Keeneland

Case Clay took a break from the Keeneland September Sale to join us on this week's TDN Writers' Room and discuss "bonkers" sales results, the latest news from Wathnan Racing and more.

Trade remained buoyant at the Keeneland September Sale in Lexington, with statistics continuing to increase over one year ago. With this year's gross having already exceeded figures for the entire sale in 2024, the sale generated $472,224,000 for 1,771 yearlings (through the ring) sold, which is 23.47% higher than the corresponding period last year when 1,740 horses brought $382,469,500. Average price of $266,643 is 21.31% above $219,810 from 2024, and the median of $180,000 is 20% over $150,000 last year. During Tuesday's session, Keeneland sold 276 yearlings (through the ring)...

Sponsored by Pedigrees360. How timely, that the first starting points for the 2026 Classics should be offered at Churchill even as the big spenders were driving each other to record heights up the road at Keeneland in their quest for a horse for 2027. Admittedly Saturday's initial rehearsals offered alternatives to those who cannot spend millions at the September Sale. One winner was out of a homebred Cowboy Cal mare, admittedly using a stallion who banked 12 seven-figure sales at Keeneland; while the other was a $20,000 discovery, inevitably by...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale rushed to the conclusion of Book 3 with demand remaining strong right through to the end of its sixth session Sunday evening. Through both Book 3 sessions, 563 yearlings sold through the ring for a total of $109,983,000. The section's average of $201,804 rose 26.5% from last year and the median rose 23.1% to $160,000. During last year's Book 3 section, 526 horses sold through the ring for a gross of $83,880,000 for an average of $159,468 and a median of $130,000....

After a dark day Friday, the Keeneland September Yearling Sale picked up right where it had left off when a colt by Into Mischief (hip 1197) brought a final bid of $2 million early in Saturday's fifth session of the 12-day auction. Bloodstock agent Justin Casse signed the ticket on behalf of Coolmore, White Birch Farm, and John Oxley. Consigned by Gainesway, the bay colt is out of the unraced Miss Jessica J (Empire Maker), who is a half-sister to champion Jaywalk (Cross Traffic) and multiple stakes winner Danzatrice (Dunkirk),...

Coffee, pens, chapstick, maybe an occasional hat. Consignors often hand out little tokens to give the memories of potential buyers a nudge into recalling their barn and their horses. But chances are you've seen someone emerging from Barn 9 on the Keeneland sales grounds in the last day or two with ice cream, which likely sounds mighty good after a day going from barn to barn inspecting horses in the full sun of an early September in Central Kentucky. Jennifer and Zach Phillips of Zen Equine, who may have their...

by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis, and Jill Williams LEXINGTON, KY -The only thing that could slow down the momentum of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale was a brief interruption in Wednesday's action when the fire alarms late in the day caused the evacuation of the pavilion. "We joked in the back ring the market was so hot, it set the fire alarms off," Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said with a chuckle after the dust had settled on another competitive day of bidding at the first of two...

After Three Chimneys sensation Gun Runner sired the session toppers of the Keeneland September sale both Monday and Tuesday, he was back at it again Wednesday. With approximately 30 hips left to go, a Gun Runner colt hammered for $1.9 million Wednesday to Spendthrift Farm. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, agent, hip 731 is out of stakes-placed Ginga (Quality Road). The mare is a half-sister to 2014 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies runner-up Top Decile (Congrats), who sold to Shadai Farm for $950,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November...

A colt by Hill 'n' Dale's Curlin out of SW & GISP Cherry Lodge (Bernardini) sold for $1.4 million to Mike Ryan Wednesday during the third session of the Keeneland September yearling sale. Consigned by Gainesway and sold as hip 652, the chestnut was bred in Kentucky by Gainesway Thoroughbreds LTD. The March colt's dam is a full-sister to GSW Gala Award and a half-sibling to GISW Stormello (Stormy Atlantic) and to additional GSW My Best Brother (Stormy Atlantic), as well as to the dam of Canadian champion Curlin's Voyage...

Chris Heyde is the founder of Blue Marble Strategy and is a Washington D.C. lobbyist who has dedicated his career to animal welfare issues. Along the way, he has had some important successes, including effectively ending horse slaughter in the U.S. But one main goal remains and has been elusive. Heyde has been fighting for passage of the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, which would prohibit the slaughter of horses in the U.S. as well as ban the shipping of them to slaughterhouses in the Mexico and Canada. Heyde...

Spendthrift's first-crop yearling sire Jackie's Warrior cracked the seven-figure barrier Wednesday at the Keeneland September sale when a bay colt out of the placed Taking Aim (Trappe Shot) sold for $1.3 million to West Bloodstock, agent for Robert and Lawana Low. A half-brother to GSW Taking Candy (Twirling Candy), while his dam is a half to GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner Tapizar (Tapit), hip 546 was bred by Dixiana Farms and consigned by Woods Edge Farm, agent. He had previously gone through the Keeneland November ring for $385,000 when...

A Not This Time colt out of the winning Ridingwiththedevil (Candy Ride {Arg}) sold to Albaugh Stable, St Elias, West Point Thoroughbreds, and Railbirds for $1.35 million Wednesday during the first session of Keeneland September's Book 2. The chestnut colt, consigned by Gainesway, is a half-brother to MGISP Reinvestment (Upstart). Bred in Kentucky by Whisper Hill Farm, LLC, Gainesway Thoroughbreds LTD, and Brian Graves, the April-foaled colt went through the ring as hip 480. Taylor Made's Not This Time had an additional six yearlings top the $1-million mark during Book...