Keeneland September | Horse Racing Free Tips

Dixiana Homebred Off the Mark at Arlington

8th-Arlington, $30,000, Msw, 9-17, 2yo, 5fT, :57.57, fm, 2 lengths.
ELEGANT JOY (f, 2, Kitten's Joy–True Elegance, by Distorted Humor) tuned up for this debut with a strong four-furlong spin from the gate in :48 flat Sept. 8 and was off right at her morning line of 8-1. In the vanguard early, Elegant Joy held the rail chasing from third into the turn, was pulled out three deep at the head of the stretch and kicked on nicely to post a professional two-length victory over the fast-finishing Onyourmarkgetsetgo (Makors Finale). The winner's dam, a $500,000 Keeneland September purchase by Bill Shively's Dixiana Farm, is a daughter of Canadian Horse of the Year and multiple champion Sealy Hill (Point Given), making her a full-sister to Sovereign Award-winning female sprinter Hillaby (Distorted Humor). Sealy Hill is also the dam of GISW and $1.25-million KEESEP grad Cambier Parc (Medaglia d'Oro) and GSWs Belle Hill (Sky Mesa) and Gale Force (Giant's Causeway). True Elegance's yearling Frosted filly was scheduled to sell as hip 1335 during session five at Keeneland Saturday and she is also the dam of a filly foal by Ghostzapper. She was most recently bred to Authentic. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $18,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by TVG.
O/B-Dixiana Farms LLC (KY); T-Eoin G Harty.

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This Side Up: Market Goes Back to the Future

The cyclical nature of our business, from the foaling shed to the race program, invites a length of perspective that can only be of comfort in times of trouble. This, too, shall pass–even a global pandemic. And if COVID disrupted our routines in 2020 as seldom before, with a September Derby and no Saratoga Sale, we appear determined to make as seamless a resumption as its lingering challenges allow.

Trade at Saratoga last month was eerily close to 2019. Of 180 hips into the ring for Fasig-Tipton's Select Sale, 135 sold for an aggregate $55,155,000 at an average $408,556 and median $350,000. Two years ago, 135 of 182 sold for $55,547,000 at $411,459 and $350,000.

Now, with a dark day at Keeneland on Friday permitting everyone to absorb a breathless start to the September Sale, it is possible to sharpen our sense of how the market is emerging from the crisis.

This, of course, was an auction that they did contrive to stage last year. While demand proved more resilient than many feared, predictably the sale took a big hit overall, rounding out at $249 million turnover for a $100,000 average, down from $360 million and $126,000 the previous year. But more reliable comparisons, to this point of the sale, are complicated by the fact that the one industry cycle that never quite repeats–paradoxically enough, at a place that so prizes tradition–is the format at Keeneland.

In 2019, Book 1 lasted three days before a two-session Book 2, a model last deployed in 2016. In 2018, Book 1 had been stretched to a fourth day. In 2017, conversely, it was compressed into a single session, with a three-day Book 2.

So let's hope that the new Keeneland team, with some extremely acute thinkers aboard, will give their chosen formula a proper chance to bed down. Judging on this week, they have every incentive to do so.

The most pertinent comparisons we can draw, entering the weekend, are with the 2018 and 2017 sales, which similarly presented the sale's best stock over four days, albeit packaged in different catalogs. Now remember that the 2018 sale was a knockout, ending up at $377 million at an average $129,335. This, being a nose ahead of 2019, represented the pinnacle of a bull run sustained through the decade since the banking crisis, thanks to relentless cash doping of the economy (nugatory interest rates, quantitative easing etc). As such, the 2017 sale had also registered a big leap, finishing with $308 million turnover and an average of $120,487, up from $273 million and $97,740 in 2017.

So let's put last year to one side–for what it's worth, the parallel two-day Books 1 and 2 yielded $168,130,000 from 643 sales at an average $261,477–and see how the best four days of stock in this market have performed against those boom years. In 2018, 640 head turned over $224,453,000 for an average $350,708. In 2017, 716 hips realized $200,760,000 at $280,391. In the first four days of this sale, 649 animals have changed hands for $205,754,000 at an average $317,032.

In other words, we are on track to restore the market to just about halfway between its 2017 and 2018 values, when we were approaching the absolute peak of a soaring market.

Now there's obviously still a long way to go. And even as it stands, plenty of individuals will have endured the tough experiences inevitable when you have to roll a sweaty stake to enter what proved an especially selective marketplace in Book 1 (barely half the published catalog both making it into the ring and finding a new home). That said, the hallmark of this week's trade appears to be its solidity and breadth.

One obvious factor is the increasing prevalence of high-end partnerships. Those vendors who resent combination instead of competition are missing the point. Because it's actually far more wholesome, on both sides of the market, for the big spenders to be spreading their risks.

In 2019, seven yearlings made $2 million or more at Keeneland. This year, it looks like we won't have one. But we know that people are spending the same kind of money, and the heart-breaking recent fate of Into Mischief's half-sister by American Pharoah, who topped that sale at $8.2 million, will doubtless comfort investors that they are both reducing their exposure even as they improve their odds of landing an elite runner. Many have evidently decided that to own only a leg in a future stallion represents a worthwhile sacrifice of ego in so precarious a business. And a wider spend, as we've seen this week, can reach very small consignments with life-changing results.

But the real key to this market may be a little simpler. While COVID has been a financial catastrophe for many households, some of the investors who drive our business are more affluent than ever–and they also have a renewed sense that life is for living. They have been piling up the cash, and don't want to sew pockets into a shroud.

That being so, it is vital that we give such people maximum confidence in our industry. And, in reality, the bloodstock market's buoyancy is menaced by many a needle.

