Keeneland September: Horses to watch during Wednesday's Book 2 session
LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Keeneland September yearling sale opens its two-session Book 2 portion Wednesday – but don’t assume that the fireworks have all been left in the rearview mirror with Book 1. Last year’s second book produced four seven-figure horses, including the sale-topper.
Here are some of the horses to watch in the Wednesday session, largely based on their pages and the market trends seen early. The selections reflect catalog updates and sale outs through Tuesday.
Hip No. 420, colt by Justify – Sambuca Classica, by Cat Thief. Consigned by Highgate Sales, agent.
Triple Crown winner Justify is off to a strong start with his first crop on the track this year and has produced multiple seven-figure yearlings from his second crop. This is a half-brother to Eclipse Award champion juvenile Classic Empire, who went on to be classic placed at 3. Sambuca Classica is the dam of six winners from seven starters, also including stakes winner Uptown Twirl and stakes-placed Exclamation Point.
Hip No. 459, filly by Into Mischief – Steelin’, by Orientate. Consigned by Stonehaven Steadings.
This is a half-sister to Eclipse Award champion juvenile Shangahi Bobby – who is by Harlan’s Holiday, the sire of leading sire Into Mischief. Steelin’ also is the dam of the Harlan’s Holiday mare Miz Kella, dam of graded stakes winner Canoodling. Grade 1 winner City Band appears on the catalog page.
Hip No. 472, filly by Medaglia d’Oro – Tap Gun, by Tapit. Consigned by Gainesway, agent.
This is the first foal out of a winning Tapit mare who is out of graded stakes winner Quiet Giant – making her a half-sister to Horse of the Year and record-setting young sire Gun Runner. Quiet Dance is a half-sister to Horse of the Year Saint Liam, Grade 1 winner Funtastic, graded stakes winner Congressionalhonor, stakes winner Dance Quietly, Grade 1-placed Miss Besilu, graded placed American Dance, and graded stakes producers Quiet Now and Beatem Buster. Considering the production history of this family, a filly on offer will have special clout. That was seen early on in Book 1 when a filly out of Princesa Silvia, another half-sister to Saint Liam and his kin, sold for $1.2 million.
Hip No. 477, colt by Quality Road – Tara’s Tango, by Unbridled’s Song. Consigned by Eaton Sales, agent for Stonestreet Farm.
This already solid page got an update when Capensis, a half-brother to this colt who topped the 2020 Keeneland September sale at $2 million, recently won the Grade 3 West Virginia Derby. Sire Quality Road recorded multiple seven-figure horses during Book 1 while dam Tara’s Tango, a Grade 1 winner herself, is a half-sister to three graded stakes winners, including Grade 1 winner Visionaire.
Hip No. 493, colt by American Pharoah – Tokyo Time, by Medaglia d’Oro. Consigned by Gainesway, agent.
This is another page that has continued to update since the catalog was printed. Grade 3-placed Tokyo Time is the dam of two winners from three starters to date, led by Olympiad, who has now won five graded stakes races this season, most recently the Grade 1 Jockey Club Gold Cup since the catalog was printed. Tokyo Time is a half-sister to graded stakes winners Hungry Island and Soaring Empire, and to Flying Dixie, the dam of Grade 1 winner Preservationist. This is the outstanding family of champion Queena and others.
Hip No. 724, filly by Violence – Melody Lady, by Unbridled’s Song. Consigned by Gainesway, agent.
This is a full sister to Grade 1 winner Volatile and to stakes winner Buy Sell Hold, who is the dam of Bourbon Bash, an impressive maiden winner this summer at Saratoga. The second dam is Grade 1 winner Lady Tak, who has produced three stakes winners, including Melody Lady.