Horses to watch at 2020 Keeneland September yearling sale

The following are horses to watch, based on pedigree alone, during Book 1 of the Keeneland September yearling sale, which launches the auction’s run on Sept. 13-14 in Lexington, Ky. This list reflects catalog updates and sale outs through Sept. 13.

Selling on Sunday, Sept. 13

Hip No. 23, colt by Curlin – Zayanna, by Bernardini. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, agent for Siena Farm.

This is a full brother to Grade 2 winner Point of Honor, as well as a half to Grade 1 winner Wicked Whisper, stakes winner Velvet Mood, and stakes-placed Admiral Jimmy. Zayanna is a half-sister to graded stakes winners Heavenly Ransom, Dilemma, and Mr Freeze, as well as to stakes winner Capitano.

Hip No. 43, filly by Tapit – Appealing Zophie, by Successful Appeal. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent.

Grade 1 winner Appealing Zophie is the dam of six winners from eight starters, led by Tapwrit, a full brother to this filly. That $1.2 million yearling went on to win the 2017 Belmont Stakes. Appealing Zophie also is the dam of Grade 2 winner Ride a Comet and promising maiden winner Inject.

Hip No. 58, filly by Medaglia d’Oro – Baffled, by Distorted Humor. Consigned by Denali Stud, agent.

The Medaglia d’Oro – Distorted Humor cross is responsible for Grade 1 winners Elate and New Money Honey, and Group 3-placed Baffled is one of Distorted Humor’s many outstanding daughters in production. This filly is a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 winner and young classic sire Constitution, along with Group 2 winner Boynton and stakes winner Jacaranda. It is the immediate family of Grade 1 winner Emcee.

Hip No. 65, filly by Uncle Mo – Believe You Can, by Proud Citizen. Consigned by Airdrie Stud.

Kentucky Oaks winner Believe You Can’s three yearlings to come to public auction have sold for $2.9 million, $1 million, and $900,000, respectively. The latter is Grade 3-placed stakes winner Believe In Royalty.

Hip No. 84, colt by Medaglia d’Oro – Callback, by Street Sense. Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales, agent.

Grade 1 winner Callback sold for $2.8 million as a broodmare prospect, and again for $2 million as a broodmare last fall. The mare is a half-sister to stakes winner and producer Defy Gravity. This is the family of Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver, champion Rhythm, prominent sire Not For Love, and Grade 1 winners Bluegrass Cat, Girolamo, and Imagining.

Hip No. 98, filly by War Front – Chatham, by Maria’s Mon. Consigned by Stone Farm.

This is a full sister to European champion juvenile Air Force Blue, who is among the leaders of this year’s freshman sire class. This is the family of Eclipse Award champions Flanders and Surfside.

Hip No. 128, colt by Medaglia d’Oro – Dawn Raid, by Vindication. Consigned by Warrendale Sales, agent.

This is a half-brother to Preakness Stakes winner Exaggerator, whose dam is a half-sister to Canadian champion Embur’s Song.

Hip No. 137, colt by Pioneerof the Nile – Diva Delite, by Repent. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, agent.

This is a half-brother to five-time Grade 1 winner Midnight Bisou, an Eclipse Award champion last season. Grade 3 winner Diva Delite also produced stakes-placed Stage Left.

Hip No. 147, colt by Curlin – Eltimaas, by Ghostzapper. Consigned by Machmer Hall Sales, agent.

This is a half-brother to Eclipse Award champion sprinter Drefong. Their dam is a half-sister to champion juvenile Action This Day.

Hip No. 175, colt by Gun Runner – Fun House, by Prized. Consigned by Gainesway, agent.

This colt is from the first crop of Horse of the Year Gun Runner and is out of Grade 2 winner Fun House, a Broodmare of the Year. She is the dam of Eclipse champion Untapable, winner of the Kentucky Oaks and Breeders’ Cup Distaff, and Grade 1 winner Paddy O’Prado.

Hip No. 181, colt by Curlin – Glinda the Good, by Magical Flash. Consigned by Denali Stud, agent for Stonestreet Farm.

This is a full brother to champion juvenile Good Magic, a seven-figure yearling who went on to finish second in the Kentucky Derby and win the Haskell Invitational at 3. Grade 1 winner Magical Maiden is among the graded stakes winners on the catalog page.

Hip No. 186, filly by Tapit – Groupie Doll, by Bowman’s Band. Consigned by Timber Town, agent.

Two-time champion sprinter Groupie Doll is the dam of two winners from as many starters, both by Tapit.

Hip No. 205, colt by Galileo – I’m a Chatterbox, by Munnings. Consigned by Blandford Stud, agent.

By international titan Galileo, this is the first foal out of multiple Grade 1 winner I’m a Chatterbox.

Hip No. 208, filly by Into Mischief – Indian Miss, by Indian Charlie. Consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, agent.

This filly, by the nation’s reigning leading sire, is a half-sister to Eclipse Award outstanding sprinter Mitole.

Selling on Monday, Sept. 14

Hip No. 240, colt by War Front – Lady Eli, by Divine Park. Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales, agent.

