KEESEP

1st-SAR, $105K, Msw, 2yo, 6f, 11:35 a.m. EDT The star-studded GI Runhappy Travers S. day card kicks off with a pair of juveniles events, starting with this main track sprint. VERIFYING (Justify), a $775,000 KEESEP acquisition by the Coolmore contingent, is one of the most intriguing firsters in this event. The Brad Cox pupil is out of GSW Diva Delite (Repent), who summoned $1.2 million with this colt in utero at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November Sale. That makes Verifying a half-sibling to champion Midnight Bisou (Midnight Lute), who brought $5-million...

Kentucky Downs offers a new option this year in collaboration with its horsemen and the Keeneland Association in a pair of $250,000 allowance races restricted to horses who went through the ring at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The 6 1/2-furlong allowance races--one for fillies and one for colts and geldings--will be staged Sept. 8 with no conditions other than the 2-year-old must have been offered for sale at Keeneland last September. Yearlings that sold as well as those not reaching their reserve bid are eligible. Funding for the...

5th-Belmont, $90,000, Msw, 7-2, 3yo/up, 1 1/16mT, 1:39.94, fm, 5 lengths. CAPENSIS (c, 3, Tapit--Tara's Tango {GISW, $806,004}, by Unbridled's Song), the $2-million topper at the covid-impacted 2020 Keeneland September sale, began repaying his powerful ownership group's investment Saturday with a dominant debut win on the grass. A bit chilly on the board at 5-1 having had all his recent preparations at Saratoga, the handsome grey was somewhat sluggish early and settled in second last off the inside. Ridden along on the turn for home, he got going in earnest...

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency 2nd-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, 5f, 1:14 p.m. Hall of Famer D. Wayne Lukas saddles a well-related firster in SUMMER PROMISE (Uncle Mo). Out of GISW Dream of Summer (Siberian Summer), the $500,000 KEESEP purchase is a half to Grade I-winning sire Creative Cause (Giant's Causeway), GISW Vexatious (Giant's Causeway) and MGSW & GISP stallion Destin (Giant's Causeway). TJCIS PPs

Sponsored by Alex Nichols Agency PRICEY UNCLE MO DEBUTS IN ARCADIA 9th-SA, $67K, Msw, 3yo/up, 6 1/2f, 8:12 p.m. John Shirreffs unveils C R K Stable's $950,000 KEESEP acquisition CLUTCH HITTER (Uncle Mo) in this event. His unraced dam Bella Rafaela (Smart Strike) is a half-sister to GISW Twirling Candy (Candy Ride {Arg}) and GSWs Dubai Sky (Candy Ride {Arg}) and Ethnic Dance (Tribal Rule). TJCIS PPs

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).