December 27, 2024

Keeneland September set to start with a bang

Last updated: 9/9/12 7:31 PM











The time is drawing nigh for Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale

(Keeneland/Coady Photography)

Buyers from across the United States and around the world will converge upon
Keeneland for the opening of its prestigious September Yearling Sale on Monday.

Keeneland has catalogued 3,604 yearlings for the 11-day sale, which runs
through Friday, September 21. The entire sale will be streamed live at
www.keeneland.com. Of the
total 3,604 yearlings, 1,852 are colts, 1,750 are fillies and two are geldings.

Book 1 is a select sale of 132 yearlings scheduled to begin at 4 p.m. (EDT)
on Monday. Book 2, to be held Tuesday through Thursday, will offer 915 yearlings
(305 per day). Sessions begin at 11 a.m. daily. Book 1 and Book 2 will comprise
a single catalog.

Friday will be a “dark” day in which no selling will take place.

Book 3 begins September 15, with sessions starting at 10 a.m. daily through
remainder of the sale.

The September Sale has earned a global reputation for offering unique and
extraordinary individuals at every level of the market, borne out by an
unparalleled track record.

Since May, 57 September Sale graduates have won 63 graded or group stakes.
Among these “summer” victories are signature wins by I’ll Have Another (Kentucky
Derby and Preakness); To Honor and Serve (Grade 1 Woodward); Believe You Can
(Grade 1 Kentucky Oaks); Dullahan (Grade 1 Pacific Classic); Paynter (Grade 1
Haskell Invitational); Game on Dude (Grade 1 Hollywood Gold Cup); Contested
(Grade 1 Acorn and Grade 1 Test); Executiveprivilege (Grade 1 Del Mar
Debutante); Elusive Kate (Group 1 Prix Rothschild); and Emma’s Encore (Grade 1
Prioress).

“It’s been thrilling to watch the success of our September Sale graduates,”
Vice President of Sales Walt Robertson said. “Nineteen Grade or Group 1 winners
to date this year; the Derby and Preakness; the Kentucky Oaks; divisional stars,
and now the emerging two-year-olds, such as Executiveprivilege, Shanghai Bobby,
Know More and Kauai Katie. It’s understandable why the world shops at
Keeneland.”

Some entrants in this year’s Book 1 include half-siblings to recent champions
and notable runners.

Paynter (Awesome Again), last-out winner of the Grade 1 Haskell Invitational,
will see his Street Cry half-brother sport Hip No. 41; the duo are out of a full
sister to Horse of the Year and only dual winner of the Breeders’ Cup Classic,
Tiznow. Paynter’s Grade 1-winning stablemate Bodemeister, second in both the
Kentucky Derby and Preakness this season, has a Smart Strike half-sister entered
as Hip 45.










Heads up! Keeneland September is here

(Matt Wooley/EquiSport Photos)

Last year’s undefeated champion two-year-old filly My Miss Aurelia will see
her Distorted Humor half-brother go as the last yearling through the ring on
Monday as Hip 132. Uncle Mo, the 2010 champion two-year-old male, has a Broken
Vow half-brother consigned as Hip 10.

Hip 6, a chestnut daughter of Unbridled’s Song, is a half-sister to multiple
Grade 1 queen and black-type producing You. Another chestnut filly, this one by
Street Cry and consigned as Hip 8, is a half-sibling to 2009 champion female
sprinter and Breeders’ Cup Filly & Mare Sprint victress Informed Decision.
Multiple Grade 1 queen Memories of Silver will have her Tiznow son, Hip 123, go
in the sale. The bay colt is a half-brother to dual Grade 1 victress Winter
Memories.

Others of note include Hip 17, an Unbridled’s Song colt whose third dam is
Gold Beauty, a champion sprinter who would go on in the breeding shed to foal
English Horse of the Year Dayjur and top-notch Grade 1 producer Maplejinsky; Hip
18, a Medaglia d’Oro colt out of multiple Grade 1 heroine Secret Status; and Hip
48, a Medaglia d’Oro colt whose dam is a half-sister to Horse of the Year A.P.
Indy as well as classic hero Summer Squall.

A hallmark of the September Sale is the depth and breadth of its stallion
roster, with yearlings representing many of the world’s most fashionable sires.
In 2012, yearlings by 239 stallions have been cataloged.

Highlighting the first week’s offerings will be 15 yearlings from the final
crop of champion sire A.P. Indy, who was pensioned last year. Nine A.P. Indy
yearlings are cataloged in Monday’s opening select session alone.

Other top sires of yearlings cataloged in Book 1 are Bernardini, Broken Vow,
Candy Ride, Curlin, Danehill Dancer, Distorted Humor, Divine Park, Dixie Union,
Dynaformer, Elusive Quality, Empire Maker, Galileo, Giant’s Causeway, Hard Spun,
Henrythenavigator, Indian Charlie, Kitten’s Joy, Lemon Drop Kid, Malibu Moon,
Medaglia d’Oro, Montjeu, Mr. Greeley, Pulpit, Sea the Stars, Smart Strike,
Speightstown, Street Cry, Tapit, Tiznow, Unbridled’s Song, War Front and
Zensational.

Yearlings representing such established sires as Arch, Awesome Again, Duke of
Marmalade, Invincible Spirit, Pivotal, Raven’s Pass and Shamardal, are cataloged
in September, as are yearlings by such promising freshman sires as Colonel John,
Conduit, Dunkirk, Einstein, Kodiak Kowboy, Old Fashioned, Pioneerof the Nile,
Pyro and U S Ranger.

Racing fans will be able to follow all the September Sale action via Facebook
and Twitter @keenelandsales using #keesept. September Sale barn notes, session
updates and daily wrap-up releases will be posted on Keeneland’s social media
sites as well as its website. Keeneland’s newly remodeled website offers a
stakes-winning sales graduates list that is now sortable and downloadable for
ease of use.