Keeneland kicks off its 75th annual September Yearling Sale on Monday with the first of four Book 1 sessions to be offered to an assembly of the world’s leading buyers of Thoroughbred racing prospects.
Racing Thoroughbreds at Keeneland
A total of 4,538 Thoroughbred yearlings have been cataloged to the entire sale, which two years ago produced 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify.
© 2010 by David Ohmer
A total of 4,538 yearlings have been cataloged to the entire sale, which two years ago produced 2018 Triple Crown winner Justify. The September Sale will cover 13 sessions through Sunday, Sept. 23.
“Keeneland’s September Sale assembles the very best yearlings the market has to offer, and this year consignors have delivered one of the strongest catalogs in recent memory, with yearlings representing the world’s top sires, among them Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, and racing’s most active families,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing and Sales Bob Elliston said.
“September Sale graduates this year have won 155 graded or group stakes winners to date, led by Triple Crown winner Justify, divisional champions and emerging juvenile superstars. This proven record of success brings the world to Keeneland.”
Yearlings represent 218 of the world’s leading sires, including Bernardini, Blame, Candy Ride (ARG), City Zip, Curlin, Distorted Humor, Empire Maker, Flatter, Frankel, Galileo (IRE), Ghostzapper, Giant’s Causeway, Hard Spun, Into Mischief, Kitten’s Joy, Lemon Drop Kid, Malibu Moon, Medaglia d’Oro, Midnight Lute, More Than Ready, Pioneerof the Nile, Quality Road, Speightstown, Street Sense, Tapit, Tiznow, Uncle Mo, Union Rags and War Front.
Joining American Pharoah among the prominent freshman stallions with yearlings in the catalog are Bayern, Carpe Diem, Commissioner, Competitive Edge, Constitution, Daredevil, Gleneagles (IRE), Honor Code, Karakontie (JPN), Lea, Liam’s Map, Palace Malice, Summer Front, Tapiture, Tonalist and Wicked Strong.
Keeneland will present live gavel-to-gavel coverage of the entire September Sale at Keeneland.com.
Sale Format Adjusted for 2018
Book 1 encompasses the September Sale’s first four days versus the single-session Book 1 held a year ago. 989 yearlings are cataloged in Book 1.
The format is as follows:
Week 1 (Book 1) – Monday-Thursday, Sept. 10-13. Sessions begin at 11 a.m. ET daily.
Friday, Sept. 14 – The traditional “dark day” when no sale will be conducted.
Weekend (Book 2) – Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 15-16. Sessions begin at 10 a.m.
Week 2 (Books 3-6) – Monday-Sunday, Sept. 17-23. Sessions begin at 10 a.m.
September Sale Seller Bonus Program
All horses sold during the 2018 September Sale are eligible to earn cash rewards thanks to Keeneland’s September Sale Seller Bonus Program introduced last year.
The program offers cash rewards to sellers (owners at the time of sale) of horses sold at the September Sale that win Grade/Group 1, 2 or 3 stakes as a 2- or 3-year-old. Sellers receive cash rewards for yearlings that were sold at the September Sale based on the following criteria: $10,000 Seller Bonus value for your first Grade/Group 1 stakes win; $7,500 for your first Grade/Group 2 win; and $5,000 for your first Grade/Group 3 victory.
A graduate is eligible for a Seller Bonus based on its highest level of graded stakes win. Should a graduate step up and win another race at a higher grade during its 2- or 3-year-old campaign, the Seller will receive the difference in value between the previous grade and the higher grade, with a maximum lifetime payout of $10,000 available per horse. For more information, please visit September.Keeneland.com.
Two horses sold at the 2017 September Sale earned a Seller Bonus for their recent graded stakes victories. Game Winner captured the Del Mar Futurity (G1) on Sept. 3 and earned $10,000 for seller Summer Wind Farm. That victory came five day after Opry won the With Anticipation (G3) at Saratoga and earned $5,000 for seller Crosshaven Bloodstock.
In addition, these earlier winners of Grade/Group 3 races have earned a Seller Bonus: So Perfect, who earned $5,000 for seller Machmer Hall; Aster Pegasus, who earned $5,000 for seller Stonestreet Farm; and Sombeyay, who earned $5,000 for seller Taylor Made Sales Agency.
September.Keeneland.com also recognizes each graduate that has won a graded stakes this year, and the site offers an interactive index that enables users to browse and filter the entire 2018 September Sale catalog.
