Keeneland has catalogued 4,396 horses for the September Foal Sale, which will take place over 12 sessions from September 9-21. The sale catalogue, recognized worldwide as a source of outstanding Thoroughbreds in the sport’s most important races, is onlineOnline resources will include videos of the yearlings and links to the websites of the consignors participating in the 81st auction.
Print catalogs are expected to be sent around August 16.
“This time of year energizes Keeneland and our entire industry as we prepare to showcase a stellar collection of quality young horses and welcome many national and international horsemen and women to Lexington to participate in a vibrant market unlike any other in the world,” said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. “Having produced some of the strongest results in recent years and with a proven track record of successful graduates, the September Sale is a ‘must-attend’ event for buyers and sellers worldwide.”
September sales format
For the fourth consecutive year, the September promotion remains the same:
Week 1
Book 1—Monday-Tuesday, September 9-10. Classes begin at 1 p.m. ET.
There are 176 yearling horses every day.
Book 2—Wednesday-Thursday, September 11-12. Classes begin at 11 a.m.
Wednesday’s catalogue contained 380 horses, while Thursday’s catalogue contained 372 horses.
Dark Day—Friday, September 13. No sales are made.
Week 2
Book 3—Saturday-Sunday, September 14-15. Classes begin at 10 a.m.
A total of 838 yearlings were catalogued over two days.
Book 4—Monday-Tuesday, September 16-17. Classes begin at 10 a.m.
A total of 839 yearlings were catalogued over two days.
Book 5—Wednesday-Thursday, September 18-19. Classes begin at 10 a.m.
A total of 826 yearlings were catalogued over two days.
Book 6—Friday-Saturday, September 20-21. Classes begin at 10 a.m.
A total of 789 yearlings were catalogued over two days.
Keeneland will livestream its entire September sale at Keeneland.com. Bidding is available online and by phone.
All sales offer opportunities
Over 12 exciting days, the September Sale offers unparalleled access to a diverse portfolio of exceptional prospects.
“Spreading over two weeks and six books, the September Sale caters to buyers of all levels, offering one-year-olds at a variety of price points in each session,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “As the quality of entries continues to increase, so does the competition. Shopping on-site from Book 1 to Book 6 gives buyers the opportunity to find everything on their shortlist and more. Last year, we were thrilled to see high-profile buyers sign up not only on the first day of the sale, but all the way through to the last day.”
Another sign of a strong market in the back books in 2023 was when the top-priced yearlings of Session 8 and Session 12 both hit record prices in their respective sessions.
Once again this year, Books 1 and 2 over the first four days of the sale catalogued over 1,000 yearlings judged to be the best individuals of the sale based on condition and pedigree factors such as family auction history, distaff pedigree and stallion strength. This arrangement allowed major domestic and international buyers to examine the largest possible number of exceptional horses before the “dark day” on Friday, September 13, when no sale was held.
As usual, the September Yearling Market will feature some of the world’s most famous stallions and mares.
This press release has been edited for content and style by the BloodHorse team.
