Keeneland

It's about to be uber-busy season at Keeneland. The fall meet begins Oct. 4. But first there is the annual extravaganza that is the Keeneland September sale. That begins Sept. 9 and more than 4,000 horses are in the catalogue. The sale and the upcoming racing meet were among the topics of discussion when Keeneland CEO and President Shannon Arvin joined the TDN Writers' Room Podcast presented by Keeneland. Arvin is expecting that this will be a strong sale. "The economic indicators so far are really good," she said. "We,...

Keeneland's President and CEO Shannon Arvin joined this week's TDN Writers' Room ahead of a particularly busy season at Keeneland with the September Yearling Sale and November Breeding Stock Sale, as well as the October Race Meet, all coming up in the months ahead.

Brightwork (Outwork), who returned from a 10-month layoff to win the GIII Prioress Stakes at Saratoga Saturday, could make her next start in the GII Raven Run Stakes at Keeneland Oct. 19, if all goes well, according to trainer John Ortiz. "We'll let her tell us where to go next," Ortiz said. "This is the biggest effort I've seen her lay out in the afternoon--she was running against 3-year-olds that have been running and I want to make sure she comes out of it in good shape and has enough...

Keeneland's first flash sale in three years closed Thursday afternoon, resulting in Harlee Honey (Harlan's Holiday) selling for $240,000 to Miss Vicky Stables and Ocean Honey (West Coast) going to Ocean Honey Partners for $48,000. The former is the dam of G2 Richmond Stakes winner Black Forza (Complexity), while the latter is Black Forza's 4-year-old half-sister. The 2-year-old Black Forza is headed to Sunday's $1-million Kentucky Downs Juvenile Sprint after clearing quarantine from the UK Monday. "Keeneland is thrilled to have had the opportunity to showcase these two outstanding individuals...

Encouraging undergraduates to enter equine practice after graduation, Opportunities in Equine Practice Seminar (OEPS) will hold a two-day seminar starting Friday, Aug. 30 at the Griffin Gate Marriott in Lexington, Kentucky, the organization said in a Thursday release. Reestablished in 2023 after a ten-year hiatus, the event hosts third-year veterinary students (Class of 2026) with practitioners from around the country to present their experiences in various disciplines. The estimated 325 attendees will be able to engage in interactive discussions with industry partners, tour equine hospitals, local horse farms and Keeneland....

Fifth Grade Field Trips return to Keeneland this week, with 2,100 students from public and private schools in Fayette County coming to the track this week to participate in a two-hour interactive tour designed to expand their knowledge of Keeneland and the Thoroughbred industry in Kentucky. "Fifth Grade Field Trips offer students in the area a unique and exciting opportunity to engage with the rich history of Keeneland," Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. "These tours allow for hands-on experiences on our grounds that help showcase the diversity of careers...

Hall of Fame trainer Shug McGaughey tells us how he got his unique nickname. He also lets us know who he doesn't like to play golf with. Who do you think is the horse that is closest to his heart out of all of those he has trained? If you thought Easy Goer, you would be wrong. Shug also tells us what his favorite race track is and how long he wants to keep doing this (hint: he isn't going anywhere anytime time soon). Here is the Saratoga Conversation. TDN:...

Amo Racing's Angelo Buonarroti (Justify--Curlylocks {Ire}, by Galileo {Ire}) was the second highest-priced lot when selling for €1-million at Arqana's Breeze-Up sale earlier this year and went some way to justifying that lofty price tag with a breakthrough success in Friday's British Stallion Studs EBF Convivial Maiden Stakes at York. The February-foaled chestnut, who first went through the ring for $135,000 as a Keeneland September yearling, was initially trained by Dominic Ffrench Davis, but was transferred to the Raphael Freire yard before posting a three-length debut ninth when highly tried...

A colt by Justify who is a half-brother to GSW Clearly Unhinged (Into Mischief) has been supplemented to Book 1 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the company said in a press release on Thursday. Out of the Smart Strike mare Smart Win, the colt (hip 372) is consigned by Thorostock, agent, and is scheduled to go through the ring Sept. 10 during day two of the auction. A total of 4,407 horses have been entered across 12 sessions, which will run from Sept. 9 through Sept. 21. Click here...

Kentucky Downs Vice President of Racing Ted Nicholson may have the easiest job in racing, which he'll readily admit. Thanks to the popularity of the Historical Horse Racing Machines, he's got a boatload of money to spend. Every year, it's the same thing...he has to decide where and how to spend millions of dollars. How do you divide up the money and which races deserve a purse increase? "Business has been very strong on the gaming side," said Nicholson, this week's Green Group Guest of the Week on the TDN...

It's the surprises that keep us interested in pedigrees, and that applies as much to people as to horses. Cogburn, who recently sprinted to a world record in the GI Jaipur Stakes, is out of a mare by Saintly Look. Saintly Who? A son of Saint Ballado, and winner of the GIII Lecomte Stakes in 2003, Saintly Look covered a couple of small books in Indiana, in 2008 and 2009, and was then sold for $17,500 at the Keeneland November Sale. Cogburn's dam In a Jif was among nine named...

Scott Hazelton, a FanDuel TV racing host and reporter, will host the 39th annual Thoroughbred Owners and Breeders Association's National Awards Dinner at Fasig-Tipton Sept. 7. Hazelton has covered horse racing since 2004 and has been part of FanDuel's coverage of the Triple Crown, Dubai World Cup and Royal Ascot. He also works for Keeneland as a pedigree announcer, as well as host for Keeneland's simulcast broadcast. Tickets are available to the public for both the Sept. 6 luncheon honoring state and Canadian breeders of the year at the Thoroughbred...