, who won Pimlico’s Spendthrift Farm Sir Barton Stakes in May, is also from the family of Group 1 winner Peter Davies and 2025 Grade 2 winner Royal Spa.
Oracle Bloodstock, agent, went to $350,000 for Cultivate, a 3-year-old gelding by Practical Joke who has started his career this year with two victories at Saratoga and Belmont at the Big A. Out of Life’s a Gamble, by Malibu Moon, is from the family of Grade 1 winner Noted and Quoted.
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