Lexington, KY – Dejeuner, a daughter of Walner out of French Cafe, became the highest-priced yearling filly ever purchased at auction when she sold for $1 million to Noel Daley as agent for Winning Key during Monday’s opening session of the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale at the Fasig-Tipton Pavilion.
Dejeuner is a half-sister to 2024 Elegantimage Stakes winner French Champagne. Her second dam, Creamy Mimi, won the 2008 Hambletonian Oaks, and produced millionaire French Wine and multiple Grand Circuit winner French Laundry. Her family also includes Dan Patch Award-winner Pizza Dolce, the grandam of 2022 Trotter of the Year Bella Bellini.
A New Jersey and Kentucky eligible, Dejeuner was bred by Marvin Katz and Al Libfeld and consigned by Kentuckiana Farms.
The previous top price for a yearling filly was $925,000 for trotter Rani Hanover, who sold during the opening session of last year’s Lexington sale. Three trotting colts have sold for at least $1 million: Maverick ($1.1 million) in 2019 as well as Damien and Cambridge Hanover ($1 million each) in 2019 and 2024, respectively.
Winning Key is led by Patty Key, the widow of Hall of Fame owner and breeder Bob Key.
“Obviously, we want to buy one that can win races, but she is trying to build a great broodmare band, so we looked for one that also had the pedigree,” Daley said. “(Dejeuner) was a great individual, had a great video. But we wanted to have the family there so that they could keep her for a long time, too. She was very excited about it.”
Second on the list of Monday’s best sellers was trotting filly Turtle Dove, a daughter of Walner and first foal out of 2019 Dan Patch Award-winner When Dovescry, who was purchased for $900,000 by Jeff Snyder and S R F Stable. She was bred by Sunset Stables and Steve Stewart and consigned by Hunterton Sales Agency. She is New Jersey and Kentucky eligible.
Trotting filly Tyndall, a daughter of Gimpanzee-Southwind Serena, sold for $800,000 to Martinez Equine, as agent, to round out Monday’s top three. She is a half-sister to Hall of Famer Mission Brief, the dam of recent Mohawk Million winner Apex, as well as stallion Tactical Landing. She was bred by Steve Stewart, Black Creek Farm and Andrea Lea Racing Stables, and consigned by Hunterton Sales Agency. She is Kentucky and Kentucky Stallion Bonus eligible.
Next on the list was trotting colt Valorous, from the first crop of stallion Alrajah One IT and the first foal out of 2021 Dan Patch Award-winner Venerable. He sold for $575,000 to David McDuffee, as agent. His family includes Crucial, the dam of 2024 Dan Patch Award-winner Maryland, as well as stakes-winner Voguish. He was bred by Steve Jones and consigned by Cameo Hills Farm. He is New Jersey eligible.
The top selling pacer was filly Seaside Ubeaut, a daughter of Downbytheseaside out of two-time Dan Patch Award-winner Warrawee Ubeaut. She was purchased for $500,000 by Andrew Harris as agent for Bill Pollock. She is a half-sister to recently crowned Kentucky Sire Stakes Championship Series winner Ubrute and her family also includes O’Brien Award-winner Warrawee Needy. She was bred by Burke Racing Stable, Crawford Farms Racing, J&T Silva-Purnel & Libby and Phil Collura and consigned by Crawford Farms. She is Ohio and Kentucky eligible.
Also selling for $500,000 was trotting filly Social Hour, a daughter of Walner-Lonely Lady who was purchased by Al Libfeld. She is a full sister to stakes-winner Walner Payton, and her family also included millionaire Bar Hopping. She was bred by Douglass Hutchins and Steve Stewart and was consigned by Hunterton Sales Agency. She is New Jersey and Kentucky eligible.
Harris, as agent for Pollock, was the top buyer Monday, at $1.95 million for six yearlings. M&L of Delaware/Armitage Farm was second, at $1.55 million for four horses. Ake Svanstedt Inc. completed the top three, at $1.025 million for seven horses.
Monday’s opening session concluded with 120 horses selling for $21.80 million, an average of $181,675. Last year’s first session saw 117 horses sell for $22.29 million and a record average of $190,547. In 2023, the average was $183,653 for 121 horses.
Walner led trotting sires in gross, with $7.048 million for 37 horses. Tactical Landing led in average among stallions with more than one yearling sold, at $261,250 for four horses.
Captaintreacherous led pacing sires in gross, at $1.875 million for 14 yearlings. The leader in average was Downbytheseaside, at $272,500 for four horses.
The five-day sale will continue Tuesday through Thursday with 1 p.m. start times. Friday’s final session will begin at 7 p.m.
Find the sale’s catalog here. For the livestream, visit the sale’s company website here, and for complete results, click here.