Three years after establishing his own consignment, Colin Brennan has made his way to the Bluegrass state.
Based in Ocala, Fla., Brennan has mainly sold locally after branching out from his father Niall's breaking and training operation.
Despite opening his doors for business shortly before the pandemic, Brennan's fledging consignment which consists primarily of pinhook prospects and yearlings he sells for clients, has thrived.
"The COVID-19 year, Saratoga was canceled and I thought I had a great group of NY-bred pinhooks to go up there, but because Saratoga was canceled, they had done a NY-bred section in Maryland," Brennan said.
"I thought, 'This would be perfect. I'll bring my NY-breds there.' They did really well and I was happy with our sale there."
Brennan comes to the Keeneland September Yearling Sale with five yearlings selling between Books 4 and 5. He says he felt this particular group would be a good fit.
"A lot of these horses here are my own pinhooks; they are a good group to come up here and represent myself with. I don't ever want to be a huge consignor, but I'd like to continue to bring quality up here each year and to be at all the major sales when it fits."
Selling in session 10 is an Accelerate colt consigned as Hip 3205 which was purchased by Brennan from the 2021 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale for $29,000 from the Threave Main Stud consignment.
In the same session is a son of Collected consigned as Hip 3229, who was purchased by Brennan from the same sale for $27,000 from the Brereton C. Jones/Airdrie Stud draft.
Though this September may mark the first time Brennan has sold in Kentucky, he has been a regular customer of the Lexington sales grounds for years alongside his father. He says that he no longer works full-time for the elder Brennan but enjoys staying involved.
"We're always going to work together, but I go to the farm regularly during the season, especially when we start breezing. I like to familiarize myself with the sales horses, now that I'm not working there any more full time.
"It just became second nature for the last five years to be at the sales with him, and now we have a reputation with the clients and the people that come to the barn. I like to help him out and be part of the team."
Focusing more of his time on his own operation has allowed Brennan flexibility to spend additional time with family, which ultimately led to the idea.
"I've been doing weanlings and yearlings for the past eight years or so but always selling with other people," Brennan said. "When it started to get bigger, I decided it was a good time to sell for myself. Working at the farm and then coming home to do my own was tough.
"The biggest kicker was that my son was born last June, and obviously, the yearling regime is a lot more conducive to a family lifestyle, and I get to spend a lot of time with him now. That's the biggest thing, a better family lifestyle—it was what made the decision for me."
