KEESEP

Freshman sire McCraken (Ghostzapper) got immediately off the mark with his first starter at Keeneland Thursday afternoon. Drawn widest of all in post nine, Crackalacking (f, 2, McCraken--Sacred Moon, by Malibu Moon) forced the issue from an outside third, gained command around the far turn and blew the race apart from there to graduate by five lengths at odds of 18-1. Extremely well-backed, rail-drawn firster Grand Oak (Ire) (Speightstown), off as the even-money favorite from a 6-1 morning-line quote for trainer Rusty Arnold, was a good second after a tough...

Passionate about the sport and determined to win at the highest level, partners Vinnie Viola and Mike Repole have come up with a formula they hope will mean lasting success. It's not just about quality, but quantity. Attack the game with an army of well-bred horses, most of them colts, send them to Hall of Fame trainer Todd Pletcher and sit back and wait for good things to happen. In what amounts to a historic buying spree, Repole and Viola's St. Elias Stable bought 43 yearlings at Keeneland September, paying...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency PRICEY QUALITY ROAD COLT DEBUTS IN NY 3rd-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, 7f, 1:41 p.m. Shug McGaughey unveils an expensive son of Quality Road here in CITIZEN MACK. A $950,000 KEESEP purchase by Don & Donna Adam's Courtlandt Farm, the dark bay is the first foal out of Rutile (Medaglia d'Oro), who is a daughter of MSW Set Them Free (Stop the Music). That blue hen mare is also responsible for GI Kentucky Derby winner Giacomo (Holy Bull), MGISW Tiago (Pleasant Tap); GSW & MGISP Stanwyck...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency PLETCHER UNVEILS CURLIN FILLY 1st-BEL, $90K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1 1/16m, 1:00 p.m. Repole Stable, Eclipse Thorougbreds and Michael House teamed up to acquire NEST (Curlin) for $350,000 at KEESEP and she debuts in this spot for trainer Todd Pletcher. Out of SW Marion Ravenwood (A.P. Indy), the bay is a full-sister to Grade I winner Idol and a half to SP Dr Jack (Pioneerof the Nile). TJCIS PPs   PRICEY CURLIN COLT DEBUTS AT CHURCHILL 3rd-CD, $120K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6f, 1:43 p.m. Juddmonte's $900,000...

Strong trade continued at Keeneland Thursday in the 10th of 11 sessions of the Keeneland September Sale and the second of three Book 5 sessions. The day's top seller was a Tapiture colt (Hip 3173) from the Paramount Sales consignment, who brought $145,000 from John Greathouse, agent for Glencrest Farm. A total of 303 yearlings summoned $9.194 million Thursday. The average was $30,343 and the median was $23,000. In the pre-vaccine pandemic era last year, 244 horses brought $4.764 million during the 10th day of selling with an average of...

LEXINGTON, KY - The Keeneland September Yearling Sale lost none of its momentum during a dark day Friday, returning with an opening Book 3 section that featured strong demand from start to finish in Lexington Saturday. During the session, 269 head sold for $45,003,000. The session average was $167,297--up 53.46% from last year's Book 3 opener which was held amidst the uncertainty of the pre-vaccination pandemic--and the median increased 58.82% to $135,000. With just 92 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate Saturday was 25.48%. It was 40.12% a year...

A colt from the first crop of MGISW City of Light (Hip 612) became the new sale topper Wednesday when summoning $1.7m from Talla Racing, Woodford Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds, who also took home a $1.55m Justify colt about 30 minutes earlier. Bred & consigned by Rosilyn Polan, the bay is out of MSP Anchorage (Tapit), who is also responsible for GSP Chip Leader (Giant's Causeway).

A colt from the first crop of Triple Crown winner Justify (Hip 580) became his sire's first seven-figure offspring in North America when summoning $1.55 million from Talla Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds. Trainer John Sadler was standing alongside West Point's Terry Finley as he signed the ticket. Bred and consigned by Stonehaven Steadings, the bay colt is out of GSP True Feelings (Latent Heat), who is already the dam of SW Feeling Mischief (Into Mischief) and GSP Royal Act (American Pharoah).

LEXINGTON, KY--The Keeneland September Yearling Sale starts its 11-day run Monday with the first of two Book 1 sessions, beginning at 1 p.m. The five-book catalogue offers a total of 4,032 yearlings by a variety of stallions, such as Triple Crown heroes American Pharoah and Justify; the red-hot Into Mischief; perennial leading sire Tapit; stalwarts like Medaglia d'Oro, War Front and Candy Ride (Arg); and top freshman sire Gun Runner. "I think when you get this volume of horses and there are a lot of really nice horses, there is...

Three yearlings in the Keeneland September Sale catalogue received big updates over the weekend when their year-older siblings captured Grade Is at two of America's premiere race meets over the holiday weekend. GI Runhappy Del Mar Futurity S. winner Pinehurst's (Twirling Candy) yearling half-brother by Cairo Prince sold prior to the juvenile's breakout score, bringing $120,000 from pinhooker Randy Bradshaw at Fasig-Tipton's New York-Bred Yearling Sale in mid-August. However, the winners of the GI TVG Del Mar Debutante S., GI Spinaway S. and GI Hopeful S. will be represented by...

One of the highlights of Book 1 of the Keeneland September Sale each year is the opportunity to view and purchase the first foals out of some of the top racemares in recent years. This year is no exception with six such offerings available in Book 1. Below we feature six yearlings who are the first foals out of Grade I-winning mares, such as two-time champion Unique Bella (Tapit).   IT TIZ WELL - War Front colt (Hip 15) It Tiz Well won five of her 10 starts and was...

Thank you for publishing all of those comments on Covid protocols at the upcoming sales. Something that I think is worth mentioning that no one spoke about is the role that veterinarians play and the risk they take going into stalls to perform endoscopic and physical exams. Often vets are shoulder-to-shoulder with people they don't know and have no idea if they are vaccinated or even if they are sick. The use of videoscopes has greatly reduced contact, but vets are still in very close proximity with sales help and...