Keeneland September: $370,000 Super Saver colt tops Book 4 opener

The Keeneland September yearling sale's Book 4 opener, the ninth of 13 sessions overall for the marathon auction, was led by a $370,000 Super Saver colt who showed continued strength at the top of the market.

A total of 283 yearlings sold during Wednesday's session for gross receipts of $13,354,600. The average price for the session finished at $47,189, while the median was $35,000. The day's buyback rate finished at 20 percent.

Keeneland revised the structure of the first week of its September sale this year, expanding Book 1 to four sessions followed by a pair of Book 2 sessions, compared with last year's single ultra-select Book 1 session followed by three Book 2 sessions. With the changes, it is difficult to make direct session-to-session or book-to-book comparisons with last year’s sale.

Through nine sessions, however, total revenues for this sale sit at $359,345,200, having already, earlier in the week, surpassed the complete sale total of $307,845,400 from 2017. The cumulative average is tracking at $180,798, an increase of 22 percent from the same number of sessions last year, when it sat at $148,409. The median price sits at $100,000, trending upward 18 percent from $85,000 at this point in 2017. The cumulative buyback rate tracks at 25 percent, improved from 28 percent.

The Super Saver colt who topped the session got Book 4 off to a solid start with his $370,000 price tag, already surpassing the $350,000 Book 4 top price from last year. The colt sold to Alex and JoAnn Lieblong, who have campaigned Super Saver's Grade 1 winners Embellish the Lace and The Big Beast.

The colt, consigned by Darby Dan Farm, as agent, is out of Grade 3-placed Welcome Guest. She is by the late Unbridled's Song, a leading broodmare sire who has been a highly successful cross with this family.

Welcome Guest's second dam is Grade 1 winner Glitter Woman, who produced Grade 1 winner Political Force, by Unbridled's Song. Glitter Woman is a half-sister to Breeders' Cup Distaff winner Unbridled Elaine, also by Unbridled's Song. Unbridled Elaine went on to produce graded/group stakes winners Etched, Emotionless, and Out of Bounds.

For hip-by-hip results from the session, click here.