Momentum for an already record-breaking auction continued all the way to Book 6 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Sept. 20, as total sales were up 15% from the corresponding 2023 session.
Keeneland surpassed the all-time record for total sales at the Sept. 19 session and added to that total Friday, when gross sales totaled $3,568,000, including private sales. On the same day in 2023, gross sales totaled $3,110,600.
The average for the 11th session was $17,320, up 5.8% from last year's $16,372. The median also saw a rise of 4.5% at $11,500, up from $11,000 in 2023.
Of the 239 hips that went through the ring, 206 sold, with 33 horses failing to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 13.8%
"It's a really good market, but I mean, the horses are good," said Tommy Eastham, owner of Legacy Bloodstock, who topped the day as leading consignor.
"You worry a little bit about the foal crop reduction, but I think you can see the supply and demand is a little bit more on our side right now."
A colt by Upstart topped the day at $95,000 from the Eaton Sales consignment. He was sold to Nadir Khassanov, who has been very active the past couple of days at the sale. Khassanov was leading buyer of the 11th session, with six purchases totaling $145,000. His total for the sale stands at 26 bought for $593,500.
The dark bay or brown colt was bred in Kentucky by Wimbledon Farm. His dam Amiens (Oxbow ) is a half sister to the dam of grade 1 winner Mongolian Groom, and to the dam of grade 2 winner Dragon Bay.
Lantern Hill Farm had a solid day of business, selling the second- and co-third-highest-priced yearlings. Hip 3673, a colt by First Samurai , sold for $80,000 to J. Brocklebank, and Hip 3894, a colt by Vekoma , sold for $77,000 to Maddie Mattmiller, agent.
"(Hip 3763) had a big hip and clean x-rays, not an overly big horse, because he's a first foal, but he just stood out on this day, because not many horses have a hip on them like that on the second-to-last day," said Suzi Shoemaker, owner and general manager of Lantern Hill Farm.
"Once again, I was very pleased with that price," Shoemaker said of the Vekoma colt. "Because you always wonder with a May foal, which he was.
"One change I've made this year in selling horses later in the sale, is offering them without reserve. I've found that people really like that and they just get in and start bidding. That's the psychology of an auction, I mean you're competing, right? Once you get started, it's sometimes hard to stop. We only bought one horse back out of 11."
Legacy Bloodstock led all consignors in total sales Friday, selling 21 yearlings for a total of $387,500. The leading sire of the session by total sales was Upstart, with five head sold for a total of $164,500.
"I think it's a great market, and I think it's really cool to be a horseman again. I've been doing this a long time, and if one thing is very positive and encouraging to me, it's that we've seen a lot of young people out there, a lot of young money, a lot of people that are new," said Eastham.
"I will say that a lot of really good horsemen, like Kenny (McPeek); you see guys that can read a vet sheet, they can buy a horse. If you can study the vet sheet and really be able to understand it, you can buy a lot of value."
The 12th and final session of the sale will begin Sept. 21 at 10:00 a.m. ET. Hips 4036-4424 will go through the ring. As of Friday afternoon, Keeneland has reported 145 outs.
"I think Keeneland does a great job recruiting all these people here, Irish, Asian, Saudi Arabia, etc. It's a beautiful international market, and brings the world together. These horses give us a beautiful ride," said Eastham.