The most perilous, of course, is literally that–and found on the end of a syringe. Commercial breeding for the ring, and not the racetrack, is another big problem. Then there's the foal crop, down again; unlike the volume of racing, which threatens a vicious circle via wagering disengagement. Even as Keeneland buzzed through its fourth session, moreover, Shadwell quietly announced the streamlining review feared since the loss of its founder Sheikh Hamdan earlier this year. The same Shadwell, that is, that topped spending at this sale in 2016 and 2017, and finished behind only Godolphin (owned by the late Sheikh's brother) in 2018 and 2019.

So none of us should be complacent in the perennial allure of the Thoroughbred. At the same time, we are entitled to take heart from the impetus behind the latest cycle this week.

How exciting, for instance, to see a 4-year-old Horse of the Year launch such a first crop of such startling precocity. After achieving a higher average this week than Tapit, War Front, Medaglia d'Oro and Uncle Mo, Gun Runner has the chance of a fifth graded stakes winner Saturday when Gun Town contests the GIII Iroquois S.–and the first starting points for the 2022 Derby.

Hope springs eternal! So begins another of those cherished, recurring cycles, by which we both take our bearings and also learn to transcend the narrow outlook of our own time and place. That's one of the reasons I love the statues unveiled at Churchill this week of Colonel Matt Winn, who died in 1949, seated in conversation with the late John Asher, who was born in 1956. Magnificent work as usual by local sculptor Raymond Graf and, in this instance, literally timeless. Good years, bad years, nothing lasts forever. And this, as a moment frozen out of time, might help to remind us that taking the long view actually boils down to living for the day.

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Stellar Book 2 Concludes at Keeneland

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis

LEXINGTON, KY – The two-session Book 2 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale concluded with another day of competitive bidding and two additional seven-figure yearlings Thursday in Lexington, bringing the total number of lots to surpass the million-dollar mark to 15.

“Excellent,” Keeneland's vice president of sales Tony Lacy said when asked to gauge the day's activity. “The median was up 48% and the average was up 37% [for the session] and we've just passed the $200,000,000 mark for gross sales for the first four sessions. We cannot complain about anything that's gone on this week. I think it's been extremely strong and very, very deep. It's been a powerhouse week one.”

During the two Book 2 sessions this year, 426 yearlings grossed $111,772,000 for an average of $262,376 and a median of $207,500.

The Book 2 section of the 2020 auction, held amidst the pre-vaccination pandemic, saw 380 horses sold through the ring for a total of $75,368,000. The book average was $190,988 and the median was $150,000. With the inclusion of post-sale transactions, 415 yearlings grossed $79,260,000 for an average of $190,988 and a median of $150,000.

While Book 2 produced the auction's highest-priced offering so far when a colt by City of Light sold for $1.7 million Wednesday, Thursday's session produced co-topping $1 million colts when Mike Ryan secured a son of Into Mischief (hip 874) from the Mt. Brilliant Farm consignment and BSW/Crow Colts Group took home a son of Street Sense (hip 1022) from the Farfellow Farms consignment.

After four days of selling, the Keeneland September sale has a dark day Friday, but the strength of the market during the week provides validation for the company's format which is designed to put as many horses in front of people as possible in a short amount of time, according to Keeneland's director of sales operations Cormac Breathnach.

“I think a lot of people loved the format,” Breathnach said. “It's speaking for itself in terms of the results we are looking at. The median is really important–that middle ground, what the horses are really bringing and not so influenced by the very high numbers. The RNA rate is very much in control. This is a sale that is keeping pace with a banner year, which was 2019, and it's really just blowing last year out of the water. The format has been a part of that and it's kept the buyers in town and kept them engaged.”

With 88 horses reported not sold during Thursday's session, the buy-back rate was 30.45%. Through four sessions, the buy-back rate stands at 30.18%. It was 39.59% at this point a year ago.

Bidding resumes at Keeneland Saturday morning at 10 a.m. and the sale continues through next Friday.

Ryan Strikes for Into Mischief Colt
The Book 2 section of the Keeneland September sale had its third seven-figure yearling when bloodstock agent Mike Ryan outlasted an internet bidder to secure a colt by Into Mischief (hip 874) for $1 million Thursday. Bred and consigned by Greg Goodman's Mt. Brilliant Farm, the bay yearling is out of stakes winner and graded placed Secret Someone (A.P. Indy). His second dam, Private Gift (Unbridled), produced the dam of Grade I winner Dunbar Road (Quality Road).

“I am very familiar with the family because a good friend of mine bred Dunbar Road,” Ryan said after signing the ticket on the yearling. “I bought the dam of Dunbar Road and it's a family I am familiar with and I own some mares from the family. [The yearling] reminded me a lot of Practical Joke. If he runs to his pedigree, top and bottom, he has terrific stallion potential.”

Private Gift is also the dam of Private Mission (Into Mischief), who sold for $750,000 at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. The 3-year-old filly romped home by 6 1/2 lengths in the Aug. 21 GIII Torrey Pines S.

“We bid a long ways on Private Mission, a 3/4 sister to this colt,” Ryan said. “She is three for four and won the Torrey Pines. She could be anything. So we know the pedigree works.”

Ryan said he was bidding on behalf of an undisclosed group of buyers and the yearling would be trained by Chad Brown.

“He looks like a horse who will hopefully run at Saratoga next summer, but stretch out from there,” Ryan said. “The dam is by A.P. Indy and the second dam is by Unbridled. Unbridled and Empire Maker under Into Mischief has been very successful. Mandaloun comes to mind. I thought he was a special colt. He has a lot of upside and hopefully we will turn out lucky. If he's half as good as Practical Joke, we'll be very happy.”

Mt. Brilliant Farm purchased Private Gift for $2.3 million at the 2008 Fasig-Tipton November sale. The operation campaigned Secret Someone, who won the 2016 Kentucky Downs Ladies Turf S. and was third in that year's GIII Modesty H.

