A total of 3,070 horses sold for more than $531 million, a world-record gross for a Thoroughbred auction, during the Keeneland September yearling sale which closed Saturday.
Over 12 sessions, 56 yearlings sold for at least $1 million, besting the previous record of 40 set in 2005. A $3.3 million Gun Runner colt bought by M.V. Magnier, Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm and Ron Winchell’s Winchell Thoroughbreds was the sale topper.
Starting Sept. 8 and ending Saturday, the auction produced $510,544,900 in through-the-ring sales to finish 24% higher than last year’s $411,749,500. Gross sales increased to $531,520,400 when an additional $20,975,500 in reported post sales were added. The combined figure also topped the previous record gross of nearly $428 million from 2024.
“What an incredible September sale,” Keeneland president and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “We definitely had reasons to be optimistic going in, but the strength of the results day after day exceeded even our highest expectations. From start to finish the energy on the grounds never waned. Buyers from around the world were here in force, the sales pavilion was vibrant and the sense of community and excitement was palpable. You could feel that energy.”
More September records in sales through the ring were set in six categories.
For the fifth year in a row, a record cumulative average of $175,807 was established. The average increased 17% over last year’s previous record $150,548.
The cumulative median price of $80,000 rose 14% over last year’s previous record $70,000.
The record session average of $675,180 and media of $550,000 were set Sept. 9 on day 2, which broke records in both categories set the previous day.
Each of the first four sessions posted a record average and median for the respective sessions.
The number of $1 million horses to sell during a single session reached 20 on day 2.
Week 1, which was made up of books 1 and 2 on the first four days, had total sales of $307,639,000 with 53 horses bringing $1 million or more.
In other key metrics, 18 buyers spent $5 million or more compared with 14 last year, 120 buyers spent $1 million or more vs. 96 last year, 56 seven-figure horses sold to a record 34 different buyers, and 266 horses sold for $500,000 or more vs. 185 last year.
Buying in a record market created a new level of challenges.
“It’s a case of perseverance and really believing in the horses that you’re going to try to buy,” bloodstock agent Marette Farrell said. “Obviously you have to prep the owners that it’s a record sale, and be careful. Don’t get caught up in just buying a horse. You still have to hold yourself ransom to all the parameters, value, what makes sense, pedigree, athleticism. And to not get carried away in the moment to bid more to try to get the one you want.”
Buyers represented 33 countries with participation from as far away as Asia, the Middle East and Europe to underscore the size and scope of Keeneland’s deep buying bench.
“This is a sale where you can find an American classic winner or a European classic winner like (2024 Group 1 England 2,000 Guineas winner) Ruling Court. We had incredible interest from European buyers, a wide array of Japanese participants and so many more.”
One owner said the two weeks will continue to drive the racing economy.
“Keeneland having a big sale just puts more money into purses, more money into a world-class experience when you come race in central Kentucky,” Taylor Made President and CEO Mark Taylor said. “These things are so positive and give us a lot of optimism for the future. It is one ecosystem, and when those parts are healthy and they all come together, great things happen.”
Buyers at the September sale represented the world’s most prominent entities with Mike Repole’s Repole Stable topping the category by acquiring 33 horses for $14,155,000. Donato Lanni for SF Racing, Starlight and Madaket; Case Clay Thoroughbred Management; Spendthrift Farm; CHC, Maverick Racing and Go First Racing; MWG; Belladonna Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing; AMO Racing; Magnier and White Birch Farm; and Bradley Thoroughbreds followed Repole in total purchases.
“The selection was incredible,” buyer Dean DeRenzo said. “The horses that checked the boxes, so to speak, were very well received. The stallions that have had the credibility of having great racehorses have been tremendously well received. It looked like people had really done their homework. ... We didn’t buy as many horses as we would like to have, and we came home with I think 15. We were hoping to come home with 20-25. It was short of what we wanted, but we just kept getting outbid. I think other buyers were in the same position and not getting what they needed.”
Bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle said the difficulty in purchasing yearlings “can be frustrating at times, but I view it as a positive that so many people want to buy. It seems like a lot of new entities and different partnerships are buying, and that’s a great thing for our sport. You expect that Keeneland is going to have good offerings. I thought the catalog was very nice from top to bottom. Our team has had horses we liked every day. Between all of us, we’ve accounted for buying 50 horses in this sale.”
The dynamic results of Week 1 had a direct impact on the remaining eight sessions, each of which posted double-digit increases in total sales and average price for horses sold through the ring. Three additional $1 million horses came during session 5. The landmark of $500 million in through-the-ring sales occurred in session 10 when a Liam’s Map colt sold for a session-record $480,000. Session 11 through-the-ring gross of $6.7 million was 89% higher than the average for the corresponding session last year.
Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, was the leading consignor at the September sale for the 26th year since 1988. It sold 333 yearlings for a consignor record $68,515,000 including post sales. The consignment was topped by a Gun Runner colt purchased by Wesley Ward for $2.2 million.
“It’s been a fantastic sale,” Taylor Made’s Mark Taylor said. “I was optimistic it was going to be a good sale, but I didn’t foresee it being this good. Last year we had an incredible sale, and this year we’re up almost 30% over last year.”
Gainesway, Lane’s End Farm, Paramount Sales, Hill ’n’ Dale Sales Agency, Warrendale Sales, Indian Creek and Four Star Sales were the other leading consignors by gross. Clearsky Farms led consignors by average with six yearlings averaging $604,167, boosted by a $1.6 million Flightline colt bought by Douglas Scharbauer.
Headley VanMeter’s VanMeter Sales was among the consignors who sold their first $1 million yearlings. He made waves minutes after the sale start when he sold Stock Rising, a Flightline colt, for $1.5 million to John Stewart’s Resolute Bloodstock. Larry and Karen Doyle’s KatieRich Farms reached their own milestone when they sold a $1.15 million colt by Not This Time to the Albaugh family, Railbirds, West Point and St. Elias.
Not This Time was the September sale’s leading sire by total sales. Fifty-five yearlings by the stallion sold for $38.58 million including private purchases. They included 14 horses sold for $1 million or more led by a $2 million filly bought by David Lanigan and Ted Durcan, agent for Mrs. Cindy Heider. Not This Time was the leading sire of four sessions from day 3 to 6.
During the first week, 12 yearlings by Gun Runner brought seven figures or more, and his colts topped every session to help him to an average of $932,917 for 36 horses. For the entire sale, 40 yearlings by Gun Runner sold for $35,085,000 including reported post sales.
The September sale catalog featured nearly double the number of yearlings by first-crop sires compared with last year. The 2022 horse of the year Flightline led the group. His 44 yearlings included eight seven-figure horses, and they brought a total of $30,550,000 including reported post sales.
Gainesway, agent, consigned Flightline’s most expensive yearling, a filly purchased by LSU Stables, for $2.2 million. That is a record price paid anywhere in the world for a member of Flightline’s first crop.
Into Mischief was fourth in progeny sales. His 41 yearlings sold for $26.9 million including reported post sales to date. They included six seven-figure yearlings led by a $2 million colt consigned by Gainesway, agent, and sold to Justin Casse, Magnier and White Birch.
During Saturday’s final session, Keeneland sold 230 yearlings for $3,600,200, up 35% from last year’s gross of $2,662,000 for 203 yearlings sold in session 12. The average was $15,653, 19% higher than $13,113, and the median dipped 10% from $10,000 to $9,000.
Grovendale Sales, agent, consigned the $150,000 high seller, a colt from the first crop of Speaker’s Corner purchased by Faris Breeding. From the family of Group 1 and Grade 1 winners Lord Nelson and Miss Linda, he is the first foal out of City of Light mare City of Sass.
