Keeneland books record September

The Keeneland September yearling sale has a record catalog of 5,555 horses this year, edging past last years mark by just two horses, Keeneland announced Tuesday.

The auction will run from Sept. 8 to 23 at the Keeneland sales pavilion in Lexington, Ky., with a dark day scheduled for Friday, Sept. 12. The catalog includes 2,827 colts, 2,727 fillies, and one gelding.

The Keeneland September yearling sale is the largest Thoroughbred yearling auction in the world and last year grossed more than $385 million, making it the companys second-highest-grossing September sale in the auctions 63-year history.

The 2007 edition sold 3,799 yearlings from its original catalog of 5,553 horses for an average price of $101,347 and a median of $42,000. Those figures were down 10 percent and 7 percent from the previous year, respectively, but the buy-back rate held nearly level with the previous year, rising slightly from 22 percent to 22.5 percent.

Last years sale-topper was a $3.7 million Unbridleds Song-Secret Status colt, now named Dunkirk, that Coolmore Stud purchased from Lanes End, agent.

Sessions will begin daily at 10 a.m.