“We loved the horse. We put a low reserve just to get him started because we knew he could do the work himself,” Goodman said. “We love his family. Private Gift is the first really expensive horse I ever bought. I have sold a lot of the family and kept a lot of the daughters. He could not be in better hands and I am so happy about it.”

With the strength of Book 2 bolstered by four seven-figure yearlings, including the likely $1.7-million sale topper, Goodman agreed there could be a disparity with breeders looking to shift their horses into Book 2 over Book 1.

“I had a great Book 1,” Goodman said. “I had five horses sell for $2.7 million. So I had a great first book. But I do think that there is disparity. I think some people hold their horses back and put them in Book 2 and they do great. And I think there are horses who don't belong in Book 1 that should have been in Book 2 that bring a lot of money. It's a difficult situation. I think the new [Keeneland] guys are doing a great job so far. I think this always been a problem. It's been a problem since they quit the July sale.”

Breeders also need to space out their yearlings in separate books. Ryan pointed out that Mt. Brilliant had sold another son of Into Mischief for $1.35 million during the first session of the sale.

“Sometimes you have to spread them out to give yourself the best shot,” Ryan said. @JessMartiniTDN

Street Sense Colt Puts Farfellow Farms Back in the Spotlight
The Knelman family's Farfellow Farms returned to consigning its own horses just last year with a two-horse consignment during Book 3 of Keeneland September. This year they brought seven horses and were immediately rewarded when their first horse through the ring, a Street Sense colt (Hip 1022), brought $1 million from BSW/Crow Colts Group.

“We actually brought [second dam] Critikola (Arg) (Tough Critic) up from Argentina, so this family has a lot of sentimental value for us,” Jak Knelman said. “It makes it all the more rewarding. We expected it to break out, but we tried to keep our expectations low. It's hard in the horse industry, but sometimes it lines up.”

A MGSW in her native Argentina, Critikola was imported by the Knelmans and placed in a pair of Grade I events for them in California. She produced GI Kentucky Oaks upsetter Lemons Forever (Lemon Drop Kid) for the Knelmans, who is the dam of champion Forever Unbridled (Unbridled's Song) and GISW Unbridled Forever (Unbridled's Song).

Hip 1022 is out of her SP daughter Critikal Reason (Aptitude), who is already the dam of MSW & GISP Bajan (Speightstown) and GSP Virtual Machine (Drosselmeyer).

“We started selling in the recent years,” Knelman said. “We have a small broodmare band of about 12 mares. This is the best colt we've brought to the sales in a long time and it really was a team effort. Our farm manager Josh [Hennessy] and Emmanuel, who works the farm. They put so much effort into it. It's really a family thing with my parents and myself.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

BSW/Crow Colts Group Makes First Seven Figure Purchase
Stallion-making partnerships have been all the rage in the past few years and Brad Cox and his team are joining the fray. Cox has gathered about 10 of his owners and teamed up with bloodstock agents Liz Crow and Brad Weisbord to gather a group of colts that fit the two-turn Classic build. Cox's team has been quite active at Keeneland this week and made their biggest purchase to date Thursday when going to $1 million for a son of Street Sense (Hip 1022).

“Brad Cox put it together. Obviously him and Liz Crow have a great relationship,” Weisbord said. “We got started with Brad in 2015. Liz actually told me Brad Cox was going to be a champion trainer one day. I think my first question at the time was who is Brad Cox. But, look Monomoy Girl (Tapizar), British Idiom (Flashback), Aunt Pearl (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}). Brad doesn't need any introduction.”

Weisbord and Crow did their bidding seated alongside Spendthrift's Ned Toffey. The late B. Wayne Hughes' operation is one of the partners in the new venture, which also includes Steve Landers Racing, Marty Schwartz, Michael Dubb, Jim Bakke, Marshall Gramm & Clay Sanders's Ten Strike Racing, Paul Farr, Rick Kueber's Kueber Racing, Chris Jean's Big Easy Racing and Rick Kanter's Winners Win.

“Spendthrift Farm is our seed partner,” Weisbord said. “Unfortunately, we lost a pioneer in the sport in B. Wayne Hughes. Eric Gustavson and his wife Tammy have taken over ownership of the farm and obviously they are going to be major players for the next 50 years. We have gotten to know Eric and they have a great leader in Ned Toffey.”

The Elite Sales managing partner continued, “This all kind of started when they bought Monomoy Girl and sent her back to Brad. When Brad started this venture, he thought they could be a good seed player in this group. He put a few more partners in the group. There will be nine or 10 names on the ownership line. Hopefully the Jockey Club will allow it. It's good for the sport. Terry Finley mentioned the power of the partnership and they are carrying these sales.”

The BSW/Crow Colts Group has purchased a total of 17 colts in the first two books for a gross of $5.98 million and average of $351,765.

“We will start shopping Book 3,” Weisbord said. “We have plenty of capital left so we will keep going. I think we have 20+ horses so far and the goal was to get 20 so we are there. Hopefully we get one or two stallions. It's a stallion-making group and we want to have fun along the way.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Violence Colt Proves Popular
Bloodstock agent Jacob West, bidding out back alongside trainer Todd Pletcher and just a few feet from Bob LaPenta's manager John Panagot, saw off that determined foe to acquire a colt by Violence (hip 1057) for $950,000 Thursday at Keeneland. The yearling was bred and consigned by Larry Doyle's KatieRich Farms.

“Todd obviously trained Violence and the first thing he said was that the colt reminded him of Violence when we saw the horse the other day,” West said after signing the ticket on the yearling on behalf of Repole Stable and St. Elias. “He's out of an A.P. Indy mare. What's selling well right now is that two-turn dirt horse and that's kind of what we felt that he was. He's got family behind him and an incredible physical and now we just hope he runs as good as he looks.”

