War Front off to smashing start at Keeneland September

As the Keeneland September yearling sale began with momentum thanks to strong buying from major international entities, internationally successful sire War Front is also off to a strong start.

At the halfway point of Keeneland September’s marquee Book 1 section, War Front, who stands at Claiborne Farm, led all stallions by average sale price, checking in at $879,091. Following that figure was commercial rival Tapit, at $675,000.

War Front was represented by three seven-figure yearlings in Tuesday’s second session to power his figures, keyed by a $2.4 million colt sold to Coolmore to become the most expensive yearling in North America this year. Coolmore’s M.V. Magnier said the colt will head to Ireland and will be trained by Aidan O’Brien at Ballydoyle.

“What can I say about War Front?” Magnier said. “Over the last couple of years, we’ve been exceptionally lucky with the horse.”

The colt, consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale Sales Agency, is the second foal out of the Grade 1-winning Smart Strike mare Streaming, a full sister to stakes winner Treasuring and a half-sister to stakes winner Cascading and stakes-placed Distracting and Gifting. Another sibling, Achieving, is the dam of Group 1-placed stakes winner Arabian Hope and stakes winner Counterforce.

Streaming’s granddam is blue hen Better Than Honour, the dam of Kentucky Oaks and Belmont Stakes winner Rags to Riches, fellow Belmont Stakes winner Jazil, Breeders’ Cup Marathon winner Man of Iron, and Grade 2 winner Casino Drive.

Through the first two sessions, Keeneland had reported a total of 306 horses sold for gross receipts of $114,455,000, resulting in an average price of $374,036 and median of $300,000.

Keeneland revised the format of the September sale this year, expanding the marquee Book 1 portion from a single session with 167 horses in the catalog to four sessions totaling 989 yearlings to open this sale. With the change, session-to-session figures, particularly for gross sales, are not applicable for market comparison. Last year’s narrow Book 1 – which finished with an average price of $570,263 and median of $500,000 – was followed by three Book 2 sessions. Thus, this year’s four-session expanded Book 1 effectively serves as a blended Book 1 and 2 in terms of quality. The Book 2 portion of the 2017 auction posted a cumulative average of $288,759 and median of $200,000.