Cormac Breathnach

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...