Colts Drive The Market As Keeneland September Ticks Into Book 3

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland September Yearling Sale entered Book 3 with a session dominated by colts as buyers targeted stallion prospects Saturday in Lexington. Leading the way was a son of Practical Joke who sold for $900,000 to the bid of Monique Delk, bidding on behalf of Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable.

During Saturday's session, 273 yearlings grossed $47,904,000 for an average of $175,473 and a median of $150,000. The average was up 7.09% and the median rose 15.38% from the corresponding session a year ago when 285 head sold for $46,697,000 for an average of $163,849 and a median of $130,000.

From a catalogue of 418, 370 went through the ring with 97 failing to meet their reserve for a buy-back rate of 26.22%. It was 23.18% a year ago.

The top 15 prices Saturday were all for colts and Gainesway sold the session's top three-priced offerings–and four of the top 10.

“It was such a competitive Book 2 that now it's trickled down so that the top offerings, especially colts that look like they could be a stallion if they run, are breaking through,” said Gainesway's Brian Graves. “If a mare is young, it escalates the price of some of these stallion-prospect colts. Good broodmare sires and a little sire power is the secret formula to having a chance to hit a home run.”

Delk was busy throughout the session, signing–alone or in partnership–for seven horses for $3.18 million.

“For the good horses, it's very competitive,” Delk said. “They are bringing the money. I felt like earlier on, it was a little slower, but I feel like the momentum has picked up. Good horses are going to sell well whatever book they are in. And they really stand out, so those are the ones that are really hitting it home.”

The Keeneland September sale continues through Saturday with sessions beginning each day at 10 a.m.

Practical Joke Colt to St Elias

Monique Delk, bidding on behalf of Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable, went to $900,000 to acquire a colt by Practical Joke (hip 1361) from the Gainesway consignment Saturday at Keeneland. The yearling is out of Ridingwiththedevil (Candy Ride {Arg}) and is a half-brother to multiple Grade I-placed Reinvestment Risk (Upstart).

“He is a beautiful colt,” Delk, who did her bidding in the new seating area at the same table as the yearling's co-breeder, Mandy Pope, said. “He checked all of our boxes. He had a beautiful physical and a beautful walk. He seemed to be all class.”

Of the colt's final price tag, Delk added, “For a horse like that, you have to expect that can happen. We were willing to go the extra bit, but I thought he would be a little less than that.”

Later in the session, Delk partnered up with Whisper Hill Farm on a colt by Constitution (hip 1458) for $675,000. The dark bay was consigned by Gainesway and bred by Whisper Hill.

In total, Delk purchased seven yearlings Saturday for a total of $3,180,000. In addition to the colt purchased with Whisper Hill, she also teamed up with Donegal Racing on a colt by Maxfield (hip 1236) acquired for $170,000 from the Bluewater Sales consignment.

Gainesway purchased Ridingwiththedevil, with the Practical Joke colt in utero, for $210,000 at the 2022 Fasig-Tipton November sale. The yearling was bred by Pope's Whisper Hill Farm, Gainesway, and Gainesway farm manager Brian Graves.

“The horse sold a fair ways over the reserve,” Graves said. “It's just been a competitive market for the top offerings. And I suppose that's the answer. People thought he was a top offering. He was a real leggy colt, one of the best walkers on the farm. It does seem like when you have sire power and enough dam side to make a case for a stallion prospect, that prices like this can materialize. We are really grateful to Monique and the buyers and wish them the best of luck. We hope he updates the mare.”

Ridingwiththedevil produced a colt by Not This Time this year and was bred back to Life is Good.

Graves has earned a reputation as a weanling-to-yearling pinhooking maestro, but shortly before hip 1361 was in the sales ring, he enjoyed another success with a homebred when a colt by Liam's Map (hip 1343) brought a final $700,000 internet bid from the Bernhard's Pin Oak Stud.

Bred by Gainesway and Graves, the gray yearling is out of Pop a Choc (Bernardini), a half-sister to multiple graded winner Airoforce (Colonel John). He is the first foal out of the mare who was purchased for $265,000 at the 2021 Keeneland November sale.

“When I saw the vet work coming in on him, I thought he could sell really well,” Graves said. “We were delighted with the price. Again, Bernardini mare with enough graded-stakes quality in the pedigree that you could see him becoming a good stallion prospect in the future if he can run.”

Asked how many mares he owns, Graves said, “About 20.” He added with a laugh, “Most of them don't do this.”

Hip 1361 delivers at $900,000! Monique Delk, agent purchased the Practical Joke half-brother to G1 placed Reinvestment Risk, from the @Gainsway consignment. #KeeSept pic.twitter.com/xxj6mNGXUY

— Keeneland Sales (@keenelandsales) September 14, 2024