$575K Maxfield Colt On Top as Book 3 Concludes with Increases

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued ahead of its 2023 edition as Book 3 concluded Sunday night with a colt by Maxfield leading the way when selling for $575,000.

Through the two Book 3 sessions, 526 yearlings sold through the ring for a gross of $83,880,000. The section's average was $159,468–up 4.7% from a year ago–and the median was $130,000, an increase of 13.04%. Ten horses sold for $500,000 or more, compared to 13 hitting that mark a year ago.

During last year's Book 3 section, 562 yearlings sold through the ring for $85,565,000 for an average of $152,251 and a median of $115,000.

With trainers Bob Baffert, Chad Brown and Mark Casse among the first-week shoppers still on the grounds as Book 3 concluded, Sunday's session marked a transition for the 12-day auction, according to Mark Taylor of Taylor Made Sales Agency.

“Yesterday and today, to me, it felt a little bit thin like a lot of horses didn't have quite punch above the reserve,” Taylor said. “They were getting done, but it was right there and you had to be careful with your reserves. But I think the market was still fair. Sunday, to me, seems like sometimes it's a transitional day. Some of the people are almost done and maybe they are just bidding on a few select horses. And then some of the people who are really coming for Book 4 are maybe up here around the ring and they are dabbling and maybe buying a few in the back ring. But it's kind of a transition day.”

Through six sessions, 1,166 yearlings have grossed $336,408,000. The cumulative average of $288,515 is up 8.15% from the same point in the 2023 auction and the median is up 5% at $210,000. The buy-back rate is 28.51%. It was 26.08% last year.

“I think the sale has been very, very good,” Taylor said. “I think Keeneland has done a great job of bringing in buyers from all over the world. There has been a ton of European breeze-up people that have bought a lot of horses from us, so getting them over here and getting them engaged, I think it's a good sign for our breeders that those guys want American horses and they think they can do well at the breeze-up sales. That's been kind of a bright spot.”

Looking ahead to the auction's second week, Taylor added, “I thought Book 3 was good, but my hope is that Book 4 is even stronger, that there is new blood coming in and it's going to kick on and go from there.”

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

Maxfield Colt for the Amigos

Trainer Bob Baffert, still on the grounds shopping through Book 3 at Keeneland, and bloodstock agent Donato Lanni went to $575,000 to acquire a colt from the first crop of Maxfield on behalf of the 'Three Amigos': Mike Pegram, Karl Watson, and Paul Weitman Sunday. Out of Bible Belt (Pulpit), the dark bay colt is a half-brother to graded-placed Hardworkcleanlivin (Colonel John). Bred by Bill Thompson, Jr., he was consigned by Indian Creek.

“Bob is here and the three amigos are all here,” Lanni said. “It's nice to have them here. The Maxfields have been selling really well. They are all beautiful. And we all liked this colt. He was a must-have.”

The Three Amigos were buying their second yearling by Maxfield. They also paid $575,000 for a colt by the sire consigned by Burleson Farms (hip 1108).

Through six sessions, has had 41 yearlings sell for an average of $275,366. He was represented by pair of million-dollar yearlings in Book 1.

Maxfield Colt a High for Thompson

Bill Thompson, Jr., breeding Thoroughbreds since 1996, sold his highest-priced yearling Sunday at Keeneland when his colt by Maxfield sold for a session-topping $575,000 to Three Amigos.

“That exceeded my expectations,” Thompson admitted. “I was hoping that we might be $250,000 to $300,000, so this certainly exceeded my expectations.”

Breeder William Thompson Jr. | Keeneland

The session topper is out of Bible Belt (Pulpit), a mare Thompson purchased for $15,000 at the 2011 Keeneland January sale.

Maxfield is in the midst of a breakout sale with his first-crop yearlings at Keeneland.

Of the decision to send his mare to the Darley stallion, Thompson said, “Maxfield was a stallion that I had the opportunity to see at the racetrack when he was in his racing days. [Trainer] Brendan [Walsh] was really kind to take him out and let us see him. And I was impressed with his disposition, the way he carried himself. That's the difficult thing to ascertain about a potential mating. What is the horse's demeanor? That's so important, I think, not only for the sales, but also for the racetrack. They've got to have that demeanor and confidence that they don't get addled. So I like to pay attention to what I observe of them and Maxfield was such a standout individual from the way he carried himself.”

Thompson has six mares that he boards at Winsom Farm in Paris, Kentucky.

“I had horses when I was younger–Quarter Horses, just riding horses,” Thompson recalled. “But I was really interested in the Thoroughbred world. I bought my first mare in 1996 and had the good fortune to breed to Saint Ballado in his second year and that yearling went on to do very well. I sold her well here at Keeneland. So what do you do? Get some money, buy a couple more mares. So that's where I am today.”

Asked what it was like to watch his high-selling yearling go through the ring Sunday, Thompson said, “It feels rewarding because there are so many things that can go wrong. I lost two foals this year. It's a difficult game, but when everything lines up and you have a success like this, it just feels terrific.”