This is the first foal out of the popular Eclipse Award champion Lady Eli, a five-time Grade 1 winner.

Hip No. 252, colt by Quality Road – Leslie’s Harmony, by Curlin. Consigned by Denali Stud, agent.

Leslie’s Harmony is a half-sister to four-time Eclipse Award champion Beholder, Grade 1 winner and leading sire Into Mischief, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf winner Mendelssohn, and to three dams of stakes horses.

Hip No. 256, filly by New Year’s Day – Lil Indy, by Anasheed. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, agent.

This is a full sister to Maximum Security, last year’s champion 3-year-old and a Grade 1 winner this season. This filly was born in Korea before she and her dam, a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Flat Out, were repatriated due to Maximum Security’s success. Lil Indy then sold for $1.85 million at last year’s Keeneland November sale, while this filly was a $190,000 buyback.

Hip No. 262, filly by Uncle Mo – Love the Chase, by Not For Love. Consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock, agent.

This is a half-sister to two-time Horse of the Year and dual classic winner California Chrome. Love the Chase was a $1.95 million sale in the fall of 2016, and was a $1.3 million buyback two years later while carrying this filly. Another of the mare’s foals, Fort McHenry, sold for $1.1 million as a yearling.

Hip No. 273, filly by American Pharoah – Maryinsky, by Sadler’s Wells. Consigned by Paramount Sales, agent.

This filly, by Triple Crown winner and leading freshman sire American Pharoah, has tremendous residual value as a broodmare. Maryinsky is a multiple top-level producer, as the dam of European champion Peeping Fawn and Group 1 winner Thewayyouare. Out of Kentucky Oaks winner Blush With Pride, Maryinsky is a half-sister to Better Than Honour, dam of a pair of Belmont Stakes winners, including champion Rags to Riches.

Hip No. 305, colt by Curlin – Mythical Bride, by Street Cry. Consigned by Glennwood Farm.

This is a full brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Vino Rosso, who took the 2019 Breeders’ Cup Classic. They also are half-brothers to Grade 3-placed So Alive. This is the family of graded stakes winners Commissioner, second in the Belmont Stakes; and Laugh Track, second in the Breeders’ Cup Sprint.

Hip No. 344, colt by American Pharoah – Quarter Moon, by Sadler’s Wells. Consigned by Blandford Stud, agent.

Irish Oaks winner Quarter Moon is the dam of Group 1 winner Diamondsandrubies and three other stakes horses, including Group 1-placed You’ll Be Mine, dam of group stakes winner Eminent.

Hip No. 350, colt by American Pharoah – Refugee, by Unaccounted For. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent.

This is a half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winners Hoppertunity and Executiveprivilege, as well as to stakes winners Cowboy’s Hero and Leader of Men and stakes-placed Profit.

Hip No. 373, colt by Uncle Mo – Seeking Gabrielle, by Forestry. Consigned by Hinkle Farm.

This is a full brother to 2015 Eclipse Award champion juvenile and 2016 Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist, now a stakes-producing sire with his freshman crop.

Hip No. 374, colt by Medaglia d’Oro – Serena’s Cat, by Storm Cat. Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales, agent.

Stakes winner Serena’s Cat – who is out of stakes winner and producer Serena’s Tune, who in turn is out of Hall of Famer and blue hen Serena’s Song – is the dam of champion Honor Code, Grade 2 winner Noble Tune, stakes winner Declarationofpeace, and stakes-placed Lady Serena. The mare’s average price for five progeny sold at public auction, all weanlings or yearlings, is $1.59 million.

Hip No. 377, colt by Tapit – Shameful, by Flying Chevron. Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales, agent.

Stakes winner Shameful’s progeny fill this entire catalog page, led by two-time Eclipse champion Indian Blessing, dam of Grade 1-placed Ten Blessings. Shameful also produced Grade 3 winner Roman Threat, stakes winners Ax Man and Nightly News, and three stakes-placed runners.

Hip No. 410, colt by Tapit – Stopchargingmaria, by Tale of the Cat. Consigned by Gainesway, agent.

This is the second foal out of Breeders’ Cup Distaff winner Stopchargingmaria. Her first foal sold for $1.9 million as a weanling.

Hip No. 431, colt by Tapit – Take Charge Brandi, by Giant’s Causeway. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales, agent.

Eclipse Award champion Take Charge Brandi has gone through the auction ring three times in her life, for an average price of more than $3.2 million. The mare is a half-sister to Grade 1 winner Omaha Beach; their granddam is multiple Grade 1 winner Take Charge Lady, dam of champion Will Take Charge and Take Charge Indy. A half-brother to this colt sold for $850,000 as a yearling; a full brother brought $600,000 as a weanling last fall.

Hip No. 438, filly by Into Mischief – Taylor S, by Medaglia d’Oro. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, agent.

Grade 2-placed stakes winner Taylor S’s first foal is a winner. The young mare is a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile winner Liam’s Map and Grade 3 winner Not This Time, both promising young sires.