With not all demand quenched for the previous books during the September 2022 Anniversary Book Sale in Keeneland, the 5-session Book Fair ending September 22 in Lexington delivered the numbers. stronger when sales hit a record.
This year, the Keeneland September Yearling Sale on Thursday became the highest-grossing auction in Keeneland’s history after one session pushed the total to $399,940,000. The previous record of $399,791,800 was set during the September 2006 Sale.
With two sessions remaining, a total of 2,597 horses sold through the ring marks a 15.7% increase over the same period last year when 2,545 horses were sold through the ring for $360,579,000. The $158,831 median price is up 12% from $141,681, while the $85,000 median is 13.33% higher than 2021’s $75,000 average.
“This milestone was achieved through the persistence, energy and hard work of a community of our breeders, sellers and buyers. Chief Executive Officer Shannon Arvin.” It’s an exciting time in our sport, and as we saw at the September Sale, there’s a lot of desire to own racehorses. This is a moment we celebrate with the entire Purebred industry.”
Shannon Arvin
Paramount Sales consignee Pat Costello was delighted to see continued interest in the 10th session of Thursday’s sale.
“It was another great day,” Costello said. “I think it’s all backed up. Previous buyers backed up with their purchase so now they’re finding things to crave in later books and others are still as enthusiastic as they were today. It’s a great market.”
Driven by that interest, Keeneland reported that 308 crested birds were sold in the ring for $10,335,000 for the session. The median price is $33,555 and the median is $25,000. These numbers are up from last year’s 10th session when 305 rings sold for $9,222,000, the median was $30,236 and the median was $23,000.
It’s not a perfect comparison as last year’s 10th session was the second final session in the sale while two more sessions (Book 6) are still up for this year. While that’s notable, it’s still impressive that the 10th session of this year saw a 12.4% gain, a 10.6% average gain, and an 8.7% average gain.
John Greathouse III said his clients, Al and Arlene London, experienced the crash Costello referenced before heading to $190,000 on Thursday to land Sky Mesa diminutive from Speight’s Comete — a perfect sister to many tier 2 winners and a successful male Munnings .
Greathouse says of longtime customers of his family’s Glencrest ranch: “They’ve been trying to get a hold of a craving with this sale but in previous books they’ve had no luck; so far The price is still quite high.” .
Keeneland’s vice president of sales, Tony Lacy, said it’s great to see momentum deepening in this year’s sale.
“This is a goal we all work hard to achieve, and we appreciate the sellers and buyers that have believed in us and the changes we’ve made to the Discount format. September prices,” Lacy said. “The enormous success of Book 1 has created momentum for the sale and continues into the final days to come. Two more sessions left and we still have many beautiful horses that have yet to be sold.”
A year ago, Greathouse hit $145,000 to land Click Formation to a Londoner, a son of Tapiture who won her maiden special weight class debut in August at Ellis . Park. That purchase will prove to be Keeneland’s September 10, 2021 trading session but will rank fourth today.
“Prices are clearly still strong if you’re paying $190,000 for a book in Book 5. We bought up to $145,000 on Tap in Formation and he was the one who opened the corresponding session last year. So, it was a great sale,” Greathouse said. “Keeneland did a great job putting these things together. They have buyers here who are hungry to buy horses.”
About three-quarters of the way through Thursday’s session, Internet contractor Mick Wallace, a representative for St. Elias Stables, had a son of Girvin for $290,000. Prices for dark bay or brown colt consigned by Brookdale Sales topped both the September 22 session as well as Book 5, which is offered Wednesday and Thursday.
“It’s a very good price,” says Freddy Seitz of Brookdale. “It’s just saying that this is a really hot market and it would be really good if you had a nice one.”
Seitz was raised in Kentucky by the Brookdale Ranch, Seitz said the foal (sold as the Hip 3504) did well when it was sold.
Into Mischief horse in summer. The second dam, Summertime, by Siberian Summer, is a junior high school finisher Summer wind dancer .
Girvin’s first season of 2-year-olds is on track, led by winner Saratoga Special Stakes (G2) Damon’s Mound and winner Astoria Stakes Dame crooked . A boy won first prize in grade 1 of The story of Ekati Girvin is currently eighth on the list of freshmen’s males.
The final book of the sale will go on sale on Friday, September 23 and Saturday, September 24. Both of those trading sessions start at 10 a.m. Even though it’s only two days away. This sale is still very enthusiastic. Like many others, Greathouse points to the 2022 racing season that will award record purses this year as a positive trend driving far-reaching demand.
“I think the growing purse structure has really helped,” says Greathouse. “It’s nice to see a nice healthy market and — as a breeder — it’s great to see breeders being rewarded for raising a beautiful horse.”
