b'sales b r o o d m a r e S| Good vibes from January sale fadedby NovemberBy eRic MitchellThe mixed sale season doesnt fit neatly into a calendar year, with this market blending the fall and winter seasons. Strong fall sales in 2017 carried over to this years Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, which concluded with the overall average up 28.5% and the median up 14.3% from the previous year.Within the January results, however, were signs of a market correction ahead. The average price of broodmares sold at the January sale dropped 11% to $29,611 from $33,151 in 2017. These results do not include broodmare prospects, only sale horses identified as broodmares.This softening of the market continued through the prominent U.S. mixed sales in Anne M. eberhArdt Anne M. eberhArdtNovember.Overall the number of broodmares sold at North American sales in-creased 1.6% to 2,854 and gross sales of $237,340,889 and average price of $83,161 were essentially flat, with the gross inching up 0.8% and average slip-ping 0.8%. The minor decline in average, however, followed two previous years of growth with 2016s average up 12.5% and 2017s average increasing another 7.9%. The median for 2018 also fell nearly 12% to $15,000 from $17,000 in 2017.Subdividing auction results into deciles offers a window into how various segments of the market are performing. All deciles for this years Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale showed significant and sobering declines com-pared with 2017. The mare markets top decile average price dropped 20% due to a decrease in mares selling for a million dollars or more, which was eight in 2018 compared with 16 a year ago. The number of mares selling for $500,000 orTop, Lady Aurelia lit up the auction board at Fasig-Tiptons The November Sale. Above, champion Lady Eli more also decreased, as well, to 27 frombrought the top price of $4.2 million at the Keeneland November breeding stock sale.43 in 2017.9111_Sales_use.indd 91 3/20/19 4:47 PM'