The colt is out of False Impression (A.P. Indy) and is a half-brother to multiple Grade I winner Standard Deviation (Curlin).

Momentum on the yearling continued to build at the sales grounds over the last several days, according to Doyle.

“We thought it started off slow,” Doyle said. “And Monday and Tuesday his shows were sharing with our other horses, but just in the last couple of days they just started showing up for him. He vetted perfectly and let's hope he is the next Violence. I love False Impression. She produced Standard Deviation and she's been great for us all along.”

The sale of the Violence colt capped a perfect five-for-five day for the KatieRich consignment, which also sold a Quality Road filly (hip 1050) for $500,000 to Peter Brant's White Birch Farm, and a filly by Tapit (hip 943) and a colt by Uncle Mo (hip 970) for $300,000 each to Mike Ryan.

“It has been very strong,” Doyle said of the market. “I have had more looks at this sale–165 on this horse. Typically a year or two ago, we'd have 125. The Japanese aren't here, but there are a lot people here looking.”

Panagot was quick to get back into the bidding fray, but he agreed he was finding a competitive market.

“The good horses are competitive,” he said. “There have been a few horses we thought would be a little more busy, but I think at the very top, it's super tough. Mr. LaPenta loved [the Violence colt]. He's been buying horses in a partnership at this sale and that was a horse for himself and he was pretty gung-ho. He went past where he wanted to go probably by 25% or so.”

LaPenta's Whitehorse Stable, in partnership with Madaket and e Five Racing, has purchased seven colts so far at the Keeneland sale. On Thursday, the group went to $235,000 to acquire a yearling by Mendelssohn (hip 900), a colt by Twirling Candy (hip 953) for $170,000 and a colt by Candy Ride (Arg) (hip 1045) for $125,000 and a son of Nyquist (hip 1073) for $200,000. Earlier in the sale, the partnership went to $350,000 for a colt by Tapit (hip 662), a Collected (hip 317) for $200,000 and an Empire Maker (hip 528).

With the SF/Starlight/Madaket partnership and BSW/Crow Colts Group both looking to purchase potential future stallions, Panagot said he had plenty of company when bidding on quality colts.

“You have to pay for the good horses, especially the colts,” he said. “We are focusing on colts and I don't think we are that innovative with that because a lot of people are. And that's going to really bulk it up. But we are just trying to buy a handful with the right pedigrees and the right bodies and athletic horses and we feel like we have. We've bought five or six of them, but you have to fight for them.” @JessMartiniTDN

Indian Creek Gets Off to a Fast Start
Shack Parrish's Indian Creek consignment broke from the gate running Thursday when the first offering of the sale, an Into Mischief colt (Hip 755), brought $850,000 from Courtlandt Farm.

“He is a really nice horse,” Parrish said. “This was our first horse of the sale. I think Tuesday and Wednesday were extraordinary and Monday was kind of bouncy. Yesterday, especially was extremely strong, and today has already opened that way. It looks pretty good so far.”

Bred by Bob Edwards' Fifth Avenue Bloodstock and Centerline Breeding, Hip 755 is out of SP Inspired Grace (Curlin), a half-sister to GISW Off the Tracks (Curlin) and MGSW Concord Point (Tapit).

“He did everything right at the farm,” Parrish said. “He is very mild-mannered. He just keeps developing. He's beautiful now, but he will be even more beautiful this time next year.”

Courtlandt Farm has been extremely active through the first two books and have been quite keen on Into Mischief. Hip 755 was their third purchase by the red-hot Spendthrift stallion.

“We loved the colt, felt like he had a lot of stretch to him and looks like a colt that will fit our program,” said Courtlandt Farm manager Ernie Retamoza. “We are excited to have him and to get him at that number honestly, not to belittle what he brought.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Practical Joke Filly a Sentimental Score for St. George
When Archie St. George sold a Practical Joke colt (Hip 1079) he purchased for $105,000 at KEEJAN to Talla Racing for $750,000 during Thursday's session, it was not his first pinhooking score. However, it was certainly one of his most meaningful as St. George bought the colt from his good friend Mike Recio of South Point Sales Agency, who passed Thursday morning.

“We bought him as a weanling in January off South Point Sales, so I guess someone is looking down on us and helping us through it all.,” St. George said, the emotion clear on his face. “It's a sentimental sale. It was great. He was a very nice horse.”

He continued, “I'd like to thank the buyer Mike Talla and the underbidders, David Ingordo and his team and the Coolmore team. Practical Joke has been a very good stallion and he is a very nice horse. Fingers crossed we will hopefully see him down the road.”

Practical Joke is second to Gun Runner of the leading freshman sire list this term with 12 winners, two of which are also black-type winners. His graded stakes-winning son Wit was second in last weekend's GI Hopeful S. at Saratoga.

“Roger O'Callaghan rang me before the January sale and we had a Practical Joke filly back with him at Tally Ho,” St. George said. “He said whatever happens we are buying a Practical Joke. We did and the rest is history.”

Bred in Ontario by South Point, Hip 1079 is the first foal out of Gal Factor (The Factor), who is a half-sister to this year's GI Arkansas Derby winner Super Stock (Dialed In) and GISP Boujie Girl (Flashback).

“He has done very well,” St. George said. “He is a big, tall horse. As the spring and summer went on, he filled out. He has just been a simple straightforward horse. He got a little update in the second dam this year and everything fell into place. The stars aligned.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

A Profitable Duo for Duignan
Gabriel Duignan and a pair of Irish partners doubled up on a pair of pinhooking scores Thursday at Keeneland, selling a son of Speightstown (hip 944) for $425,000 to Starlight and Harrell Ventures and returning a few hips later to sell a daughter of Munnings (hip 961) for $280,000 to bloodstock agent Clay Scherer. The colt had been purchased by the partners for $180,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale and the filly had been acquired for $105,000 at that same auction.