Nyquist Colt to Wathnan Racing

A colt by Nyquist (hip 1813) is joining the expanding U.S. stable of Wathnan Racing after bloodstock agent Case Clay made a final bid of $550,000 to secure the yearling Sunday at Keeneland. The dark bay is out of stakes-placed Slimey (Quality Road) and was consigned by Knockgriffin Farm.

“He really just caught my eye,” said Clay. “He has a lot of presence and is a beautiful mover.”

The Wathnan Racing of the Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani burst on the European racing scene last summer when winning a pair of races at Royal Ascot. The operation returned to win four races at the royal meeting this year.

Hip 1813, a colt by Nyquist | Keeneland

Clay has been shopping for Wathnan at the yearling sales over the last month as the operation expands its U.S. roster, which already has seen graded success with Subsanador (Arg) (Fortify)'s win in the GIII Phillip H. Iselin Stakes

“In America, they are looking to buy two-turn dirt horses, colts and fillies,” Clay said. “There are 13 in training at the moment and so far at Saratoga and September sale, they have bought 14—11 here [at Keeneland] and three at Saratoga.”

Wathnan's purchases at Keeneland have included a colt by Gun Runner (hip 235) for $800,000 and a colt by Not This Time (hip 4) for $675,000.

At Saratoga, Clay's three purchases on behalf of Wathnan included a filly by Tapit (hip 160) for $850,000; a colt by Into Mischief (hip 55) for $850,000; and a second filly by Tapit (hip 135) for $500,000.

Fitzgerald Hits Another Book 3 Home Run

Jim Fitzgerald's Knockgriffin Farm hit a pinhooking home run when topping the second Book 3 section in 2023 with a $900,000 son of Constitution he had purchased for $100,000 at Keeneland January eight months earlier. Fitzgerald did again Sunday at Keeneland when selling a colt by Nyquist for $550,000 to Case Clay Thoroughbred Management. The yearling was purchased for $95,000 at Keeneland this past January.

“He just had an overall range about him,” Fitzgerald said. “The way he moved as a weanling, I thought there was just so much potential there. He grew up exactly as I thought he would. I think his better days are ahead of him. He's really started to come into himself now and I think Case Clay bought a really nice horse.”

Of the colt's price tag in January, Fitzgerald said, “I was a little surprised by it, but he had a lot of maturing to do. And sometimes you get a bit lucky. And obviously I got lucky, especially with Nyquist, who is probably one of the hottest sires around right now.”

Casse Celebrates with More Shopping

By any measure, Mark Casse had a good day at the race Saturday. The trainer saddled the top three in the GI Natalma Stakes, the top two in the GI Woodbine Mile and south of the border captured the GIII Pocahontas Stakes at Churchill Downs. Casse wasn't on hand at any of those races, however, as he shopped the Keeneland September sale.

“It's funny,” Casse said at the sales pavilion Sunday. “I think we've won the Natalma eight or nine times and the Summer four or five times. I think that was our third Woodbine Mile. I haven't been to any of them. It's always the week of the sale. I tell everybody, that book has been written. I am trying to buy next year's winners.”

Asked how he celebrated the racetrack success Saturday, Casse said, “We went out to dinner with some friends. We were going strong, trying to buy horses and watch races. This is always an interesting week.”

Casse had a knockout summer with his 2-year-olds at Saratoga and the babies continue to perform with And One More Time (Omaha Beach), Vixen (Vekoma), and Nitrogen (Medaglia d'Oro) sweeping the trifecta in the Natalma and La Cara (Street Sense)'s win in the Pocahontas.

“We had a wonderful year with our 2-year-olds,” Casse said. “We started a new plan at the beginning of the year. We bought yearlings, but then we got them ready at our training center, so we had a good group ready early. We got them started. I think that's the key. You look at a filly like La Cara who won the Pocahontas, she started a couple of times before she even won. So it takes some of those horses a few starts.”

Tynan Makes the Scene at Keeneland

Ronan Tynan took time away from his teaching duties at University of Kentucky to take in the sales at Keeneland Sunday, but the Irish tenor, who breeds and races in his native country, found bidding competitive.

Ronan Tynan | Keeneland 

“I teach two weeks each semester at University of Kentucky,” Tynan, said. “I have a stud farm in Ireland and in the past I've bought horses here, but it's very good sales this year. Holy moly.”

Asked if he had bid on anything Sunday, Tynan admitted, “I saw a beautiful filly by Street Sense and she attracted my attention hugely, but then she detracted my attention because she flew. I tell you what, if this is an indication of the way things are going, it's going to be hard to get something within the realm of my pocket. But it's fantastic.”

Tynan will be hoping the action is as competitive in Ireland when he turns to the selling side of the sales.

“I breed and race,” Tynan said. “The year before I had eight winners, last year I had seven or eight. This year, not so good, but you have years like that. I have foals for the sales in Ireland. I'm a little worried about how it goes. Ireland is not America. I think Europe may be near a recession, not near the top, but the tier below it.”