Written by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis (with Trent Masenhelder)
Cover image courtesy of Keeneland
At A Glance
Figures continue to track very closely with its record-setting 2022 renewal. In all, 221 yearlings sold during Book 1 this year for a total of US$116,925,000 (AU$182,493,000) compared to last year's total of US$113,660,000 (AU$177,397,000).
The Book 1 average of US$529,072 ($924,100) is up 2.41 per cent from a year ago, while the median dipped 11.11 per cent to US$400,000 (AU$624,300).
From a catalogue of 392 yearlings, 302 went through the ring with 81 failing to meet their reserves for a buy-back rate of 26.82 per cent. It was 21.99 per cent a year ago.
A colt by Into Mischief, consigned by Lane’s End, landed a US$3 million (AU$4.7 million) final bid from the partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing and Chuck Sonson to top Day 2.
The top 15 yearlings sold on Day 2 were purchased by 13 different buying entities.
The two-session Book 1 section concluded with 23 yearlings bringing US$1 (AU$1.56 million) million or more.
John Stewart purchased 10 yearlings during Book 1 for a total of US$7,750,000 (AU$12,096,000).
Through Book 1, Mike Repole purchased 23 yearlings for a total of US$9,335,000 (AU$14,570,000). Additionally, he was responsible for breeding the section’s topper.
Spendthrift sire Into Mischief was responsible for nine yearlings to bring over $1 million. Nineteen yearlings generated US$19,950,000 (AU$31,136,000) in receipts, averaging US$1,050,000 (AU$1,639,000).
Strong results
With the very first horse through the ring bringing US$1.3 million (AU$2.1 million), the second session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale was off to the races on Tuesday and the action didn’t slow down throughout the day, as the second-to-last offering brought US$1.25 million (AU$1.9 million). In between, 13 other yearlings sold for seven figures, including a colt by Into Mischief (USA) who brought the top price of US$3 million (AU$4.7 million) from the partnership of Chuck Sonson, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford.
With eight million-dollar yearlings on Monday, the two-session Book 1 section concluded with 23 yearlings bringing US$1 million (AU$1.6 million) or more.
“It was a great day with lots and lots of different buyers, the partnerships were active, it was active from the domestic side as well as the international side,” said Keeneland President Shannon Arvin. “The 15 top prices were bought by 13 different buyers. And there was also a real diversity among the consignors, which was really nice to see. There were a lot of consignors who had a lot of success today.”
“It was a great day with lots and lots of different buyers, the partnerships were active, it was active from the domestic side as well as the international side.” - Shannon Arvin
Figures for the marathon auction continue to track very closely with its record-setting 2022 renewal. In all, 221 yearlings sold during Book 1 this year for a total of US$116,925,000 (AU$182,319,000). During last year’s Book 1 section, 220 yearlings grossed US$113,660,000 (AU$117,233,800) as the auction was well on its way to recording its first-ever gross over US$400,000,000 (AU$623,941,000).
“Going in, I didn’t think it would be fair for us to expect that we could replicate last year,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “But I think when you look at the numbers, obviously the median is down a little, the average is up a little bit, but overall the fact that the gross is up over US$3.5 million (AU$5.5 million) from last year is incredible. When you look at the numbers through the ring that got sold, it's very, very comparable.”
The Book 1 average of US$529,072 (AU$825,000) is up 2.41 per cent from a year ago, while the median dipped 11.11 per cent to US$400,000 (AU$624,000).
From a catalogue of 392 yearlings, 302 went through the ring with 81 failing to meet their reserves for a buy-back rate of 26.82 per cent. It was 21.99 per cent a year ago.
Brian Graves of Gainesway, who was the Book 1 session's leading consignor | Image courtesy of Keeneland
“A lot of people don’t have to sell,” Lacy said. “When you have a purse structure and people are enjoying it so much, they are happy to race.”
Gainesway was the book’s leading consignor with 29 horses sold for US$20,920,000 (AU$32,630,000). The farm sold eight of the book’s 23 seven-figure yearlings, with five coming from Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm broodmare band.
