First-crop sire Cupid has saletopper at Keeneland September sale's 10th session

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Led by a $200,000 Cupid colt, first-crop sires dominated the leaderboard as the penultimate book of the Keeneland September yearling sale closed.

Keeneland reported 238 yearlings sold in Wednesday's session, the Book 5 finale, for gross receipts of $4,664,900, resulting in a session average of $19,600 and median of $12,500. The buyback rate for the session was 21 percent, as that figure continues to be solid in the second week of this sale with a selective marketplace.

Ten of the 12 sessions of Keeneland September are in the books, with only the two Book 6 sessions set for Thursday and Friday remaining. To this point, Keeneland has reported 2,010 yearlings sold for $235,224,700, for an average of $117,027 and a median of $50,000. With two sessions remaining in this sale, which, of course, has been impacted by the coronavirus pandemic, this is likely to be the first time since 2016 that Keeneland September does not top the $300 million mark in gross sales. The sale grossed $327,999,100 in 2008, when the results of that month's financial crash began to truly make themselves felt in the second week of the sale. The sale dropped below the $300 million mark for the next several years as the Thoroughbred market struggled and then recovered. The 2017 edition of Keeneland September grossed $307,845,400, followed by $377,130,400 in 2018 and $372,348,400 last year.

The session-leading Cupid colt was purchased by Larry Zap, as agent for Mike Mellen. He was consigned by Shawhan Place, as agent for Ascot Thoroughbreds. Grade 1 winner Cupid, by leading sire and emerging sire of sires Tapit, led the way as first-crop sires were responsible for the three highest-priced yearlings of the session.

Zap indicated on Twitter that the session topper would be sent to Jesse Hoppel in Ocala, Fla., for his early training this fall. Hoppel also purchased the second-highest-priced horse of the session, a $115,000 colt from the first crop of Klimt. Rounding out the trio was a $100,000 American Freedom colt sold to NewDay Training Center. Shawhan Place also consigned that colt, as agent for Mr. and Mrs. Theodore R. Kuster.

The Cupid colt is out of the Distorted Humor mare Just Joking, dam of three winners from four starters, including Grade 3-placed Quick Release. Just Joking is out of Grade 3-placed stakes winner Contrast, who in turn is out of champion sprinter Safely Kept. That outstanding racemare produced stakes winner Peace Chant, and several of her daughters and granddaughters are also stakes producers; Grade 2 winner Venetian Harbor hails from this family.

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