Mon, 09/17/2012 - 15:40

Keeneland September: $280K Unbridled's Song filly leads early selling at Monday session

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Fillies ruled the results list Monday as the Keeneland September yearling sale’s Book 4 portion got under way Monday in Lexington.

Fillies held the top spots by price on the results sheet at 3 p.m., including the $280,000 session-leader. That was an Unbridled’s Song daughter, the first foal out of Grade 2 winner Tizfiz and a member of 1997 Horse of the Year Favorite Trick’s family.

Pelican LLC bought the gray or roan filly, a Jan. 17 foal last year. Baccari Bloodstock was the consignor.

Sun, 09/16/2012 - 20:32

Keeneland September: Sixth session produces across the board gains

LEXINGTON, Ky. - Keeneland’s September yearling sale continued its pattern of gains Sunday when the sixth of 11 sessions posted increases across the board.

Sat, 09/15/2012 - 15:44

Keeneland September: $430,000 Empire Maker colt spurs big gains at fifth session

LEXINGTON, Ky.– Topped by a $430,000 Empire Maker colt, Saturday’s fifth session at the Keeneland September yearling sale posted large across-the-board increases over last year’s Saturday session.

The session sold 296 yearlings for $25,791,000, a 25-percent increase over last year’s total for 280 horses. Average climbed 18 percent, from $73,620 to $87,132, and median improved by 37 percent, from $51,000 a year ago to $70,000. the buyback rate also fell from 24 percent at last year’s Saturday session to 21 percent this season.

Fri, 09/14/2012 - 16:22

Keeneland September sale's first week displays strong signs

Photo by Z/Keeneland
This son of Empire Maker sold for $1.1 million on Thursday.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – As it prepared to enter its second week Saturday, Keeneland’s September yearling sale could look back on some comforting figures from Week 1. The 11-day auction, which has a 20 percent smaller catalog and cut back its select sessions from two to one this year, ended its first week Thursday with more million-dollar yearlings, a higher average, and a median equal to last year’s. That was with scant participation from 2011’s upper-market kingpins, Darley owner Sheikh Mohammed al Maktoum and Besilu Stables principal Benjamin Leon Jr.

Fri, 09/14/2012 - 13:57

Jockey Club: Thoroughbred breeding activity declined in 2011

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Thoroughbred breeding activity declined in 2011, continuing a recent trend that has led to smaller foal crops, according to statistics The Jockey Club released Friday.

The breed registry reported that, according to breeding-related paperwork filed through Sept. 10 of this year, 2,620 stallions covered 39,838 mares in 2011, resulting in the birth of 22,500 live foals of 2012 reported so far to The Jockey Club by their breeders.

Thu, 09/13/2012 - 19:51

Keeneland sale: $1.1 million Empire Maker colt tops Day 4 session

Z/Keeneland
An Empire Maker colt out of Lu Ravi sold to Japan’s Big Red Farm for $1.1 million on Thursday at the Keeneland September yearling sale.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Japanese-based breeder Nagako Fujita gave the 2012 Keeneland September yearling sale its seventh millionaire – and consignor Peter O’Callaghan his first –Thursday when her Empire Maker colt out of Lu Ravi sold to Japan’s Big Red Farm, home of I’ll Have Another, for $1.1 million.

Thu, 09/13/2012 - 16:44

Keeneland sale: Pletcher putting together partnership for $750,000 Giant's Causeway colt

Z/Keeneland
A Giant's Causeway's colt purchased for $750,000 by Todd Pletcher, topped Thursday's session as of late afternoon.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Keeneland’s September yearling sale approached the end of its Book 2 sessions Thursday with momentum that appeared likely to carry it to a fourth consecutive day of gains.

At 4 p.m. Eastern, a $750,000 Giant’s Causeway colt led Thursday’s session on a final bid from Todd Pletcher, who signed as agent for a partnership. Four Star Sales, agent, sold the April 2 foal. The bay son of Good Vibes, by Unbridled’s Song, is a half-brother to group-placed Warning Flag, now a stakes winner in Hong Kong running under the name Sweet Orange.

Thu, 09/13/2012 - 14:37

Keeneland sale session sees Giant’s Causeway colt the early leader at $750K

A Giant’s Causeway colt out of an Unbridled’s Song mare who sold for $750,000 was the early session-topper at the Keeneland September yearling sale on Thursday, the final day of selling yearlings out of the sale’s second book.

Wed, 09/12/2012 - 20:12

Keeneland September: Wednesday session maintains upward trend

Z/Keeneland
Coolmore Stud purchased this Bernardini colt for $1.55 million.

LEXINGTON, Ky. -- Led by a $1.55 million Bernardini colt that Coolmore bought, the Keeneland September sale’s third session (the second session of auction’s four-day Book 2 segment) rang up across-the-board gains.

The Wednesday session ended with 196 yearlings bringing $34,573,000, a five-percent increase over the total for 215 yearlings at last year’s Wednesday session. Average climbed 16 percent, from $152,649 to $176,393, and median also increased by double digits, rising 12 percent from last season’s $130,000 to $145,000 on Wednesday.

Wed, 09/12/2012 - 16:36

Keeneland September: Coolmore pays $1.55 million for son of Bernardini

Z/Keeneland
Coolmore Stud purchased this Bernardini colt for $1.55 million.

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Catherine Parke’s 10-horse Keeneland September consignment produced a millionaire Wednesday at the second Book 2 session when Coolmore went to $1.55 million for a Bernardini-Wilshewed colt from her Valkyre Stud agency.