Cormac Breathnach

The seasonal foliage was about the only thing falling at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, which concluded a wildly successful run in Lexington Friday afternoon. Over the course of 10 days of trade, sales officials reported gross receipts of $203,585,500 for 2470 horses sold, good for an average of $82,423. Further demonstrating the strength of middle market, the median price of $37,000 established a new November record, eclipsing the previous mark of $35,000 set on five previous occasions, but most recently in 2014. The buyback rate closed at a...

By Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale continued with strong demand during a lively session of bidding Thursday in Lexington. The auction's first of two Book 2 sessions concluded with both average and median up and the buy-back rate down from the corresponding session in 2020. "Incredible," Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said of Thursday's action. "It was a really vibrant market again today. I think people were a little frustrated in buying, but we had a lot of happy...

The sales action moves across town Wednesday with bidding on the first session of Keeneland November starting at 1 p.m. The 10-day auction, which runs through Nov. 19, opens with a single-session Book 1 comprised of 229 mares and weanlings, five of which were late supplements. The sale has five books in total and the last half of the final day will be dedicated to 285 Horses of Racing Age. "We have a lot of optimism," said Cormac Breathnach, Keeneland's Director of Sales. "We had an electric atmosphere starting in...

The Keeneland September Yearling Sale, launched last week with a Bluegrass band, mimosas, and a boutique Book 1 section, continued its momentum straight through to the end of its 11th session, concluding with a sales record average, median and buy-back rate. The gross, which was over $300,000,000 for three straight years before falling to $248,978,700 during the pre-vaccination pandemic in 2020, rebounded to $352,823,000 by the time the last hip went through the ring Friday evening. It was the auction's sixth highest gross in history. "The hope was that we...

Keeneland will offer a horses-of-racing-age section at its 2021 November Breeding Stock Sale by creating a separate, single-day session to be held on the final day of the auction. A selection of breeding stock will be offered early in this final session, followed by the full group of racehorses cataloged to the sale. "We are excited about this refreshed take on the racehorse segment, and we feel this change will provide a nice bookend to what we anticipate to be a lively market for the November Sale," said Keeneland Vice President...

Keeneland has named bloodstock consultant Cormac Breathnach, Ph.D., associated for many years with first Adena Springs and then Airdrie stallions, as its new Director of Sales Operations. Breathnach succeeds Geoffrey Russell, who retired in April after 25 years with Keeneland. Russell will remain in a consulting role with Keeneland through the rest of 2021. "We are excited to have Cormac join the Keeneland sales team as the Director of Sales Operations," Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. "I have long admired his professionalism, knowledge, and integrity, which is...