The Speightstown colt is out of Wild Ridge (Tapit), a daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Wild Gams (Forest Wildcat).

“He was a very nice foal, a very typical Speightstown,” Duignan said of the colt “And I like the Tapit mares–he is a hell of a broodmare sire. He grew up and he was well-received on the grounds.”

The Munnings filly, a Canadian-bred, is out of Artillia (Artie Schiller), a half-sister to graded placed Solitaire (Victory Gallop).

“I think the Ontario-bred helped the Munnings filly,” Duignan said. “And Munnings, of course, has improved in the meantime. He's in another league. She's a big, strong filly who looks like she'll get a route of ground and with clean X-rays. She did everything the right way.”

Of buying weanlings last fall, Duignan said, “We had to work hard on it and we got outbid on a lot. I wouldn't have called it soft buying them last year.”

But the Irishman agreed the September market has been very competitive.

“This might be a bit more robust,” he said when asked to compare the two markets. “Our racing is so healthy right now. It probably makes more sense than it ever did to race a horse. There is a wide array of buyers. Our market here in America is very good here at the moment. We don't have a lot of foreign participation, but the domestic market is very good.”

Looking ahead to the remaining week of the September sale, Duignan said, “I am hoping it will be good. The crowds are still on the grounds and there a lot of people who haven't gotten to buy yet. I am hoping it will kick on.” @JessMartiniTDN

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Fireworks As Keeneland Book 2 Opens

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis

LEXINGTON, KY – Bidding was fast and frenetic when the first of two Book 2 sessions of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale opened Wednesday in Lexington, producing the auction's highest-priced offering yet when a colt by City of Light (hip 612) sold for $1.7 million to the partnership of Woodford Racing, Talla Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds.

“That was amazing,” an ebullient Keeneland vice president of sales Tony Lacy said at the close of business Wednesday. “That was one of the best sale days we've seen in a while. Every time you picked up your head, there was a horse selling for $500,000 or $600,000.”

During the session, 211 yearlings sold for $60,996,000. The session average was $289,081–up 30.88% from the corresponding 2020 session–and the median was up 27.78% to $230,000. Of the 350 catalogued lots, 283 went through the ring and, with just 72 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 25.44%.

Through three sessions, 419 yearlings have sold for $151,618,000 for an average of $361,857 and a median of $290,000.

A year ago at this point in the sale, 394 yearlings had sold for $126,076,000. The cumulative average was $319,990 and the median was $250,000.

The September Sale results sheets continued to be punctuated by a diverse buying bench, with seven different buyers purchasing the day's top 10 lots from seven different consignors.

“I think the highlight for me is the depth of the market,” said Keeneland's director of sales operations Cormac Breathnach. “Aside from the million-dollar horses, we had 26 bring over half a million. They went to a very broad base of buyers, particularly domestic demand in today's case. We saw the new money go to work today. People are excited about what they are buying and are sticking around.”

The $1.7-million yearling, who could become the first from Book 2 and the first by a first-crop sire to top the September Sale in at least the last decade, was one of two to bring seven figures during the session. Mike Talla and West Point Thoroughbreds also teamed up to purchase the first North American million-dollar colt by Triple Crown winner Justify for $1.55 million. Woodford Racing and West Point had made the auction's previous top bid of $1.6 million when purchasing a son of City of Light's sire Quality Road Tuesday.

First-crop sire City of Light has been on fire at Keeneland September, accounting for a pair of million-dollar colts. Through the first three sessions, 19 yearlings by that Lane's End stallion sold for a gross of $9,315,000 and an average of $490,263. City of Light's sire and fellow Lane's End resident Quality Road was also responsible for a pair of seven-figure colts. Overall, 25 Quality Road yearlings have sold for $13.47 million with an average of $538,800.

Seven of the top 10 sellers Wednesday were from the first or second crops of their young sires and the top two lots were rewarding smaller breeders. Rosilyn Polan's Sunday Morning Farm was responsible for the $1.7-million colt and Jeff and Chiquita Reddoch's Stonehaven Steadings sold the $1.55-million colt.

“The two top prices today were homebreds from smaller breeders,” Lacy said. “That is a real score.”

While some sellers seem to be eschewing the boutique Book 1 section of the September sale for an increasingly competitive Book 2, Lacy said he thinks the reality is that Book 1 continues to attract top money. Lacy pointed out that the Book 1 median was $350,000, compared to Book 2's current median of $230,000.

“Book 1 is where the money is at,” Lacy said. “It does drop off, but you probably get more consistency through certain parts of [Book 2]. Book 1 gets a bad rap in certain ways. I thought yesterday was amazing, but today the clearance rate probably made it even better.”

Breathnach expects to see competitive bidding continue as Book 2 concludes with its second session Thursday.

“This [momentum] is hopefully going to last for a while because there are a lot of people here who haven't bought a horse yet and there is that whole second week [of buyers], who maybe haven't arrived yet. We are pretty optimistic about how this is going to see through to the end of the sale, but today was a great day for sure.”

The Keeneland September sale continues Thursday at 11 a.m. Following a dark day Friday, the auction runs through Sept. 24 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

Polan Hits One Out of the Park

Rosilyn Polan, who sold future graded stakes winner Wit (Practical Joke) for $575,000 at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale, shot past that previous personal best when a colt by City of Light brought a sale-topping final bid of $1.7 million from the partnership of Woodford Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Mike Talla.

“I can't even imagine how much money that is,” said Polan as she was bombarded by well wishers while walking back to her Barn 37. Larry Best, smiling broadly, bound over to congratulate the petite consignor, while consignor Chris Baccari shouted over, “You're the woman.”