“We had high expectations coming in,” Gainesway’s Brian Graves said. “I wasn’t sure we had as many million-dollar horses to sell as we actually did. The market proved to be really strong. But we knew we had a really good group of horses for our clients. The market is alive and well.”
“The market proved to be really strong. But we knew we had a really good group of horses for our clients. The market is alive and well.” - Brian Graves
Mike Repole continued to lead all buyers at the auction. On his own, the New Yorker purchased 21 yearlings for US$8,135,000 (AU$12,687,000), while in partnership with Spendthrift Partners, he acquired an additional two yearlings for US$1.2 million (AU$1.9 million).
In addition to his activity buying, Repole also bred and sold the section's US$3 million (AU$4.7 million) topper through the Lane’s End consignment.
Mike Repole was the leading buyer of the Book 1 session, purchasing 21 yearlings for US$8,135,000 (AU$12,687,000) | Image courtesy of Keeneland
Into Mischief continued to dominate the top of the market. The Spendthrift stallion had 11 seven-figure yearlings and a total of 31 head grossing US$27,910,000 (AU$43,537,000). Coolmore’s Uncle Mo (USA), with four seven-figure yearlings, had 17 Book 1 horses sell for US$12,495,000 (AU$19,420,000). The duo were represented by nine of the book’s top 10 yearlings.
‘A beautiful colt’
Continuing to underscore the sheer sire power of Into Mischief on this year's yearling market, Hip 261, a colt by the Spendthrift sire out of Nonna Mia (USA) (Empire Maker {USA}) landed a US$3 million (AU$4.7 million) final bid from the partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds, Woodford Racing and Chuck Sonson.
“This is a beautiful colt. This is a young family (and) with Into Mischief, you don’t have to say much. He was always in the hands of Lane’s End, so we knew a little about his upbringing,” said Terry Finley, who handled the signing duties from inside the pavilion. “We are really excited and have a new group of partners who are in on him. We will try to get to the Derby in 2025.
“We are really excited and have a new group of partners who are in on him (Hip 261). We will try to get to the Derby in 2025.” - Terry Finley
“I thought he’d bring a significant amount of money. You never know. After they bring US$1.5-$2 million (AU$2.3-$3.1 million), you never really know where you're going to stop. I was just glad that we got to a point where I thought it was a ‘reasonable’ amount of money, if you can in fact call US$3 million (AU$4.7 million) reasonable for a racehorse that has never had a saddle on his back.”
Uncle Mo half to Shedaresthedevil brings US$2.5 million
An Uncle Mo half-sister to the multiple Group 1 winner Shedaresthedevil (USA) (Daredevil {USA}) crossed the seven-figure threshold on Tuesday at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, fetching US$2.5 million (AU$3.9 million) from Gavin O’Connor on behalf of John Stewart. The bay filly, consigned as Hip 337 by Denali Stud, agent for WinStar Farm Bred & Raised, was bred by WinStar in Kentucky. She joined a burgeoning list of top sellers by Coolmore America resident Uncle Mo, who had five of the top 11-priced yearlings on Monday. Hip 337 is out of Starship Warpspeed (USA) (Congrats {USA}), who produced the stakes performer Mojovation (USA) (Quality Road {USA}) in addition to the G1 Kentucky Oaks winner Shedaresthedevil.
“She’s an unbelievable filly. Uncle Mo is the sire of incredible fillies,” said Gavin O'Connor.
Stewart also made a splash at the sale on Monday, where his purchases included a US$1 million (AU$1.6 million) Into Mischief brother to the multiple Group 1 hero and elite-level-producing sire Practical Joke (USA).
Justify’s progeny prove popular
Coolmore’s shuttle stallion Justify (USA) had eight yearlings go through the ring on Day 2; seven sold for a combined US$3.1 million (AU$4.8 million). Among them was Hip 360 - a colt offered by Candy Meadows Sales. He was knocked down to BC Stables LLC for US$750,000 (AU$1.2 million). He is from the two-time winner Tapella (USA) (Tapit {USA}), making him a half-brother to the Group 2 scorer Hoosier Philly (USA) (Into Mischief {USA}).
