Keeneland September Sale

Since the start of sales season last fall, comments have circulated on how Mastery could be the dark horse in his class of first-crop yearling sires. There are many unknowns about the son of Candy Ride (Arg), as he may have never reached his full potential on the track when an injury forced him to retire prematurely. But his four-for-four career start had garnered talk of Kentucky Derby favoritism after dominating performances in the GI Los Alamitos Cash Call Futurity and the GII San Felipe S. Now in the stud...

Earlier this week, Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton released their joint safety protocols for their upcoming September Sales, which included a credential system for all attendees, including buyers. All consignors and their staffs, vets and their staffs and media are required to provide proof of a negative COVID-19 test 10 days prior to the start of the Sept. 9-10 Fasig-Tipton Sale. Keeneland and Fasig-Tipton have partnered with a trusted technology provider, Virtual Badge, to serve their digital credential needs for both September sales. Both sales companies will share a common credential, accessible...

  Although it will look quite different this year, the start of the yearling sales season is finally around the corner and 2017 Horse of the Year Gun Runner would appear to be poised at the head of his class if stud fee and weanling average are anything to be. The son of Candy Ride (Arg) led all sires of first weanlings with an average of $275,923 with 13 of 14 sold, including a filly out of two-time Grade I winner Love and Pride (A.P Indy) who was the highest-priced...

In just five weeks, the annual Keeneland September Yearling Sale will be underway. Despite unprecedented challenges and ongoing uncertainty, it will mark the start of a marathon of events for Keeneland and its future President and CEO Shannon Arvin. "We've got a long fall," said Arvin, who now serves as Interim Head of Sales and will be officially named President-elect on September 1. "We've got the September Sale, the October race meet, the Breeders' Cup that we're so excited about and then we've got the November Breeding Stock sale to...

Bob Verratti, who has done a little of everything in racing for the past four decades, decided to purchase a small group of pinhooking prospects at the 2018 yearling sales and, with the help of bloodstock agent Dennis O'Neill, the Pennsylvania businessman came away with a pair of home runs, albeit to opposite sides of the park. The first of the trio to go through the sales ring was a colt from the first crop of Constitution who Verratti bought back for $200,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale. The...

From the moment Charlatan (Speightstown) crossed the wire in his impressive Feb. 16 unveiling at Santa Anita, people started comparing him to Triple Crown winner Justify (Scat Daddy), who also made his first racetrack appearance in February of his 3-year-old year. The Bob Baffert-trained chestnut followed that effort with an allowance win going two turns, like Justify. While that Horse of the Year went on to win the GI Santa Anita Derby next out, before taking home the roses on the First Saturday in May of 2018, Charlatan was forced...

Will there be spectators at the September sale? The Keeneland Fall Meet? Like all of us, Bill Thomason doesn't have all the answers, but he talks about plans, protocols and contingencies for Keeneland this fall on the Writers' Room podcast.

"Inside the Winner's Circle, Presented by Keeneland" is a series showcasing graduates of the Keeneland September sale who have gone on to achieve success on racing's biggest stages. When Covfefe (Into Mischief) arrived at Brad Cox's barn at the Fair Grounds to begin training for her 2019 campaign, the trainer could have circled just about any race on his calendar. He had a talented, fast, well-bred filly and might have entertained thoughts of trying the GI Kentucky Oaks. But what makes Cox one of the fastest rising stars in his...