Quality Road, City Light, Into Mischief shine during Keeneland September yearling sale

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Quality Road, his son City of Light, and two-time reigning leading sire Into Mischief were among the leading sires of the Keeneland September yearling sale, which ended Friday.

Quality Road, who stands at Lane’s End Farm, was the September sale’s leading sire by average price among those with three or more yearlings sold, with 34 yearlings averaging $472,794. His offerings were led by a $1.6 million colt, with W.S. Farish Jr. of Lane’s End and its affiliated Woodford Racing signing the ticket on behalf of a partnership that also will include West Point Thoroughbreds. Barbara Banke of Stonestreet Stables, which bred the colt and consigned him via Eaton Sales, said she will come back in to retain a piece of the colt.

Bloodstock agent David Ingordo noted that Quality Road’s stud fee rose in recent years, meaning the best could still be to come.

“The thing you have to remember is that his 3-year-old crop is out of $35,000 stud fees, which was the lowest point of his quality of mares and number of mares booked,” Ingordo said. “These 2-year-olds are out of $70,000 stud fees. Now you’re seeing the $150,000s in the market, and this year’s foals are out of $200,000. With the quality of mares he’s got, he’s on par with [other top stallions] in the country. You’re seeing the results of those better mares with the higher stud fees. The most important thing is that he produces on the racetrack.”

A colt from the first crop of Quality Road’s son City of Light, who also stands at Lane’s End, sold for $1.7 million to Woodford, West Point, and Talla Racing to top the sale out of Book 2. Keeneland sales officials could not remember a September sale-topper having emerged from outside the marquee Book 1 portion in at least 15 years. City of Light finished with an average price of 372,872 for 47 sold.

“City of Light was one of the most brilliant horses we have seen on the track arguably in the last 10 years,” said bloodstock agent Jacob West, who signed for a $1.05 million City of Light colt in Book 1. “And it looks like he is passing on that athleticism.”

Behind Quality Road as the leading sires by average price came Curlin, Into Mischief, City of Light, Triple Crown winner Justify with his first crop, Medaglia d’Oro, leading freshman Gun Runner, War Front, Tapit, and Uncle Mo.

Spendthrift’s Into Mischief led the way by gross sales for the second consecutive year at Keeneland September, with his offspring fetching a combined $25,967,000.

“Into Mischief, I don’t recall a sire in my lifetime like him,” bloodstock agent Mike Ryan said. “He’s extraordinary. Just extraordinary.”

Following Into Mischief atop the gross sales leaderboard were Justify, City of Light, Quality Road, Curlin, Uncle Mo, Gun Runner, first-crop sires Mendelssohn and Good Magic, and freshman Practical Joke.