KEESEP

While there were bright spots and plenty of successes, Keeneland's bellweather September Yearling Sale saw significant drop-offs in trade from last year's strong renewal as the Thoroughbred industry and world at large reel from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conducted over 12 days this year compared to 13 last term and with strict safety protocols in place, the 2020 September sale grossed $238,454,300 from 2,346 head sold. The gross 12 months ago was $359,789,700 from 2,850 sellers. This year's average dipped 19.49% from $126,242 to $101,643; the median dropped...

A colt from the second-crop of young sire Not This Time (Hip 3839)  topped the penultimate session of Keeneland September Thursday, selling to Royal Flush Racing for $115,000. The dark bay is out of Race Hunter (Dixie Union), who is a half-sister to MGSW & MGISP Paid Up Subscriber (Candy Ride {Arg}). He was consigned by Trackside Farm for Tenlane Farm, who purchased the colt's dam for $180,000 with this yearling in utero. A total of 169 yearlings changed hands during Thursday's session for a gross of $2,086,800. The median...

A colt from the first crop of Grade I winner Cupid (Hip 3391) topped Wednesday's trade when selling for $200,000 to bloodstock agent Larry Zap, who was acting on behalf of Michael Mellen. The topper and the day's third-highest purchase, a son of fellow first-season sire American Freedom (Hip 3196), were both sold by Shawhan Place, who was the session's leading consignor by average. "Both of them are big, strong colts, especially the Cupid," said Shawhan's Matt Koch. "He is a good walking colt. We foaled and raised him at...

A colt by Karakontie (Jpn) (Hip 2814) achieved a very rare feat in Keeneland September's Book 5 opener Tuesday, summoning a session-topping $500,000 from Marsha Naify. The Gainesway stallion had another yearling in the top five lots of the day with a full-sister to graded stakes-bound Spanish Loveaffair (Karakontie {Jpn}) (Hip 3161) bringing $220,000 from Ballyfair Bloodstock. A total of 253 yearlings brought $6,484,100 Tuesday with an average of $25,629 and a median of $15,000.Fifty-five horses failed to meet their reserves Tuesday. Throughout the first nine days of trade, 1,880...

LEXINGTON, KY - Bidding continued to be solid for the prized lots, but the market was increasingly polarized as the second and final Book 3 session concluded Saturday in Lexington. Trainer Bob Baffert and Donato Lanni purchased the day's highest-priced offering, going to $450,000 to acquire a colt from the first crop of Unified on behalf of Mike Pegram, Paul Weitman, and Karl Watson. During Saturday's session, 239 horses sold for $18,364,200. The average was $76,838 and the median was $52,000. With 110 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate...

by Jessica Martini & Brian DiDonato LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued to see strong action at the top, but an elevated buy-back rate at the first of two Book 2 sessions Wednesday in Lexington. A colt by Uncle Mo from the Gainesway consignment brought the day's highest bid when selling for $950,000 to bloodstock agent David Ingordo. In all, 185 yearlings sold for $40,861,000. The average was $220,870 and the median was $180,000. Through three sessions, 394 head have grossed $126,076,000 for an average of $319,990...

The world-renowned Keeneland September Sale has been a long time coming this year. With the coronavirus pandemic canceling and postponing much of the sales season, all eyes are on Lexington this week as Keeneland hosts its first live in-person auction since COVID-19 first hit American shores. Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell joined the TDN Writers' Room podcast presented by Keeneland Wednesday as the Green Group Guest of the Week to discuss the obstacles faced by the company in conducting the sale and his early impressions of the trading. "We've...

by Brian DiDonato, Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis LEXINGTON, KY--With four of the day's nine million-dollar-plus horses selling in the final dozen or so hips to be offered, the second and final session of Book 1 of the Keeneland September yearling sale finished strong. The session topper and likely sale topper was hip 435, a son of Tapit out of the GISW and 'TDN Rising Star' Tara's Tango (Unbridled's Song) offered by Eaton Sales on behalf of Stonestreet Bred & Raised and acquired by a partnership between Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners,...

A Medaglia d'Oro half-sister to leading second-crop sire and MGISW Constitution (Tapit) was the first to reach the seven-figure threshold during Sunday's opening session of the Keeneland September sale when garnering a top bid of $1.1 million from Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. Consigned by Denali Stud, Agent LIX as hip 58, the Mar. 21 foal was bred in a partnership between Bridlewood Farm and Don Alberto Corp. The powerful co-breeders paid a sale-topping $3.5 million for group-placed dam Baffled (Distorted Humor) in foal to Tapit at the 2016 Fasig-Tipton...

Outadore (Outwork) provided his freshman sire (by Uncle Mo) his second black-type winner in the space of eight days, working home best of all to take the Juvenile Sprint S. over a rain-affected Kentucky Downs turf course. Beaten for speed, Outadore settled in the second flight of horses as County Final (Oxbow) dueled on the lead inside of Bodenheimer (Atta Boy Roy) through the middle furlongs. Poised three deep as the field entered the straight, Outadore was roused to the lead leaving the eighth pole and held sway at stablemate...

Nashville (c, 3, Speightstown--Veronique, by Mizzen Mast) set sharp early fractions in the Saratoga slop on debut Wednesday afternoon and ran away and hid from his three overmatched rivals in the stretch en route to a 'TDN Rising Star' performance. The $460,000 Keeneland September yearling graduate, campaigned in partnership by CHC INC. and WinStar Farm LLC, sported a pair of flashy bullets on his worktab for Hall of Famer Steve Asmussen, including a five-furlong spin in :58 4/5 (1/20) from the gate at the Spa Aug. 9. The 1-5 favorite...

2nd-Gulfstream, $44,000, Msw, 5-9, 2yo, 4 1/2f, :52.63, ft. HYPERFOCUS (c, 2, Constitution--Discreet Meating, by Hat Trick {Jpn}) became the 50th worldwide winner for his second-crop sire, who scored both of his top-level victories at Gulfstream for winning trainer Todd Pletcher. Sent off at 5-2 in this career bow, the $100,000 KEESEP purchase raced off the fence in mid-pack as Breakthrough (Nyquist) and Peppi (Cajun Breeze) dueled through a swift first quarter in :22.07. Aggressively ridden by Irad Ortiz, Jr., the bay ranged up outside the top two turning for...