Curiosity within the Breeders’ Cup might be taken up a notch on Oct. 30 with the staging of the inaugural Keeneland Championship Sale. Held within the Del Mar paddock at 6:30 p.m. PT, the choose catalog contains horses engaged to run throughout this weekend’s two-day assembly in a glamorous, invite-only format not dissimilar to Goffs London.
By way of British and Irish consideration, the chief attraction would be the Stuart Williams-trained Pandora’s Present , a Churchill filly who received a listed race at Chelmsford within the spring.
Having been positioned within the Ballyogan Stakes at Naas in August, she has since achieved extra black kind in the USA in grade 2 races at Presque Isle Downs and Keeneland. She drew stall 5 for the Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Dash (G1) on Saturday.
Of different seemingly runners showing within the public sale, there’s a 25-percent stake being offered in Gold Phoenix , the Irish-bred Belardo gelding who was a grade 1 winner final yr within the Frank E. Kilroe Mile and likewise has a hat trick within the grade 2 Del Mar Handicap on his CV. He has drawn gate 12 within the Breeders’ Cup Turf (G1) on Saturday.
The identical share is obtainable in unbeaten Juvenile Fillies Turf (G1) contender Kilwin , whereas additionally up for grabs is a 50-percent share in Vosburgh Stakes (G3) winner Mufasa , certain for the Breeders’ Cup Grime Mile (G1).
“We have at all times appeared on the market not solely within the U.S. however all over the world to see what works and what would not, what’s one thing we may doubtlessly attempt, and that is one thing we have been speaking about for the final two or three years,” stated Tony Lacy, Keeneland’s vp of gross sales.
“We’re a number website for the Breeders’ Cup and have an excellent relationship with Del Mar, we sponsor the Del Mar Oaks, so the Breeders’ Cup is a really pure companion for us.
“There are horses that may hold going and have plans for subsequent yr as effectively. Pandora’s Present ran an excellent race with us a number of weeks in the past at Keeneland and completed third within the Franklin Stakes. Providing her appeared like one thing that was a pure resolution; with the present reinvigoration of the turf program over right here, there’s numerous curiosity and alternative, so she may have a really fruitful yr.”
A 1/fortieth share within the unbeaten sensation Flightline , whose first foals are promoting this yr, may attain a heady sum, provided that after he retired in 2022 an identical concern was offered at Keeneland for $4.6 million.
“We offered the preliminary fractional curiosity after Flightline received the Breeders’ Cup Basic and I do not assume he is upset anyone to date,” stated Lacy.
“His foals are beautiful, I’ve not seen a nasty one but and I believe he is simply such an interesting stallion recognized all throughout the globe. There’s additionally a stallion share in Cogburn, a younger horse who’ll be retiring after the Breeders’ Cup Turf Dash.
“He is been a beautiful horse and goes to shuttle to Australia in addition to stand over right here. He is a beautiful outcross for lots of mares, he’d swimsuit so many broodmare bands and I believe he’ll be extremely fashionable.”
Of different horses engaged, there’s additionally a 25-percent curiosity in Bucchero ‘s E book’em Danno , who was positioned within the Saudi Derby (G3), whereas the constant Cornell is being provided and is one other who may emerge as a world globetrotter.
Lacy is hopeful the sale will fulfill a helpful temporary as a part of the event earlier than the corporate turns its consideration to subsequent month’s November Sale, an enormous assortment of foals and breeding inventory, together with various key dispersals.
“We did not got down to get 30 or 40 horses, it is a occasion with a sale as a element of it,” he stated. “We had a celebration on the final Breeders’ Cup which was a small and intimate event and one thing that I believe the Breeders’ Cup workforce discovered intriguing.
“Once we had been speaking with them, we thought we may discover one thing that went hand in hand, promoting some horses which have some form of connection or are prime quality, and it developed into this. The quantity looks as if the place we wish to be. We do not wish to be taking up the occasion, we simply wish to be part of it, to be enjoyable, and hopefully it is an thrilling alternative.”
The Championship Sale catalog is accessible on Championship.Keeneland.com/catalog
Dwell protection of the Championship Sale might be obtainable on the FanDuel Racing channel, FanDuel Racing + app, and on Keeneland’s YouTube channel.
