Keeneland

KHK Racing's 2-year-old twice-raced colt Sakheer (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}--Shortmile Lady {Ire}, by Arcano {Ire}), a promising debut second at Windsor in August, attained 'TDN Rising Stardom' with a wide-margin demolition at Haydock on the first of this month and repeated the dose with another imperious performance in Saturday's G2 Dubai Duty Free Mill Reef S. at Newbury. The 4-5 favourite was alert from the stalls and found a smooth rhythm in a handy third through the early fractions of this black-type bow. Tanking forward to loom large on the bridle...

In this continuing series, we take a look ahead at US-bred and/or conceived runners entered for the upcoming weekend at the tracks on the Japan Racing Association circuit, with a focus on pedigree and/or performance in the sales ring. Here are the horses of interest for this three-day weekend running at Nakayama Racecourse: Saturday, September 17, 2022 4th-NKY, ¥13,400,000 ($94k), Newcomers, 2yo, 1800m EIGHT WAN (c, 2, City of Light--Banree, by Macho Uno) fetched a solid $150,000 as a short yearling at last year's Keeneland January Sale and improved over...

Five years ago, Aidan O'Meara left his position at Hill 'n' Dale Farm, where he served as Stallion Division Manager for 20 years, to join his wife Leah and her family in running Stonehaven Steadings. The decision was not an easy one. As Leah O'Meara recounts, John Sikura had seen something in Aidan when the native of Ireland was fresh out of college. Over the years, O'Meara worked his way to managing the likes of Curlin, Medaglia d'Oro and Candy Ride. The O'Mearas lived on site at Hill 'n' Dale...

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued to churn out strong results straight through to the conclusion of its Book 2 section Thursday night in Lexington with an additional two yearlings selling for seven figures, led by a $1.7-million son of Quality Road, bringing the four-day total for the auction to 30 seven-figure yearlings. Fifteen reached that mark last year. "It was an incredible week," said Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. Over the two Book 2 sessions, Keeneland sold 449...

The Keeneland September sale continued to churn out million-dollar results into its fourth session Thursday when bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket at $1.7 million to acquire a colt by Quality Road from the Nardelli Sales consignment on behalf of an undisclosed client. Mike Repole, sitting alongside bloodstock agent Jacob West and trainer Todd Pletcher, was underbidder on the yearling. Repole made a final bid of $1.65 million, but dramatically drew his hand across his neck after Lanni's $1.7-million bid, prompting Keeneland announcer Ryan Mahan to say, 'I think...

Wednesday's third session of  the Keeneland September sale produced back-to-back seven-figure yearlings when Larry Best bid $1.4 million to acquire a colt by Into Mischief (hip 604), just one hip after Mandy Pope purchased a Tapit filly for $1.1 million. The first foal out of stakes winner and multiple Grade I placed Dawn the Destroyer (Speightstown) was consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck's Summerfield on behalf of his breeder, Barbara Banke's Stonestreet. The colt was the fourth of the day to bring seven figures and brought the three-day total for...

It did not take long for the action to get going during Book 2's opening session Wednesday with Hip 383, a colt by sensational young sire Gun Runner, summoning $1.05 million just minutes into the session. He was purchased by the powerhouse partnership headed by SF, Starlight and Madaket Stables with SF's Tom Ryan doing his bidding on the phone. Bred by Ann Fostock, the Feb. 2 foal was consigned by Pope McLean's Crestwood Farm. The bay hails from a deep Juddmonte family with his second dam being MGISW Flute.

David Ingordo of Lane's End Bloodstock doesn't smile much, and when he does, it's usually a half-smile. But he does have a sense of humor. On Sunday afternoon, he was spotted at Keeneland outside the Lane's End consignment wearing a gray vest with the name "David DeVaux" embroidered on the chest, a nod and a wink to his trainer wife Cherie DeVaux. Ingordo likes to be incognito and shuns the spotlight whenever he can, but he's very much in that spotlight at the moment, thanks to Flightline (Tapit), who first...

A second colt by Constitution bred by China Horse Club hit the seven-figure mark at Keeneland September Tuesday when Jim and Dana Bernhard's Lynnhaven Racing purchased hip 311 for $1.8 million. The bay colt is out of Grade I winner Last Full Measure (Empire Maker) and is a half-brother to GI Juddmonte Spinster S. winner Valiance (Tapit). He was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency. China Horse Club purchased Last Full Measure for $1.5 million at the 2014 Keeneland November sale.

After a bonanza first session, bidding resumed at Keeneland September Tuesday afternoon and a colt by Constitution, the second horse through the ring on the day, became the sale's 10th seven-figure yearling when selling for $1.3 million to Richard Knight Bloodstock. The chestnut colt, consigned by Highgate Sales, is out of graded winner Cozze Up Lady (Cozzene) and is a half-brother to Grade I winner Kimari (Munnings). He was bred by the China Horse Club, which purchased Cozze Up Lady for $300,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

by Jessica Martini, Christie DeBernardis & Christina Bossinakis LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which began shortly after 1 p.m. Monday afternoon, jumped immediately into high gear and, by the time the dust had settled at the conclusion of a frenetic session of bidding, nine yearlings, led by a $2.5-million son of Quality Road, topped the seven-figure mark. During last year's first session, three horses sold for seven figures and the entire sale produced 15 horses to pass that mark. "It was a great day, from beginning to...

Ron Winchell, who campaigned champion Gun Runner, as well as several of the stallion's early star offspring, went to $1.5 million to acquire a bay filly (hip 87) by the sire Monday at Keeneland. Winchell purchased the filly in partnership with Three Chimneys Farm. She is out of Tip at Tapit (Tapit), a full-sister to Grade I winner Time and Motion. The filly was consigned by Darby Dan Farm and was bred by Phillips Racing Partnership and the Gun Runner Syndicate.   🌟 @keenelandsales September: Hip 87, a Gun Runner...