The seven-figure yearling is out of Anchorage (Tapit), a mare Polan purchased privately four years ago.

“She is my favorite,” Polan admitted of Anchorage. “I know I have the dam of Wit, but I love her. And I have always had a lot of confidence in this colt. He was the first foal born on my farm last year and from that minute, I knew he was special.”

Anchorage has a weanling filly by Omaha Beach and was bred back to Game Winner.

Of the decision to send the multiple-stakes placed mare to City of Light, Polan explained, “It was a no-brainer. I booked sight unseen because he wasn't at the farm when I was there. He was at the racetrack. One of the guys said, 'I have a picture of him on the racetrack.' So he showed me on his phone and when I saw that beautiful big rear end, I said that was enough. I actually bred the dam of Wit [Numero d'Oro] back to City of Light.”

Polan has eight mares at her Sunday Morning Farm and credited her two-person team on the farm with preparing the colt for his sales success Wednesday.

Asked how she would celebrate the milestone sale, Polan said, “Clean stalls, turn out yearlings, clip ears, go to bed early and get up and ship tomorrow. I never have a bad day. I don't. My horses… you know there's always challenges. There's always death or sickness … but I'm always looking forward. They just fill me up. I'm still having fun. So now I'm going to have more fun.” @JessMartiniTDN

Talla, West Point Make a Statement

Mike Talla and West Point Thoroughbreds' Terry Finley, bidding out back, created the first fireworks of Wednesday's third session of the Keeneland September sale when going to $1.55 million to secure a son of Justify (hip 580), but the two men were far from done. Joined by Woodford Racing's Bill Farish just about a half-hour later, the duo went to a sale-topping $1.7 million to acquire a colt by City of Light (hip 612). Both colts will be heading west to the barn of John Sadler, who trains GI Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) for Talla and Hronis Racing and undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) for West Point, Hronis Racing, Summer Wind Equine and Siena Farm.

“It was a full price but I knew we were going to have to stretch to get him,” Farish, whose family's Lane's End stands City of Light, said of the colt. “This horse could have been in Book 1 as easily as he is in Book 2. You can't let that cloud your judgment. He was a Book 1 type, no question about it. One horse doesn't determine the whole market, but he was exceptional.”

Woodford Racing and West Point teamed up to purchase a $1.6-million Quality Road colt during Tuesday's second session of the Keeneland sale.

“There aren't that many horses who give you that truly good feel that you're looking at an extremely good prospect,” said Finley. “There were a couple today that we bought that gave us that feel. It's good to have partners and to be in a position where we could take some swings at really good prospects like this.”

Of the increasing presence of partnerships at the top of the results sheets, Finley said, “These horses are very hard to buy, and I just couldn't do it without an immense amount of support and people who are in a position to take chunks. I don't necessarily abide by the notion that these partnerships are bad for the sellers, because oftentimes, you might get two of these groups [that bid against each other]. So everything evens out. You can't mess with the market. The market is what the market is.”

Talla, who made it to this year's GI Kentucky Derby with Rock Your World, is the co-founder of The Sports Club Company.

“We have a team together, John Sadler, David Ingordo and West Point Thoroughbreds,” Talla said after signing the ticket on the Justify colt. “We had our eye on two or three of them and we kept getting outbid. We had to make a stand somewhere and we really liked this one, so we went in for it. We will know next year if we made a mistake or not. Let's talk next summer and see if we are glad if we bought him or not.”

Talla also teamed with West Point to purchase a City of Light filly (hip 451) for $500,000.

Looking ahead, Finley said, “You just start dreaming with these kind of horses, and just hope you get lucky.” @JessMartiniTDN

Stonehaven Steadings Flexes Its Muscles

Jeff and Chiquita Reddoch's Stonehaven Steadings had its first million-dollar sale when, in partnership with de Meric Sales, it sold a Quality Road filly for a sale-topping $1.5 million at this year's OBS April sale. The operation enjoyed a second million-dollar transaction Wednesday at Keeneland when its homebred colt by Justify (hip 580) sold for $1.55 million to Talla Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds.

“Unreal. Just completely unreal,” Stonehaven Steadings' Leah O'Meara said after the colt left the sales ring. “The de Merics sold that horse down in Florida. While we still owned a large piece of him, they did that. This one was ours. It was really nice for our team. I can't wait to go back to the barn and celebrate with them.”

The bay yearling is out of graded-placed True Feelings (Latent Heat), a mare the Reddochs purchased for $210,000 at the 2012 Keeneland November sale. The mare is the dam of multiple stakes winner Feeling Mischief (Into Mischief) and graded-placed Royal Act (American Pharoah). She produced a Quality Road colt this year.

“We had two Justifys and we decided to split them up and put one in Book 1 and one in Book 2,” O'Meara said. “They were different types, both nice stretchy colts, but two different types. We thought highly of both of them, but you never know when you come out here who is going to be received the best. [Hip 580] was an absolute monster at the farm and he showed like a complete professional through every show. He never got tired. The colt we had in Book 1 [hip 224 who sold for $600,000] was lovely, but there were a lot of big-priced Justifys, so maybe it helped to be in Book 2. But I think this colt would have stood out anyway.”

The OBS April topper, now named Corniche, was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following a debut victory at Del Mar for Speedway Stables and trainer Bob Baffert. Ten hips after selling the $1.55-million son of Justify, Stonehaven Steadings sold that filly's half-sister by Mendelssohn (hip 590) for $750,000 to her co-breeder Bart Evans.

“It was probably the most exciting thing I have experienced in this business,” Stonehaven Steadings' Aidan O'Meara said after watching the two yearlings go through the ring. “We are excited for everybody on the [farm and sales] team. It is a credit to them and their horsemanship. It might be one of the best crews in Kentucky for a farm of our size.”

