LEXINGTON, Ky. -- A trio of seven-figure yearlings, including a $1.4 million American Pharoah filly, led the way as the Keeneland September yearling sale opened its marathon run in encouraging fashion on Monday afternoon, with demand at the top of the market leading to an improved average. With the North American yearling market showing signs of resurgence in July and August, the September sale's opening session, the first of two in the elite Book 1 portion, continued that trend as it finished with 95 horses sold for gross receipts of $38,172,000. In the opening session of the pandemic-hampered 2020 sale, which essentially fell in the first week of the season, 109 yearlings sold, including five seven-figure horses, for a gross of $40,680,000. Session-to-session comparisons are based on figures for horses to pass the ring as of the close of business, not factoring in private sales that are later absorbed into the overall sales figures in the final record. While the gross was down due to fewer horses sold, the average improved greatly. Monday's average price was $401,811, up 8 percent from $373,211 at the close of trade of the comparable session last year. The median was $325,000, shifting downward 2 percent from $330,000 in the 2020 opener. "I think there was a lot more confidence," Tony Lacy, who took over as Keeneland’s vice president of sales this year, said. Lacy is part of a major change in the Keeneland sales staff this season, with he and new director of sales operations Cormac Breathnach both serving under Shannon Bishop Arvin, less than a year into her time at the helm as Keeneland president. "The money was spread out over more horses," Lacy continued. "I think [the market] is healthier, in many ways. The energy on the grounds was very strong. I think you'll find a lot of people got shut out today. I know of one group of buyers -- we actually sent them down a bottle of bourbon, because I think they were underbidder on about 15 or 16 horses! So that in itself is a very strong sign." Monday's buyback rate finished at 39 percent, compared to 32 percent in the 2020 opener. That figure will have a chance to change slightly on Tuesday evening. Keeneland has introduced the "RNA Reoffer" program this year, attempting to address some of the concerns of breeders and consignors who feel disadvantaged by drawing an early placement in the catalog, or who feel they misjudged the market. The second and final Book 1 session on Tuesday will be immediately followed by an opportunity for yearlings who failed to meet their reserve during the opening session to come back through the ring and be re-offered, with their eventual status recorded in their original catalog order. “I think it’s great that they’re trying new things and different things," said Greg Goodman of breeder and consignor Mt. Brilliant Farm. "Hopefully I won’t have any horses that I [have to] think about putting in there! But I think with the new Keeneland team, I think they’re doing a great job, and I think they’re going to try new things as we go, and this is one of them. It’s a good effort.” By the deadline to announce intent to participate in the session on Monday evening, seven yearlings were entered for the RNA Reoffer. The top hammer price for that lot was an Into Mischief colt who drew a high bid of $340,000 as the sixth horse through the ring. Reserve prices for re-offered horses must be within 15 percent, in either direction, of the original hammer fall. Sellers may accept a private deal for the horse and withdraw prior to the session, as Lacy said some additional consignors of buybacks had already done prior to the close of entries. Notably not among the RNA Reoffer entries was a $1.9 million Quality Road colt out of Grade 2 winner Justwhistledixie, who would have led the session if sold. The half-brother to graded stakes winners New Year's Day, Mohaymen, Enforceable, and Kingly is expected to be raced by breeder and consignor Clearsky Farm. "When you've got some higher RNAs, that's OK, because these are people that want to race, and they like their horses," Lacy said. "And that's not a sign of weakness -- that's actually a sign of strength." Ultimately, the session topper was a daughter of Triple Crown winner and leading young sire American Pharoah who capitalized on a major recent catalog update. The filly brought the hammer down at $1.4 million, with agent Alan Quartucci signing the ticket on behalf of owner Joe Allen. The filly is out of the Grade 2-winning Menifee mare Letgomyecho, who was already, at the time the catalog was printed, the dam of Grade 1 winner Echo Town, Grade 3 winner J Boys Echo, Grade 3-placed Unbridled Outlaw, and stakes-placed Dragic. Last week, the catalog page got a major update when Echo Zulu won the Grade 1 Spinaway Stakes at Saratoga. Letgomyecho also has two daughters who have produced stakes-placed runners. "She looks like a real runner," Quartucci said. "She has a fantastic pedigree that’s still going forward every day. The filly who won in Saratoga was amazing. She was the whole package, I think.” Quartucci indicated that the filly would eventually go to trainer Shug McGaughey, who also sung the praises of half-sister Echo Zulu. "Who knows where the 2-year-old filly’s going to go?" McGaughey said. "Chances are, she’s got a good chance of being a champion. I thought that [this filly] was the best American Pharoah that I saw, and one of the two or three best fillies that we saw at the sale. We were on her from day one. My son Reeve and Dr. David Priest had shortlisted for me before I got down here, and that was one that I sure kept going back and taking a look at." The Kentucky-bred session-topper was consigned by Betz Thoroughbreds, as agent for a breeding partnership that included principals from the operation, as well as those from the Coolmore group, which stands American Pharoah. The filly's breeder is listed as Betz/J. Betz/Burns/CHNNHK/CoCo Equine/Ramsby/Ashford Stud. Late in the session, a colt by two-time reigning leading sire Into Mischief flirted with the day's top price before ultimately selling for $1.35 million to Ron Winchell, principal of Winchell Thoroughbreds. “He’s probably an Into Mischief who doesn’t look like an Into Mischief," Winchell explained. "I’ve had Into Mischiefs that look like Into Mischiefs, and I can’t seem to find the winner's circle with them, so I figured I would go a different direction." Winchell said the Kentucky-born colt, who was consigned by his breeder, Mr. Brilliant Farm, would go to trainer Steve Asmussen. The colt is the first foal out of the winning Hard Spun mare Superioritycomplex. She is a half-sister to stakes winner Abingdon. Their granddam is Group 1 winner Hellenic, the dam of Eclipse Award champion Islington, as well as Group 1 winner Greek Dance. Don Adam's Courtlandt Farm went to $1.1 million for a daughter of leading sire Uncle Mo. “She’s an April foal, but you can see that she’s still a little high behind and see she’s gonna develop still," farm manager Ernie Retamoza said. "A real athletic, type-y filly, young mare, fits our program to a T. Not sure where we’ll send her, but we’ll get her home and break her. She acts like she’s gonna be the right type of filly that we’re looking for. Had to stretch, obviously, to get her, but Mr. Adam looked at her this morning and loved her, we all loved her, and we felt like she was a filly worth stretching for.” The filly, consigned by Paramount Sales, as agent, was bred in Kentucky by Aaron Sones. She is out of the winning Forestry mare Nikki's Choice, dam of two winners from as many starters. Uncle Mo's Eclipse Award champion and Kentucky Derby winner Nyquist is also out of a Forestry mare. Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Success Express and Grade 1 winner Greenwood Lake appear on this catalog page.  Rounding out the day's top five prices were a trio of yearlings sold for $950,000. A Quality Road colt from the immediate family of champion Rushing Fall sold to M.V. Magnier of Coolmore; a Medaglia d'Oro filly from the family of champion Mitole and classic-placed Hot Rod Charlie was purchased by bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, on behalf of Michael Lund Petersen and Willow Grace Farm; and a colt from the first crop of Triple Crown winner Justify sold to Hideyuki Mori. “[The market’s] really been strong all year," Lanni said. "There’s a big appetite for really good horses out there, and it’s nice to see us get back to some kind of normalcy.” For hip-by-hip results, click here.