Shannon Arvin

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, propelled by a pair of power-packed dispersals and held in the shadow of the ongoing global pandemic, concluded its four-day run Thursday in Lexington. The dispersal of the Estate of the late Paul Pompa, Jr., which, along with the Sam-Son broodmare dispersal dominated much of Tuesday's action, provided the auction with one last round of fireworks late in the day Thursday with a bevy of high-priced racehorse prospects. Leading the way was Carillo (Union Rags) (hip...

The Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale begins its four-day run Monday morning, with bidding slated to commence at 10 a.m. The auction, which includes the dispersals of the historic Sam-Son Farm, the late Paul Pompa, Jr., and Spry Family Farm, features a catalogue of 1,608 broodmares and broodmare prospects, newly turned yearlings, horses of racing age and stallions or stallion prospects. Despite swirling uncertainties caused by the global pandemic, the market proved resilient and surprisingly deep when Keeneland staged its September Yearling Sale and November Breeding Stock Sale...

A total of 1,588 horses have been cataloged for the upcoming Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, which will be held in Lexington Jan. 11-14. On offer at the four-day auction will be 808 broodmares and broodmare prospects, 697 short yearlings, 78 horses of racing age and five stallion or stallion prospects. The catalogue features horses from the dispersals of Sam-Son Farm, the late Paul Pompa, Jr., and Spry Family Farm. Sam-Son Farm, a multiple Eclipse Award- and Sovereign Award-winning breed-to-race operation based in Ontario, will offer 21 broodmares...

Despite the upheaval and chaos caused by COVID-19 this year, the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale proceeded during its usual spot on the calendar following the Breeders' Cup, which was held at the Lexington oval this year. Starting on Nov. 9, the auction concluded its 10-day run Wednesday with nine million-dollar mares, topped by Grade I winner Concrete Rose (Twirling Candy), who sold to Larry Best's OXO Equine for $1.95 million. "If I had a takeaway from this whole fall, it's a word we usually use this time of the...

Officials at Keeneland have announced that the auction house will stage a December Digital Sale for horses of racing age, broodmares, weanlings, yearlings and others Tuesday, Dec. 15 and will begin accepting entries Nov. 23. The sale will be conducted via the Keeneland Digital Sales Ring platform, which is supported by HorseCo. The platform enables Keeneland to host smaller, select online auctions in addition to its marquee sales in January, April, September and November. The deadline for $300 entries into the December sale is Friday, Dec. 4. Interested parties may...

by Brian DiDonato, Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis LEXINGTON, KY--OXO Equine's Larry Best took home the top two lots Monday during the lone Book 1 session of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. Early in the day he went to $1.9 million for Indian Miss (Indian Charlie) (hip 32), the dam of champion sprinter Mitole (Eskendereya) and last Friday's GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile runner-up Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow), in foal to Into Mischief and from the Hill 'n' Dale consignment; and towards the end of the session he paid $1.95...

Keeneland has cataloged 3,777 horses for the 2020 November Breeding Stock Sale, which opens Monday, Nov. 9, two days after Keeneland hosts the Breeders' Cup World Championships for the second time. Buyers will be able to participate in the auction remotely through online and telephone bidding options successfully introduced at the September Yearling Sale, while the new bidding location at the Show Barn next to the Sales Pavilion again will be available to allow for proper social distancing. Keeneland's COVID-19 protocols for the November Sale will be similar to those...

The 54th International Conference of Horseracing Authorities began on Monday in a virtual format, with a series of videos to be released over the first two weeks of October. The conference organized by the International Federation of Horseracing Authorities is traditionally held in Paris, France on the day after the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe, but the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a virtual format this year. The first panel was entitled 'Sustaining the Business of Racing and Sports in the Midst of a Global Pandemic and Economic Uncertainty.' Hosted by media...

With pandemic-induced travel restrictions and crowd-size limitations nipping at its heels, the Thoroughbred auction scene finally made its debut on the internet this year, first with the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale in June and most recently with the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The company tasked with helping both OBS and Keeneland offer their buyers the opportunity to bid online was Xcira Global Technologies. Founded by Gary and Nancy Rabenold, the Florida-based company helps facilitate online auctions across the globe in industries as diverse as art, livestock and automobiles....

The last few weeks have been a series of 'firsts' for Shannon Bishop Arvin. Named Keeneland's President-elect on Sept. 1, she will officially transition to President and CEO once the calendar turns to 2021, and in doing so, become the first woman to take on the position at the storied racetrack. Soon after Arvin was named President-elect this month, Keeneland conducted the first as-scheduled auction following the Coronavirus pandemic with the annual world-renowned September Yearling Sale. [tdn_vimeo_embed title="Keeneland's President-elect Shannon Arvin " admp4="https://player.vimeo.com/external/443062018.sd.mp4?s=9281d875881c13761cb298e3e2e6c1a3278b1b12&profile_id=165" videomp4= "https://player.vimeo.com/external/460267221.sd.mp4?s=a58b68a38504214f67682422c9ab9e4f07fe9d86&profile_id=165" thumbnail= ""] Arvin's first weeks...

While there were bright spots and plenty of successes, Keeneland's bellweather September Yearling Sale saw significant drop-offs in trade from last year's strong renewal as the Thoroughbred industry and world at large reel from the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Conducted over 12 days this year compared to 13 last term and with strict safety protocols in place, the 2020 September sale grossed $238,454,300 from 2,346 head sold. The gross 12 months ago was $359,789,700 from 2,850 sellers. This year's average dipped 19.49% from $126,242 to $101,643; the median dropped...

LEXINGTON, KY - While the coronavirus pandemic wreaked havoc with sales across the globe from March through August, the calendar will return to some semblance of normalcy when the Keeneland September Yearling Sale kicks off right on schedule in Lexington Sunday at noon. "So many sales companies in the Northern Hemisphere have had to rearrange some things, but we have been very fortunate that the September sale is taking place in September at Keeneland," said Keeneland's Director of Sales Operations Geoffrey Russell. "We are resilient and I think we've had...