September yearling sale shows strong gains

LEXINGTON, Ky. - The Keeneland September yearling sale, which cataloged a record 5,110 yearlings in 2005, was winding down Saturday as it approached its Sept. 26 conclusion. But it continued to show strong gains at the late sessions.

On Saturday, an $85,000 Notebook filly was the top lot at a session that saw a 24-percent increase in gross, a seven-percent rise in average, and a 25-percent increase in median. The session sold 249 yearlings for $3,703,600, yielding a $14,874 average and a $10,000 median.

Those totals pushed the auction, which was in its twelfth of 14 says, to a record cumulative gross of $380,801,000 by the end of the session.

The session-topping Notebook filly is out f the Cutlass mare Cut n' Double and is a full sister to stakes-winner Elise's Notebook. Richard Matlow, agent, bought the filly from the Taylor Made agency's consignment.

The sale was to continue through Sept. 26, with sessions starting daily at 10 a.m. in the Keeneland sale pavilion.