Of the yearlings, O'Meara said, “We were high on them all along. There was a huge update for the filly. The colt has been one of our top two colts all along, but he really blossomed in the last two months. When you get here to the sale, some horses go in the opposite direction and some of them bloom and thrive and change. He is a big magnificent-striding horse. He was a class act all the way through. He improved every day and you could feel the momentum building with the serious players and the [veterinarians] getting involved.”

Stonehaven Steadings completed a highly profitable day at Keeneland Wednesday with a filly by City of Light (hip 645) who sold for $500,000 to West Point Thoroughbreds, Robert Masiello and Scarlet Oak Racing. The bay yearling is out of Canny (Big Brown), who was claimed for $15,000 at Fair Grounds in 2019. @JessMartiniTDN

Gun Runner, the Gift That Keeps on Giving for Winchell

Gun Runner carried the Winchell Thoroughbred colors to 12 victories and just shy of $16 million in earnings and has proven equally talented in the breeding shed. The chestnut shot to the top of the freshman sire rankings with a pair of Grade I winners at Saratoga, both of whom are owned and bred or co-owned by Winchell.

The Three Chimneys stallion provided his part-owner with another success Wednesday when a Winchell-bred son of Gun Runner (hip 574) summoned $975,000 from Jacob West, acting on behalf of Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable.

“He was a really nice colt,” said Winchell. “I wanted to stay in on him. That probably won't happen at this point. I like to support our horses.”

Winchell was quick to thank West, who pointed to trainer Todd Pletcher and said, “You need to thank that guy right there.”

“You probably can't name a hotter stallion or a stallion that has gotten off to a hotter start than him,” West said of Gun Runner. “The colt looks like his dad. The whole team loved him. He is by Gun Runner and out of a Tapit mare and that is a pretty good combo, we hope. You can't get any hotter with the stallion or the broodmare sire. We are excited to get him.”

As for the price, West said, “He was kind of the talking horse around. So, we knew he'd bring good money. That was right about what we thought he would bring. We knew we were going to have to fight off some pretty serious competition.”

Hip 574 is out of the unraced Time to Tap (Tapit), who is a full-sister to Winchell's champion filly and GI Kentucky Oaks winner Untapable. A half to Grade I-winning stallion Paddy O'Prado (El Prado {Ire}), Untapable is a daughter of GSW Fun House (Prized).

Fourteen Gun Runners yearlings have sold through the first three days for a total of $5.845 million and average of $417,500.

—@CDeBernardisTDN

Mendelssohn Filly to LNJ Foxwoods

A filly from the first crop of Grade I winner Mendelssohn (hip 603) will be joining the roster of the Roth family's LNJ Foxwoods after selling for $900,000 to the bid of bloodstock agents Jason Litt and Alex Solis Wednesday at Keeneland.

The filly is out of the unraced Acrobatique (Discreet Cat), who is a half-sister to LNJ Foxwoods' champion Covfefe (Into Mischief). She was consigned by Gainesway on behalf of breeder Alexander-Groves Thoroughreds.

“Of course the pedigree is there, but the physical is there too and she was awesome the whole time,” Solis said. “She stands up conformationally. She has a great walk on her and a lot of body. She looks fast.”

Of the power-packed opening session of Book 2, Solis said, “It's been really strong. We loved the Quality Road filly that Donato bought earlier in the day and when she brought $850,000, I knew this was probably going to be more.” @JessMartiniTDN

Courtlandt Strikes for Gun Runner

Don and Donna Adam's Courtlandt Farm was very active in Book 1 and made their presence known late in the opening session of Book 2 when going to $875,000 for a colt by leading freshman sire Gun Runner (hip 679). Lane's End consigned the filly for Jon Clay's Alpha Delta Stables.

“We liked everything about that colt,” said Courtlandt Farm manager Ernie Retamoza, while seated alongside former Lane's End farm manager Mike Cline, who was also sporting a Courtlandt Farm hat. “He was a great physical. The way the Gun Runners are coming out running, they are tough to buy. You saw what we had to give for him, but we are glad we got it done.”

Reynolds Bell went to $2.15 million to secure hip 679's second dam, MGSW & GISP Broadway's Alibi (Vindication), on Clay's behalf, carrying a foal by Smart Strike at the 2013 Keeneland November Sale. The resulting foal was the colt's dam, the unraced Distorted Lies (Smart Strike). Broadway's Alibi is a half-sister to MGSW Golden Lad (Medaglia d'Oro) and MSW & GISP R Gypsy Gold (Bernardini). This is also the family of GISW sire Dialed In.

Courtlandt Farm has purchased a total of 10 yearlings through the first three sessions for $6.175 million. —@CDeBernardisTDN

SF/Starlight/Madaket Partners Stay Busy

The stallion-making partnership of SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables continued its busy buying pace during Wednesday's third session of the Keeneland September sale, going to $850,000 to acquire a colt by Curlin (hip 466). The yearling was consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck's Summerfield on behalf of breeder Stonestreet.

“He's a very well-bred horse. He's by Curlin, a stallion we really admire and out of a mare that looks like she has the potential to be a very good mare at this point,” said SF's Tom Ryan.

The chestnut colt is out of graded stakes winner My Wandy's Girl (Flower Alley), who won the GII Barbara Fritchie H. before being purchased by Stonestreet for $700,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale.

Her 2-year-old colt My Prankster (Into Mischief), who sold for $600,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase, romped home a 10-length debut winner at Saratoga Aug. 21 for Robert and Lawana Low and was named a 'TDN Rising Star'.

“My Prankster looks like a good colt,” Ryan said. “We definitely noticed the 2-year-old winning as well as he did and we admired him last year at the yearling sale. This colt looks like a very nice two-turn colt. He'll go to California to Bob Baffert.”

