Keeneland September Sale

There is joy in Central Kentucky as the Keeneland September Yearling sale surpassed $500 million in revenue for the first time. And I don't mean just by breeders, consignors, agents, and veterinarians. In short order, the ultimate trickle down will commence. Imagine these discussions in the coming weeks at area horse farms: "You know that truck we have been needing to replace ..." "You know that mower we keep repairing ..." "You know how we have been wanting to purchase a new tractor ..." "You know how we have spoken...

Case Clay took a break from the Keeneland September Sale to join us on this week's TDN Writers' Room and discuss "bonkers" sales results, the latest news from Wathnan Racing and more.

Trade remained buoyant at the Keeneland September Sale in Lexington, with statistics continuing to increase over one year ago. With this year's gross having already exceeded figures for the entire sale in 2024, the sale generated $472,224,000 for 1,771 yearlings (through the ring) sold, which is 23.47% higher than the corresponding period last year when 1,740 horses brought $382,469,500. Average price of $266,643 is 21.31% above $219,810 from 2024, and the median of $180,000 is 20% over $150,000 last year. During Tuesday's session, Keeneland sold 276 yearlings (through the ring)...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale rushed to the conclusion of Book 3 with demand remaining strong right through to the end of its sixth session Sunday evening. Through both Book 3 sessions, 563 yearlings sold through the ring for a total of $109,983,000. The section's average of $201,804 rose 26.5% from last year and the median rose 23.1% to $160,000. During last year's Book 3 section, 526 horses sold through the ring for a gross of $83,880,000 for an average of $159,468 and a median of $130,000....

Multiple graded stakes winner Newgrange (Violence) has retired from racing and will stand at Sequel New York in 2026, the farm announced Friday via press release. A graded stakes winner in 2022, 2023, and 2024, the eye-catching horse won back-to-back GII San Pasqual Stakes at Santa Anita Park. He retires sound with five graded races to his tally--including wins in the GII San Antonio and the GIII Southwest and Sham Stakes--and just north of $1-million in earnings. He was purchased for $125,000 as a yearling at the Keeneland September sale...

by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis, and Jill Williams LEXINGTON, KY -The only thing that could slow down the momentum of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale was a brief interruption in Wednesday's action when the fire alarms late in the day caused the evacuation of the pavilion. "We joked in the back ring the market was so hot, it set the fire alarms off," Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said with a chuckle after the dust had settled on another competitive day of bidding at the first of two...

Chris Heyde is the founder of Blue Marble Strategy and is a Washington D.C. lobbyist who has dedicated his career to animal welfare issues. Along the way, he has had some important successes, including effectively ending horse slaughter in the U.S. But one main goal remains and has been elusive. Heyde has been fighting for passage of the Save America's Forgotten Equines (SAFE) Act, which would prohibit the slaughter of horses in the U.S. as well as ban the shipping of them to slaughterhouses in the Mexico and Canada. Heyde...

by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis, and Jill Williams LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which opened with a record-setting session Monday, continued with an action-packed second Book 1 session Tuesday, establishing yet another September session record average and median. Twenty horses sold for $1 million or more during the session, led by a colt by Gun Runner and a filly by Flightline who brought matching $2.2 million price tags. "It was a good day at the sale, for sure," said Keeneland President Shannon Arvin. "We built on what...

A colt by Not This Time out of Wembley (Bernardini) realized a $1.7 million from agent Pedro Lanz early in Tuesday's second session of the Keeneland September Sale in Lexington. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, Hip 211 is a grandson of Grade I winner Game Face (Menifee). The Apr. 15 foal is bred by Albaugh Grand Stables.

When Practical Joke and Life Is Good--both by Into Mischief and out of Distorted Humor mares--each racked up multiple Grade I victories and retired to major stallion farms in Central Kentucky, the cross they share surely earned a second look. After three 3-year-olds of 2025--Eclipse champion Citizen Bull, Patch Adams, and Tappan Street--added another five combined Grade I victories to that same cross in the last 11 months, anyone savvy enough to have a yearling on offer at Keeneland's September sale on the 'Midas Touch' nick looks positively inspired. Three...

The mission was simple: go to the Keeneland September Sale with half a million dollars and come back with a horse that could get to the Kentucky Derby. Easy, right? Tom Benson had been out of the sport ever since he purchased the New Orleans Saints back in 1985. But now it was 2014 and he was ready to get back in the game. He recruited three trainers he knew from the Louisiana circuit--Dallas Stewart, Al Stall and Tom Amoss--and laid out the assignment. The outcome surpassed even the most...

6th-Saratoga, $100,000, Msw, 8-30, 2yo, 7f, 1:23.63, ft, neck. TALKIN (c, 2, Good Magic--Rote, by Tiznow) came into this contest with a bullet of 94 works Aug. 23 to his credit--blitzing the four furlongs over the main track in :47 flat. Tabbed as a 9-1 shot here, the bay chased a top flight led by Stradale (Yaupon) up the backstretch and around the far turn through :22.37 and four panels in :44.62. The Danny Gargan trainee made his move to run down that leader entering the lane and with an...