by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis, and Jill Williams, TDN
Cover image courtesy of Keeneland
The Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which opened with a record-setting session Monday, continued with an action-packed second Book 1 session Tuesday, establishing yet another September session record average and median. Twenty horses sold for US$1 million (AU$1.51 million) or more during the session, led by a colt by Gun Runner and a filly by Flightline who brought matching US$2.2 million (AU$3.3 million) price tags.
“It was a good day at the sale, for sure,” said Keeneland President Shannon Arvin. “We built on what started yesterday. And we expect that to continue through Book 2 and through next week. It's just a really strong market.”
“It was a good day at the sale, for sure.” - Shannon Arvin
A total of 217 yearlings grossed US$144,185,000 (AU$218 million) during Book 1 for an average of US$664,447 (AU$1 million) and an average of US$550,000 (AU$832,000). The average is up 13.37% and the median is up 15.79% from 2024 figures when 204 yearlings sold for US$119,565,000 (AU$181 million) for an average of US$586,103 (AU$886,000) and a median of US$475,000 (AU$718,000). The buy-back rate improved from 28.67% in 2024 to 21.09% this year.
Shannon Arvin | Image courtesy of Keeneland
The third horse through the ring Tuesday sold for US$1.1 million (AU$1.66 million) and four of the day's first 10 horses to sell attracted seven-figure price tags. By the close of business, 20 horses had sold for seven figures and, in total, 35 yearlings reached seven figures during the two Book 1 sessions, up from 30 a year ago.
“We had 20 horses who brought seven figures and of those, 13 were different buyers,” Arvin said. “We like to see that diversity. It was a fabulous Book 1.”
Gun Runner is hot property
Gun Runner, who was represented by the US$3.3-million (AU$5 million) session-topping colt Monday, was again in demand Tuesday at Keeneland. Trainer Wesley Ward went to US$2.2 million (AU$3.3 million) to acquire a colt by the Three Chimneys stallion from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment. LSU Stables paid the same amount for a daughter of Flightline who was consigned by Gainesway.
Gun Runner | Standing at Three Chimneys Farm
Gun Runner had 10 yearlings bring seven figures during Book 1 and his 24 head sold during the section averaged a lofty US$1,035,833 (AU$1.52 million). Champion Flightline, who had seven million-dollar yearlings, had 23 head average US$880,435 (AU$1.33 million). Not This Time, with six million-dollar yearlings, had 22 sell for an average of US$805,682 (AU$1.2 million).
Mike Repole, who bought three million-dollar yearlings Tuesday, was the leading buyer in Book 1 with 23 head bought for US$11.3 million (AU$17.1 million). Repole purchased an additional $1-million yearling in partnership with St. Elias Stables. Taylor Made Sales Agency was the book's leading consignor with 44 sold for US$26 million (AU$39 million).
Mike Repole | Image courtesy of Keeneland
The sales pavilion and back walking ring remained packed Tuesday and there continued to be a spark in the atmosphere.
“It felt like the old July sale,” said Keeneland's vice president of sales Tony Lacy. “And that really is what we are trying to create. We are trying to create that theatre and that excitement. What we do can be very transactional, if we want it to be, but it also is a lot of fun, if you allow it to be. So having everybody in here and concentrated in the pavilion, it allows that energy to build.”
Lacy continued to stress that, even with the lofty figures, he believes the market is fair and sustainable.
“The horses are bringing what they are worth and at the end of the day, that's really, really encouraging,” Lacy said. “Consistency and a fair market. Prices are high, but they are really good horses. So people expect to dig deep for them.”
Tony Lacy | Image courtesy of Keeneland
Full brother to Early Voting to trainer Wesley Ward
After Monday's first Book 1 session was topped by a US$3.3 million (AU$5 million) Gun Runner colt, it was more of the same Tuesday when the dust settled and 10 Gun Runner yearlings had surpassed the seven-figure threshold over the two days. Led by hip 243 Tuesday, a full-brother to GI Preakness Stakes winner Early Voting–by the Three Chimneys wonder and out of the unraced Amour d'Ete (Tiznow)–fetched US$2.2 million (AU$3.3 million) to co-top the second session.
“(Gun Runner is) the hottest sire going right now,” said trainer Wesley Ward, who signed the ticket.
What was it about the Taylor Made-consigned colt that prompted Ward to go to $2.2 million? “Everything,” he said with a laugh, then continued. “His pedigree was outstanding. Beautiful colt. Fantastic female family.”
Ward said he's excited about the partnership he's put together for the colt: “[It's] Goncalo Torrealba and the Three Chimneys team, and a client of mine named Roy Israel who's been in the business for a year now and is a wonderful guy.
“He's a really, really exciting colt to get in with and as I'm starting to get the white hair now, I'm looking to get horses that go a little further. I've pretty much been centred in on fast horses and speed horses and I just thought it was time now to sort of get some horses into my barn that look like they can go in the Classic level. This looks like it could be one.”
Wesley Ward | Image courtesy of Keeneland
Bred by Three Chimneys Farm in Kentucky, who stayed in as part of the new ownership, the bay colt's second dam is Canadian champion Silken Cat (Storm Cat), dam of champion and late sire Speightstown and Graded winner Irap, the latter a full-brother to Amour d'Ete. This year's GII Suburban Stakes winner Phileas Fogg (Astern {Aus}) is also part of the family. Three Chimneys acquired Amour d'Ete, an Aaron and Marie Jones-bred, for US$1.75 million (AU$2.6 million) at the 2013 Keeneland September sale.
