Keeneland September: $320,000 Not This time colt leads Monday session as buyback rate continues to drop

LEXINGTON, Ky. - A $320,000 colt by breakout young sire Not This Time led the way as the Keeneland September yearling sale wrapped up the Book 4 portion on Monday with a solid session.

Keeneland reported 255 horses sold on Monday for a gross of $11,832,500, resulting in an average price of $46,402 and median of $25,000.

Bucking the trends of earlier sessions in this auction, which posted declines due to the effects of the global coronavirus pandemic, Monday's session finished with gains from the comparable session in the 2019 renewal. Last year's Book 4 finale finished with an average of $44,062 and median of $32,000.

The session's buyback rate was 24 percent, after the first Book 4 session finished at 26 percent on Sunday. The buyback rate in a selective marketplace has continued to improve as Keeneland September moves deeper into its run. Last week's Book 1 portion of the sale finished with a 40-percent buyback rate; by the time the sale concluded Book 3 on Saturday night, the cumulative rate was 34 percent.

Bloodstock agent Donato Lanni purchased the session-leading colt, who is from the second crop of Grade 3-winning juvenile Not This Time. The Giant's Causeway horse, who stands at Taylor Made Farm, currently leads all freshman sires with 10 individual winners, including Grade 1 Del Mar Debutante winner Princess Noor, stakes winner Dirty Dangle, and Grade 3-placed Hopeful Princess.

Lanni typically buys for clients of trainer Bob Baffert, who trains Princess Noor, this season's most expensive juvenile purchase at $1.35 million.

The session-leading Not This Time colt, a Louisiana-bred who is already named Mardi Gras Time, was consigned by Stuart Morris, as agent. He is out of the winning More Than Ready mare Ready At Nine, dam of two winners from three starters, including stakes-placed Drummer Boy.

Ready At Nine's third dam is Grade 1 Alabama Stakes winner Classy Cathy. Grade 1 winner Audible appears on the catalog page, as do graded/group stakes winners Placerville and Sports View.

The Keeneland September yearling sale continues through Friday, with Books 5 and 6, each of which are two sessions. For hip-by-hip results, click here.