RACING NOTES : Yearling Sale Dominated by Foreign Buyers

Foreign buyers dominated Monday’s first session of Keeneland’s July Selected Yearling Sale, paying more than $1 million for three horses.

Sheik Hamdan al Maktoum of Dubai, buying in the name of Shadwell Estate Co., paid a top price of $1.85 million for a bay filly by Danzig out of the champion sprinter Gold Beauty.

The next highest price was $1.2 million paid by Sheik Maktoum al Maktoum’s Gainsborough Stud for a bay colt by Alydar out of Tax Dodge by Seattle Slew.

And the Curragh Bloodstock Agency, bidding on behalf of Ahmed al Maktoum, paid $1.05 million for a bay colt by Blushing Groom out of Disconiz by Northern Dancer.

Overall, Keeneland sold 113 horses Monday for $34,475,000. The average of $305,088 was down 14.1% from last year’s opening day figure of $355,269.

The sale continues today.

School for Scandal, ridden by Jean-Luc Samyn, beat Bally Blue by three-quarters of a length to win the $47,000 Effervescing Purse for 3-year-olds and up Monday at Belmont Park.

Bally Blue closed well on the rail to finish second in the four-horse field, one-half length ahead of My Big Boy. Green Flag trailed the field.

School for Scandal won for the second time in eight starts this year by covering 1 1/4 miles over turf in 2:07. The winner collected $28,200 and returned $10.40 and $3.40. Bally Blue paid $3.20. There was no show betting.