The sixth session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Sept. 17, ticked along with a colt by Constitution highlighting the day after selling to Pin Oak Stud for $900,000 online. Knockgriffin Farm consigned the colt, which they pinhooked for $100,000 from the January Sale eight months prior.
“He’s a beautiful Constitution colt with two stallions in the pedigree,” said Matt Weinmann with Equine Analysis, who assists Pin Oak Stud with purchasing. “We bought three Constitution colts last year, and the first one ran at Churchill on Friday and won very nicely. We thought we’d come back to that well.”
The colt is out of the Curlin mare Low Pressure Zone, a full sibling to Adirondack Stakes (G2) placed Virginia Eloise and from the family of producer Miss Macy Sue . The Winning Colors Stakes (G3) winning mare produced grade 1-winning sire Liam’s Map and up-and-coming sensation sire Not This Time .
The colt was bred in Kentucky by Gage Hill Stable II, W.S. Farish, and Ken Langone and consigned to the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, where Jim Fitzgerald snapped him up for what seems like a bargain at $100,000.
“I had some partners, a good group, and we will probably be back to buy,” Fitzgerald said. “A good friend just told me, ‘I need to stay in my buggy and do what I do best.’ I can’t compete with the big boys; there are a lot of horses out there I would love to buy, so I will try and stay in my buggy and lane.”
The session 6 top seller leaving the sales pavilion
Pin Oak Stud made three purchases, including a $600,000 Justify colt from Mt. Brilliant Farm and a $250,000 Vekoma colt from Paramount Sales.
Four horses sold for $500,000 or more during Sunday’s sixth session. The top 10 lots were by sires Constitution (Hip 1777—$900,000), Candy Ride (Hip 1791—$700,000), Justify (Hip 1684—$600,000), Medaglia d’Oro (Hip 1852—$500,000), Girvin (Hip 1636—$475,000), Hard Spun (Hip 1627—$450,000 and Hip 1623—$435,000), Malibu Moon (Hip 1778—$435,000), Game Winner (Hip 1895—$410,000), and Not This Time (Hip 1554—$400,000).
Selling from Book 3 concluded with 277 horses changing hands of the 358 on offer Sunday for gross receipts of $38,868,000. An average price of $140,318 and a median of $100,000 was recorded. An RNA rate of 22.6% represents the 81 yearlings who failed to attain their reserve.
During last year’s sixth session, 287 yearlings were traded of the 358 through the ring for a gross of $39,703,000, at an average of $138,338 and a median of $100,000. The 71 yearlings who failed to sell represent an RNA rate of 19.8%.
Lexington-based Donato Lanni, agent for SF/Starlight/Madaket, purchased four yearlings Sunday for a gross of $1,820,000, at an average of $455,000, to be the session leading buyer. Over the past six selling sessions, he has purchased 19 horses for gross receipts of $11,890,000, at an average of $625,789, to be the sales leading buyer.
Donato Lanni at Keeneland
Paramount Sales sold 24 head for a gross of $3,827,000 and an average of $159,458 to be the Day 6 leading seller. Antony Beck’s Gainesway has sold 85 yearlings for a gross of $38,542,000 at an average of $453,435 per head to be the cumulative leading consignor.
Over the past six selling sessions, 1,272 yearlings of the 1,618 on offer have sold for gross receipts of $331,500,000. An average price of $260,613 and a median of $185,000 was recorded. The 346 yearlings who remained unsold represent an RNA rate of 21.4%.
At this time last year, 1,319 yearlings had sold of the 1,635 through the ring for a gross of $339,273,000 for an average price of $257,219 and a median of $195,000. An RNA rate of 19.3% represents the 326 yearlings who failed to sell.
“Book 1 was super difficult, we didn’t buy anything from Book 1,” Weinmann said. “It’s been a strong sale, and we came in to buy as many good colts as we could find, and now we think we have a good group and are pretty happy.”
The sale continues Sept. 18 with Hips 1966-2380 selling from Book 4, beginning at 10 a.m. ET. As of Sunday evening, 37 horses had been withdrawn from the seventh session.