The partnership's four purchases Wednesday also included a $775,000 colt by Good Magic (hip 607), a $675,000 son of Uncle Mo (hip 573), and a $440,000 colt by Twirling Candy (hip 560).

Through three days, the group has purchased 10 yearlings for $6,265,000.

Another emerging partnership making a big impact at the September sale is the BSW/Crow Colts Group, which purchased 10 lots Wednesday for $2,605,000. Through three sessions, bloodstock agents Liz Crow and Brad Weisbord, bidding alongside trainer Brad Cox, have purchased 13 yearlings for the partnership for a total of $3,955,000. @JessMartiniTDN

Quality Sale For Town & Country Farms

Town & Country Farms had a strong showing in Book 1 of Keeneland September, selling an $850,000 Into Mischief colt (hip 53) and a $350,000 Quality Road (hip 113), and Louise Courtelis's operation sparked the first fireworks of Book 2 when their homebred filly by Quality Road (Hip 465) summoned $825,000 from Donato Lanni, acting on behalf of Susan and Charlie Chu's Baoma Corp. The filly was consigned by Taylor Made.

“She has been very lucky with fillies,” said Lanni of Susan Chu, who has campaigned Grade I-winning fillies Bast (Uncle Mo) and Varda (Distorted Humor). “She is a very fun owner. She and Charlie are very game. Hopefully she is like the other good fillies that we have had for her. They are really good people to work for.”

He continued, “[Hip 465] is just beautiful. She is a quiet filly, well made and has everything we wanted.”

Hip 465 is the first foal out of MSW & GSP My Miss Chiff (Into Mischief), a half-sister to MSW Silvercents (Goldencents). A $110,000 FTKJUL purchase by King's Equine, she carried the Town & Country silks to four wins from nine starts and just under $200,000 in earnings.

“Shannon [Potter] picked her out and flew all over to see her run and always believed in her,” said Kiki Courtelis, President of Town & Country, referring to the farm's CEO.

“She's a great mama,” said Potter. “She's been very good to us. That filly was really special, especially for a first foal. She checked all the boxes for everyone. She had a big walk to her. We thought breeding her to Quality Road might have been a stretch in stud fee, but she has paid us back tenfold from the time we raced her all the way up to selling the first baby out of her.”

He added, “This baby has gotten better and better. She was always a good foal. It was great.”

Lanni also purchased Town & Country's $850,000 Into Mischief colt for the group known as the Avengers. The colt was out of GSP Majestic Presence (Majestic Warrior).

“We sold another one for $850,000,” Potter said. “That was probably 1 and 1A for the crop that we had going through. I thought the Into Mischief colt was the best colt that we have raised at Town & Country so far. Martine is our yearling guy and he is one of a kind. He has a special hand with horses and whenever he hooks on one and really likes it, we know it is the real deal.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

City of Light's Connections Strike For One of His Daughters

City of Light's trainer Michael McCarthy signed the $750,000 ticket on a filly (hip 636) from his initial crop on behalf of the stallion's owners Mr. & Mrs. William K. Warren. McCarthy was also the underbidder on the $1.7-million City of Light colt who is the current sale topper.

“I loved this filly,” McCarthy said. “I saw her the other day and have been thinking about her for the last 24 hours. We tried earlier on the [sale topper]. We went a fair ways with him. We were unlucky, but he has obviously gone to a good home. This filly reminds me of the filly we purchased in Saratoga.”

The conditioner continued, “[The City of Lights] have plenty of scope, plenty of class. She showed herself wonderfully in the back ring. She took it all in. It's amazing. You are so close to them for so many years and then you try to jump back in. They are in so demand. We are grateful to have to pay a premium. She has good residual value.”

Hip 636 is out of Birdie Birdie (El Prado {Ire}), who breeder and consignor Nursery Place purchased for $160,000 carrying a Twirling Candy foal at the 2016 KEENOV sale. She is also responsible for MGSW Free Rose (Munnings) and SP Sylven Park (Wildcat Heir).

McCarthy has been pleased to see such a high demand for the offspring of City of Light both this week and at last month's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.

“It is wonderful to see,” McCarthy said. “It is always nice to play a small part in a horse like him and I am glad to see he is carrying it on in his second career.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Evans Buys Out Partner on Mendelssohn Filly

Bart Evans teamed up with Stonehaven Steadings to breed a Mendolssohn filly out of his MGSW & GISP-placed mare Wasted Tears (Najran) (hip 590). He loved her so much he couldn't part with her, going to $750,000 to buy out his partners.

“I liked the mare,” Evans said. “I raised her, trained her, ran her and bred her. I don't have a filly out of her. She had one we had to put down this year and now she is going to be 17. I want the blood and I liked her. She reminds me of her mother with her attitude and her looks.”

Evans purchased Wasted Tears's dam Wishes and Roses (Greinton {GB}) for just $20,000 at Keeneland September back in 1992. Wasted Tears won 12 of her 22 starts–with half of those wins coming in graded stakes–for her owner/breeder/ trainer and earned $941,463. Wasted Tears is also the dam of $1.5-million OBS April topper Corniche (Quality Road), who romped to 'TDN Rising Star'-dom on debut at Del Mar Sept. 4.

This is the first crop for GISW Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy), who was a $3-million KEESEP topper and is a half-sibling to future Hall of Famer Beholder (Henny Hughes) and superstar sire Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday). Another Mendelssohn summoned $900,000 from Solis/Litt just a few hips later (hip 603).

“I like Mendelssohn,” said Evans. “I saw him when they got him and, my God, I think he was the best-looking horse I've ever seen. They took him all over the world. I looked at all the Mendelssohns I could to see how they are, but she showed more of her mother than they did.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

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