$184-million Flightline and Yoshida’s $5.5 million mare highlight Keeneland opener
A US$4.6 million deal which put a US$184 million valuation on newly retired Flightline and a US$9.7-million three-mare spend by Katsumi Yoshida bookended a vibrant opening session to the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale.

Off the back of his 8.25-length win in Saturday’s Breeders’ Cup Classic, expectations were strong for what the 2.5 per cent of unbeaten Flightline would fetch at the Keeneland sale ahead of his retirement to Lane’s End Farm, but what evolved surpassed all expectations.
No public auction has placed a higher value on a thoroughbred as Brookdale Farm’s Freddy Seitz, bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client, won out over 45 rivals to pay $4.6 million for the fractional share, valuing Flightline at an extraordinary $184 million.
“They have been good clients of ours for a few years now,” Seitz told reporters after the sale. “He is very excited about this horse and wanted to make a huge splash. He has dealt with some good horses in the past, but nothing like this. I’m not sure any of us have dealt with a horse like this. He wanted to get involved a little more in the business.”
Seitz said that the client already has a small broodmare band.
“I think he is going to have a nicer broodmare band now,” Seitz said. “He has some nice mares, but his band isn’t very big, about six or eight mares. He is going to be shopping now from what I understand.”