LSU all in on Flightline fillies
Larry and Randy Sarf's LSU Stables made three purchases during Book 1 of the Keeneland September sale, all of them fillies by champion Flightline. The operation went to a co-session topping US$2.2 million (AU$3.3 million) via a phone bid to secure a daughter of the Lane's End stallion (hip 338) from the Gainesway consignment Tuesday at Keeneland.
“They are big fans of Flightline,” trainer Miguel Clement, who will train the fillies for the Sarfs, said. “There is a lot of buzz about him and they decided to be firm supporters of the stallion from the get-go.”
The $2.2-million filly–the most expensive of seven million-dollar yearlings by Flightline in Book 1–is the first foal out of multiple graded stakes winner Four Graces (Majesticperfection). The mare, who is a half-sister to multiple graded stakes winner McCraken (Ghostzapper), was bred by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm, which purchased her for US$2.3 million (AU$3.48 million) at the 2022 Keeneland November sale.
Mike Repole goes all in on Tuesday
Repole Stable was hardly quiet during Monday's opening session of the September sale. In fact, the operation signed on nine yearlings for an aggregate of US$3.075 million (AU$4.6 million) with a top price of US$500,000 (AU$756,000).
However, it didn't take long for Mike Repole and co. to swing into the action Tuesday, haltering its first seven-figure horse of the sale with Hip 196, an Indian Creek-offered colt by Good Magic out of Twiga (Union Rags) who realized US$1 million (AU$1.5 million). With the gun still smoking, Repole's agent Jacob West swung for another US$1 million (AU$1.5 million) yearling, offered as Hip 197, a filly by Not This Time.
Later in the session, Repole collected a colt by Gun Runner (Hip 278) for US$1.5 million (AU$2.27 million), the highest priced youngster of Book 1 for the Repole team, in addition to a colt by Nyquist (Hip 266) purchased in partnership with St. Elias Stable for US$1 million (AU$1.5 million). The latter was consigned by Warrendale Sales.
Repole's leading purchase Tuesday was consigned by Indian Creek, acting on behalf of breeder Stonestreet. The March foal is out of Cavorting (Bernardini), a three-time Grade I winner for Stonestreet, who purchased the daughter of Bernardini as a weanling for US$360,000 A(U$545,000) at Keeneland November in 2012. For Stonestreet, 13-year-old Cavorting produced Grade 1 winner Clairiere (Curlin), dam of SW La Crete (Medaglia d'Oro).
A colt by Curlin out of Cavorting sold for US$5 million (AU$7.6 million) to Whisper Hill Farm at Keeneland September.
“Todd has [the $5-million Curlin] now. It's been training against one of my horses, and it beats it so bad, I figured it must be a pretty good horse,” Repole explained. “They all liked it. It was our #1 draft pick. We had estimated it would go for about $2.5-3 million, so when it was stalling out at about $1.3-1.4 million, I thought we had to get this.”
Repole also extended to seven figures for a filly by Not This Time out of Twinkling (War Chant). Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, the May 8 foal-a half-sister to Graded winner Skippylongstocking (Exaggerator)–was bred by Taylor Made Stallions, Ramspring Farm, Joel Politi, Brad King and Jim Cone III.
“She has an incredible pedigree. The dam has Skippylongstocking and [GSP] Oliver Twist [Mshawish] and [GSP] Moonlite Strike [Liam's Map]. I look at the other sires [she was bred to] sometimes, and you are going to the hottest sire in the game right now. She already has residual value as a Not This Time, so we also look at that. With the fillies, residual value is important to us.”
Despite enjoying success with colts in the Classic and older horse divisions with the likes of Fierceness (City of Light), winner of the GI Pacific Classic at Del Mar and dual Grade I winner Mindframe (Constitution), Repole explained that he is keen to have diversity in his operation.
“The last couple of years, with how good turf is getting, and our success with [turf] horses like [Grade III winner] Final Score [Not This Time], [maiden winner] Miss Picky [Uncle Mo], and Celebrity Warrior (Ire) [Saxon Warrior {Jpn}], I have been buying horses in Europe and internationally in general to add to the stable,” he explained.
“I am trying to combine a lot of these. I am not afraid to buy sprinters now, or turf. Too many people here are looking for two-turn Classic horses. I think I am just trying to have a well-balanced stable. I want a six-furlong sprinter on the dirt and turf. I want two-turns on the turf and dirt. And now that Belmont is going to be Poly[track] I am looking for Poly horses also. I just love the game and I want to win at the highest level.”
On Tuesday, Repole also secured another colt by Gun Runner (Hip 242) for US$900,000 (AU$1.36 million). Consigned by Mill Ridge Sales acting on behalf of White Birch Farm, the colt is out of Curlin's American West.
On Tuesday, Repole Stable purchased 15 yearlings for a total of US$9,225,000 (AU$13.9 million), averaging US$615,000 (AU$931,000).
“One thing about what we do is we have a great team,” he said. “We are probably more prepared than the Jets and Giants. We take this very, very seriously. The team works really hard and coming off being the leading owner at Saratoga, having Fierceness and Mindframe, I want to win at the highest level and I take it seriously. I care and I'm passionate. I work the team hard and they work hard. It's a big family and a big operation and success is best when shared.”
During Tuesday's session, Repole also scored as a breeder, selling Hip 296, a colt by Gun Runner out of Grade 1 winner Dame Dorothy (Bernardini), for US$1.6 million (AU$2.4 million) Consigned by Lane's End, the colt was purchased by AMO Racing.
Also the dam of graded winner Spice is Nice (Curlin), Dame Dorothy was purchased for US$900,000 (AU$1.36 million) with this colt in utero at this venue in November of 2023.
The Keeneland September sale continues with the first of two Book 2 sessions on Wednesday, beginning at 11 a.m. Following a dark day Friday, the auction resumes Saturday and continues through Sept. 20 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.