Book 1 Coverage on TVG
TVG will present live coverage of Book 1 featuring on-site reporting from Scott Hazelton. His preview reports will air Sunday, Sept. 9.
Full coverage of the sale will be available Monday, Sept. 10, and Tuesday, Sept. 11, on TVG2 beginning at 11 a.m. through the conclusion of the session. Some coverage also will appear on TVG on those days.
On Wednesday, Sept. 12, TVG2 will have full coverage from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. with later reports on TVG and TVG2.
On Thursday, Sept. 13, full coverage on TVG2 will air from 11 a.m.-1:30 p.m. with later reports on TVG and TVG2.
Graduates Become Major Winners Worldwide
Through Labor Day, alumni of the September Sale have won 155 graded/group stakes around the world this year.
“Keeneland is so proud of Justify and his connections, and his success is just the tip of the iceberg regarding the 2018 racing highlights by September Sale graduates,” Elliston said. “Year after year, the September Sale rewards buyers with horses that go on to win the best races in the world.”
Other 2018 Grade 1-winning September Sale graduates include champion Abel Tasman (Ogden Phipps and Personal Ensign), Accelerate ($1 Million TVG Pacific Classic, Gold Cup at Santa Anita and Santa Anita Handicap Presented by San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino), Bee Jersey (Runhappy Metropolitan), Bellafina (Del Mar Debutante), Bowies Hero (Frank E. Kilroe Mile), City of Light (Triple Bend), Fault (Santa Margarita), Finley’sluckycharm (Madison), Game Winner (Del Mar Futurity), champion Good Magic (betfair.com Haskell Invitational), Magnum Moon (Arkansas Derby), Midnight Bisou (Santa Anita Oaks), Pavel (Stephen Foster), Promises Fulfilled (H. Allen Jerkens Presented by Runhappy) and champion Unique Bella (Beholder Mile and Clement L Hirsch).
September Sale graduates also have exceled around the world in 2018. Among them are group winners Hawkbill (Dubai Sheema Classic-G1 and Dubai City of Gold Sponsored by Emirates Skycargo-G2), Mendelssohn (UAE Derby Sponsored by Saeed & Mohammed Al Naboodah Group-G2) and Shamaal Nibras (Jebel Ali Mile Sponsored by Shadwell Farm-G3) in Dubai; Mozu Ascot (Yasuda Kinen-G1) in Japan; and Roaring Lion (Juddmonte International-G1, Coral-Eclipse-G1 and Betfred Dante-G2), Thundering Blue (Sky Bet York-G2) and Order of St George (IRE) (Vintage Crop-G3) in England.
Public Invited to Attend
Keeneland sales are free and open to the public. Fans are encouraged to visit the Sales Pavilion to watch the auction and enjoy a variety of food options while browsing the display of outstanding paintings and sculpture available that will be offered at the Sporting Art Auction on Nov. 18 at the Sales Pavilion.
Other public activities include:
Behind-the-Scenes Sales Tours (Sept. 9, 14, 18, 20, 21): A special feature of Keeneland’s popular year-round tour program, these 90-minute guided tours offer guests an in-depth look at sales operations. Experience includes a tour of the world-renowned Keeneland Sales Pavilion and auction ring, followed by breakfast at the Grade One Grill. Tours begin at Keeneland’s Welcome Center at 7:50 a.m. and are $37 per person (includes a voucher for breakfast). Click here for more information.
Jefferson Street Soiree (Sept. 12): Keeneland and Visit LEX’s Beyond Grits present the annual block party to celebrate the September Sale and Lexington’s culinary scene on Jefferson Street. The event, which spans Jefferson from West Short Street to Maryland Avenue, is 6-10 p.m. Click here for more information.
The Keeneland Shop: Unique gifts and souvenirs are available at The Keeneland Shop, just inside the Grandstand South entrance. The Keeneland Shop, which offers timeless equestrian-influenced apparel, jewelry, accessories and merchandise, is open Sept. 9-22 from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Click here for more information.
Keeneland Library: One of the world’s largest repositories of information related to the Thoroughbred, the Keeneland Library is free and open to the public. Guests will enjoy the exhibit “Artistry of Peb: Fifty Years of Features” now in its final days as well as other art and artifacts on display. The Library is open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Click here for more information.