Median, Average Take Big Jumps At KEESEP

Strong selling continued during day two of Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale Tuesday, which was highlighted by significant rises in median and average price and a $1.6-million sale and session-topping Unbridled’s Song colt. Median price for the 121 yearlings sold Tuesday was $280,000, representing a 40% increase from last year’s corresponding session and yielding a 25% positive cumulative change from 2013 to $250,000. Average rose for the day by 24.43% to $312,298, while the cumulative average sits at $294,411–a 13.75% rise from 12 months ago. Despite 18 fewer horses selling, gross was up 8.32% from last year’s second session to $37,788,000, and 1.91% cumulatively to $70,953,000. The RNA rate for the session rose slightly to 27.11% from 25.67%; while the overall buy-back rate is 27.41% vs. 28.07%. 

A total of 32 head over the first two days have brought $500,000 or more, compared to 24 last season–the first time Book 1 was held over four days.

 “From start to finish, I thought [the session] was very strong,” said Keeneland’s Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell. “It was a continuation from yesterday. There was a good cross-section of buyers–that’s what we tried to do with this new format, to get buyers onto the grounds and get them to look at the horses; to get through all the horses and find the ones they like, the ones that break loose and the ones that are affordable.” 

Russell added, “The below $1-million horse to about $400,000 is very strong… That’s probably what’s carrying [the market]… We saw players play today that didn’t play last year–certainly we’ve got some new players participating at this level that haven’t done so in the past, which is good.” 

Top price of the day was paid by Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm for hip 345, an Unbridled’s Song half-brother to last year’s GI Preakness S. winner Oxbow (Awesome Again) out of a full-sister to Tiznow (Cee’s Tizzy). Burleson Farms, agent consigned the colt, who also caught the eye of Willis Horton, who was seated alongside Oxbow’s Hall of Fame trainer D. Wayne Lukas. 

“Mandy was a very strong player at the September sale last year, but if there’s a surprise it’s seeing her buying a colt rather than buying fillies, which she’s done more of in the past,” Russell offered. “Seeing her having a nice tussle with Mr. Horton was kind of fun. What a beautiful horse with a great pedigree. Lyn Burleson did a wonderful job bringing him to market.”