The 2024 Keeneland September Yearling Sale grew to become the highest-grossing Thoroughbred public sale ever at $420,632,000 (together with non-public gross sales), with two days left go, the public sale home introduced Sept. 19. The earlier document in 2022 was $418,271,200 for two,963 horses that offered.
By the tip of Ebook 5, the gross for the two,459 yearlings which have offered is a 4.5% enhance from final 12 months at the moment, the place 2,515 horses grossed $402,536,200.
“It is a symbolic benchmark in some ways, as a result of I feel it simply exhibits the energy of the trade right here within the U.S., the well being and the arrogance that there’s within the sport in the mean time,” stated Tony Lacy, vice chairman of gross sales at Keeneland.
(L-R): Tony Lacy and Shannon Arvin on the Keeneland September Yearling Sale
“Setting an all-time common document for a session of $611,000 on the second day, all of those metrics simply present how dynamic this market place is. We as Keeneland, take nice pleasure in watching the outcomes, as a result of once more, it means a lot to our prospects,” he added.
The demand for good horses continued by way of Ebook 5. On the sale’s tenth day, 278 yearlings had been offered from 343 provided for a complete of $9,306,000. The common was $33,475, the median was $26,000. Sixty-five horses failed to fulfill their reserve, leading to an RNA price of 19%.
The common and median had been each up from final 12 months’s tenth session, the place Keeneland noticed a median of $31,995, and a median of $25,000.
“It is sustaining a market for all the inhabitants we have now on provide. It is not simply the concentrate on week one, its focus right through,” stated Lacy.
Lacy talked about seeing plenty of new faces on the gross sales, and faces he has not seen in a few years. There may be nice depth available in the market from patrons all around the world, together with China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Japan, and elsewhere. He credit that to the arrogance in the US product and the U.S. equine.
“I’ve all the time been so impressed how Keeneland, as a gross sales firm, has constructed the arrogance from all of the patrons from each nook of the globe, and it makes this sale the place you possibly can belief to place your best horses right here and they are going to meet the market,” stated Brandon Rice, of RiceHorse Steady.
“It is actually gratifying, however not just for Keeneland and for the workforce, however the individuals who have supported us by way of this course of, the breeders, the patrons who’ve come right here and afforded their time and discretionary earnings with us to seek out the subsequent champion,” stated Lacy.
Hip 3375, a filly by Airdrie Stud’s Beau Liam , was the highest value of the session at $200,000. She was consigned by Ledgelands, agent, and bought by Tom Tatum.
Bret Jones on the Keeneland September Yearling Sale
“I feel it has been a really good-feeling sale. The numbers mirror that. It is actually not simple. Whether or not you’ve got had an important sale, a very good sale, or perhaps a disappointing sale, for the general market, I feel we have now to be inspired and as all the time, wanting ahead to the long run,” stated Airdrie’s Bret Jones.
The bay filly was bred in Kentucky by Ledgelands (Shelley Ritter) and Andrew Ritter. She is the second foal of the Malibu Moon mare Moonlight Kiss .
“I used to be within the again ring and he or she (Hip 3375) was strolling in, and it is all the time an important feeling if you see an absolute swarm of individuals surrounding the horse,” stated Jones.
“The filly that offered at the moment, she’s a very good illustration of what (Beau Liam) is getting. He is getting very good infants, and infants that may hopefully run quick once they’re requested the query.”
Beau Liam’s first foals are yearlings of 2024. He stood his first 12 months at stud in 2022 for an marketed payment of $6,000. He has had 19 yearlings promote so far within the sale for a complete of $1.5 million, and a median of $78,947. His top-priced horse of the sale was Hip 1964, a colt out of Inventive Trick, who was bred by the late Brereton C. Jones and consigned by Airdrie. He was bought for $270,000 by JPM Bloodstock, agent.
“Athleticism is the phrase I feel I might finest describe (his foals). They’re athletic horses, individuals who look into his race document and return and watch his races and see how brilliantly quick he was, and I feel there’s an expectation that these foals can observe swimsuit,” added Jones.
The very best-priced colt of the session was Hip 3405, a colt by Caracaro . He’s the primary foal out of the Maclean’s Music mare Paula Andrea . He was bred and consigned by Brandywine Farm (Jim and Pam Robinson.) The colt was bought by Dr. Fawzi Bouresli for $170,000.
The main purchaser of the day was Kenny McPeek. He bought 4 yearlings for a complete of $281,000. Taylor Made led consignors with a gross of $758,500 from 30 horses offered. Ashford Stud’s Mendelssohn led the sire standings with 9 offered for a complete of $376,000.
The September Sale continues Sept. 20 at 10:00 a.m. with the beginning of Ebook 6. Hips 3636-4035 will head to the ring for the eleventh session. As of Thursday night, Keeneland has reported 154 outs.
“That is simply an indicator of the place we’re going as Keeneland into the long run, we wish to be as approachable and dynamic as potential; as you see with plenty of our improvement that is occurring within the facility, it is a show of our ambition, of our confidence, and simply our general mindset as we step into the subsequent decade, if not two or three,” stated Lacy on the document sale.
