Selling from Book 2 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale concluded Sept. 14 with solid results, on par with the previous year’s record-setting results. A Curlin colt topped the fourth session after realizing $1.1 million from agent Lauren Carlisle.
Consigned as Hip 977 by Taylor Made Sales, the Breeze Easy colt is out of Raven Run Stakes (G2) victress Miss Sunset . The Into Mischief mare placed in the Madison Stakes (G1) and Desert Stormer Stakes (G3), collecting earnings of $891,895 in 20 efforts with a record of 10-3-2.
The yearling has a 3-year-old brother, O’Conner Sunset , who has posted two wins this year.
Carlisle purchased the colt for a non-disclosed client and also bought Hip 942, a Medaglia d’Oro colt from Indian Creek, for $110,000 during Thursday’s session.
Lauren Carlisle and Duncan Taylor after the session-topping purchase
“Today was a very steady, good healthy market,” Tony Lacy, vice president of sales for Keeneland, said. “We were tracking the median throughout the day; it never moved. Overall, I think people were happy; there was confidence that if you brought a product that people liked, you would get well rewarded.
“Wrapping up the first week, it equates almost identically to last year, which was incredible.”
Week one of the sale closed out seeing 30 yearlings bring $1 million or more, keeping up with last year’s record-breaking year.
Thursday, two offerings sold for $1 million or more, the Curlin colt mentioned above and a Not This Time colt consigned by St George Sales, which sold to L.E.B., agent for West Point Thoroughbreds and Talla Racing, for $1.05 million.
The fourth session saw the top 10 horses sell for $700,000 or more by sires Curlin (Hip 977—$1.1 million and Hip 1020—$700,000); Not This Time (Hip 879—$1.05 million); Omaha Beach (Hip 920—$950,000); Authentic (Hip 1046—$875,000, Hip 922—$800,000, and Hip 917—$700,000); Candy Ride (Hip 1122—$850,000); Munnings (Hip 1026—$700,000); and Nyquist (Hip 1036—$700,000).
“There was great energy in the preferred offerings, and it seemed like every time you looked up, there was a big number on the bid board,” Keeneland director of sales Cormac Breathnach commented. “The RNAs were up slightly, but it’s still a very healthy, robust market with a lot of good trade.”
Keeneland reports 217 yearlings of the 299 to go under the hammer Thursday changed hands for gross receipts of $55,076,000. An average price of $253,806 and a median of $200,000 was recorded. The 82 horses who failed to meet their reserve represent a 27.4% RNA rate.
During last year’s fourth session, 243 horses sold of the 320 on offer for gross figures of $57,999,500. An average price of $238,681 and a median of $200,000 was made. An RNA rate of 24.1% represents the 77 yearlings who failed to sell.
“Book 2 started to show the first season sires making a splash, Volatile yesterday had a great sale, today Authentic had his moment in the sun, Omaha Beach, Tiz the Law, and McKinzie are having rock-solid results,” Lacy stated.
Over the past four days of selling, 681 of the 889 yearlings to go under the hammer have sold for a gross of $243,401,000. Suitable for an average price of $357,417 and a median of $285,000. There have been 208 yearlings who failed to attain their reserve, representing an RNA rate of 23.4%.
At this point last year, 718 yearlings had changed hands of the 898 on offer for gross receipts of $245,304,500, at an average price of $341,649 and $260,000 median. An RNA rate of 20% is representative of the 180 yearlings who have failed to meet their reserve.
Breathnach added: “It’s a great way to end the week going into the dark day, and everybody reloads with the next four books to come. Many people here haven’t had their hands up yet.”
(L-R): Dana, Jim and Ben Bernhard at Keeneland
Jim and Dana Bernhard’s Pin Oak Stud made five purchases for gross receipts of $2,450,000, at an average of $490,000 per head, to be the Day 4 leading buyer.
Paramount Sales sold 31 head on Thursday for gross receipts of $6,750,000, at an average of $217,742, to be the session-leading consignor.
“I think the market is outstanding on the top end, for very top offerings,” Mark Taylor of Taylor Made Sales Agency said. “I think we’re finding more polarization in the middle market, and the buyers are a little finicky. If any vet stuff is even amiss, people are taking a wait-and-see cautious approach. I think the buyback rate is trending slightly higher throughout the sale. It’ll be interesting to see what happens in Book 3.”
Over the past four days of selling West Bloodstock, agent for Repole Stable, has purchased 29 yearlings for a gross of $10,640,000, at an average of $366,897. Consignor Gainesway has sold 57 horses at an average of $569,737 and a gross of $32,475,000 to be the cumulative leader.
“Keeneland has done a nice job at pushing better physicals forward into Book 1, and I think in some ways that might have weakened Book 2 physicals a little bit,” Taylor commented. “There might have been some well-pedigreed horses that were average physicals that used to go into Book 1, now are in Book 2, and I think Book 3 is going to be strong physicals at the heart of the middle market, and there’s going to be more buyers that we haven’t even seen. We still have to see what the market will do the rest of the way.”
Selling from Book 3 begins Sept. 16 with Hips 1129-1548 scheduled to head through the ring starting at 10 a.m. ET. The sale will observe a dark day Sept. 15.
Lacy added: “As we go into (Friday), I think it will be a very busy day of showing for Book 3, both days, and we look forward to this momentum carrying to Book 3 and hopefully beyond.”
