Late Sheikh Hamdan made impact on Keeneland sales

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid al-Maktoum, owner of champions internationally through his Shadwell Stables, died in March at age 75. The owner had been a force in the sport since entering Thoroughbred ownership in 1980, and his absence will be strongly felt at Keeneland. Shadwell led all buyers by gross at the Keeneland September yearling sale seven times – in 1992, 1994, 2010, 2012, 2013, 2016, and 2017. Sheikh Hamdan’s recent high-end purchases included this year’s Kentucky Oaks winner Malathaat for $1.05 million in 2019.

“I was a huge admirer of his operation as a horseman,” said Tony Lacy, Keeneland’s incoming vice president of sales operations. “Very influential all around the world. Obviously, it was a sore loss to hear of his passing. He’s been a great participant at the sales, and he’s been very successful over the years.”

It was announced in early summer that Sheikha Hissa Hamdan al-Maktoum, one of Sheikh Hamdan’s six children, will take on a prominent leadership role with the international racing and breeding operation as it continues on.

“We’ve been in contact with his team, as always,” Lacy said in advance of this year’s Keeneland September sale. “Hopefully his team, the restructuring of his operation, is settling in. Hopefully they will [participate]. We’re in constant communication with them, anything they need.”

In 2020, Shadwell contributed $5.42 million to Keeneland September’s gross with the purchase of nine yearlings in a marketplace largely dominated by domestic interests. With the operation’s participation this year not set in stone, some consignors see an opportunity for other buyers to step up to the plate.

“They’ve been tremendous supporters of the commercial market at the yearling sales, and I hate to think about the loss,” said Allaire Ryan, Lane’s End Farm’s director of sales. “But we’ll see. It might provide more opportunity for domestic or maybe even some new international buyers to come in and take part on yearlings they thought would maybe be out of reach.”