When Alignment The first yearlings offered at the Keeneland September 2021 Yearling Market had the same excitement as the American Triple Crown winner.
The Alignment The buzz has been roaring for 2024 with champions on both sides of the Atlantic and impressive winners pouring in from around the world, highlighted by Epsom Derby (G1) winner Troy City who followed his Derby win with wins in the Coral Eclipse (G1) and Juddmonte International (G1).
“On the sales tour and listening to the feedback, I think everyone was blown away by how great this stallion is,” said Tony Lacy, Keeneland’s vice president of sales. “He’s a revelation.
“Mr Magnier’s faith in acquiring Justify is now being rewarded tenfold. This is perhaps one of the most exciting stallions we have seen in recent memory, especially on a global scale. There is no place in the world that is not taking notice of Justify’s influence and potential impact on the breed.”
There were 60 Justify yearlings in the September sale catalogue this year, meaning just over half of his reported 118 live foals in 2022 were sold. As expected, they were concentrated in the early books, with Book 1 (21) and Book 2 (31) combining for 52. There were seven other Justify yearlings designated for Book 3 and one for Book 4. The Justify yearlings at this year’s sale were bred for a stud fee of $100,000. His fee was changed to “private” in 2024.
“I know with a lot of Europeans, especially Europeans, there’s a question they all ask, ‘How many Justify foals do you have at auction?’” Lacy said. “He’s not the only stallion they’re asking about, but he’s probably at the top of the list for the international market this year.
“They will be harder to buy in the future. They will be sought after by high-end breeders and in the future some of them may not be available on the market.”
The market for Justify is good for 2023. His foals bred for a $125,000 stud fee in 2021 averaged $274,889 at Keeneland last September. But they are available, and European pinhookers who bet on an American Triple Crown winner by a respected European stallion (Scat Daddy) have been able to snap up horses that are not considered finishers by American standards at bargain prices.
Irish horse hunter Norman Williamson snapped up a Justify colt by the High Chaparral mare Inchargeofme from Nursery Place’s consignment for £150,000. The colt was resold at the Arqana Breeze-Up Sale in May for a record £2.3 million ($2,477,404).
In May, Williamson told the Racing Post of the appeal of the yearling.
Buchu at the September 2022 auction. Rigney Racing was RNA’d at home for $275,000 and joined the breeder’s racing stable, winning the 2023 Jessamine Stakes (G2T) and 2024 Appalachian Stakes (G2T), both at Keeneland. Denali has three yearling Justify foals at this year’s sale.
“I think Justify’s first year had a lot of buzz about him,” said Denali vice president Conrad Bandoroff. “When Buchu sold, it was his second crop, and I think there was a little bit of a wait and see thing like the market can tend to do when a horse takes its first 2-year-olds to the track. At that point, the market wants to see how they perform and whether they live up to the hype.
“There will be huge competition from domestic and European buyers this year. Justify has always had good support internationally, especially from Japan, but if you have a good Justify this year, that horse will be qualified to attract the highest-end buyers around the world.”
Bandoroff said Hip 699, a Justify foal out of the mare AP Indy Fit will attract considerable interest in Book 2. Apt is an older horse who won the 2010 half-marathon and is a successful stallion Blame and her light-footed April 30 foal is half to four black stallions.
“He’s a prolific family, and this is a foal we’re very proud of. He has great health and balance,” Bandoroff said. “And there couldn’t be a hotter stallion out there right now.”
