Through the first four days of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the clamor for first-crop yearlings has not quite reached the fever pitch of last year when 2022 Horse of the Year Flightline led a group of six sires to average $300,000 or more. Of the nine first-crop sires to have at least two yearlings sold in books 1 and 2 this year, three have met that benchmark, led by 2023 champion turf male Up to the Mark .
The son of Not This Time , who stands at Lane's End, is the only first-year sire with a seven-figure yearling thus far at the September sale, and is also the only member of his crop to crack the top 10 sires by average. His nine yearlings sold have averaged $487,222, led by a $1.65 million half brother to 2025 Two Thousand Guineas (G1) winner Ruling Court. Amo Racing USA secured the colt consigned by Nursery Place, who bred the colt in Kentucky in partnership with Wilhite.
READ: Amo Racing Lands $1.65M Up to the Mark Colt
Among his other top lots were Hip 1069, a $575,000 filly out of the Congrats mare Miss Hetty from the immediate family of Alfred G. Vanderbilt Stakes (G2) winner Built and grade 1 winner Marley Vale; and Hip 92, a $550,000 half brother to multiple grade 1 winner Raging Torrent .
Darley's Cody's Wish is the second-leading first-crop sire through the first two books with three times as many yearlings sold. The 2023 Horse of the Year has been represented in the ring by 27 sold for an average of $373,704, including six sold for $500,000 or more. His filly out of Spanish Star sold for $925,000 to Flying Dutchmen on the opening day of the sale; consigned by Pope McLean (Crestwood Farm), she is a half sister to grade 1 winner Kilwin and graded winners One Timer and Just Basking.
Cody's Wish has 29 hips remaining as of Sept. 18, while Up to the Mark has 51.
The third first-year sire to surpass the $300,000 benchmark is Ashford Stud's Gunite , whose 16 sold have averaged $300,625.
| Top First-Crop Sires by Average at Keeneland September (min. 2 sold) | ||||||
| Sire | Offered | Sold (% Off.) |
Average | Median | Gross | High |
| Up to the Mark | 10 | 9 (90%) | $487,222 | $325,000 | $4,385,000 | $1,650,000 |
| Cody's Wish | 38 | 27 (71%) | $373,704 | $300,000 | $10,090,000 | $925,000 |
| Gunite | 20 | 16 (80%) | $300,625 | $267,500 | $4,810,000 | $725,000 |
| Elite Power | 30 | 21 (70%) | $279,286 | $225,000 | $5,865,000 | $800,000 |
| Forte | 25 | 20 (80%) | $278,500 | $270,000 | $5,570,000 | $800,000 |
| Arabian Lion | 3 | 3 (100%) | $275,000 | $285,000 | $825,000 | $400,000 |
| Taiba | 11 | 8 (73%) | $265,000 | $275,000 | $2,120,000 | $375,000 |
| Mage | 5 | 3 (60%) | $233,333 | $65,000 | $700,000 | $575,000 |
| Arcangelo | 3 | 3 (100%) | $213,333 | $250,000 | $640,000 | $325,000 |
Million-Dollar Babies
A record 65 yearlings have sold for seven figures in books 1 and 2 of the September sale, and five sires account for 50 of those. Gun Runner leads by number of million-dollar yearlings with 15, including three above $2 million. The Three Chimneys Farm stallion, ranked third on the North American general sires list, is second by average at Keeneland September with 47 yearlings selling for $848,298.
Not This Time and Into Mischief , 1-2 on the general sires list, each had 10 seven-figure yearlings. Into Mischief may be on the brink of ending his seven-year run as North America's leading general sire, but he leads the Keeneland sires by average at $864,839 for 31 sold. The Spendthrift Farm stalwart's sons are particularly sought after, averaging more than $1 million for the 20 colts that have sold so far. Eight of his 10 seven-figure yearlings were colts, as the major players seek to find his heir apparent among the offerings.
Not This Time, the current leading general sire, is third by average at $721,010. His 52 yearlings sold thus far are led by the $2.1 million half brother to grade 1 winner Tapit Trice . J.S. Company secured the colt on behalf of Yosuke Imafuku.
Lane's End's freshman sire Flightline and Darley's Nyquist had eight and seven million-dollar yearlings, respectively, and also fill out the top five by average.
| Top 12 Sires by Average at Keeneland September (min. 2 sold) | ||||||
| Sire | Offered | Sold (% Off.) |
Average | Median | Gross | Yrlgs Sold $1M+ |
| Into Mischief | 42 | 31 (74%) | $864,839 | $700,000 | $26,810,000 | 10 |
| Gun Runner | 58 | 47 (81%) | $848,298 | $600,000 | $39,870,000 | 15 |
| Not This Time | 61 | 52 (85%) | $721,010 | $600,000 | $37,492,500 | 10 |
| Flightline | 45 | 36 (80%) | $706,667 | $500,000 | $25,440,000 | 8 |
| Nyquist | 41 | 38 (93%) | $657,368 | $475,000 | $24,980,000 | 7 |
| Curlin | 28 | 21 (75%) | $543,810 | $525,000 | $11,420,000 | 1 |
| Tapit | 19 | 13 (68%) | $490,385 | $350,000 | $6,375,000 | 1 |
| Good Magic | 28 | 20 (71%) | $490,250 | $300,000 | $9,805,000 | 3 |
| Up to the Mark | 10 | 9 (90%) | $487,222 | $325,000 | $4,385,000 | 1 |
| Uncle Mo | 48 | 42 (88%) | $486,071 | $392,500 | $20,415,000 | 4 |
| Justify | 60 | 39 (65%) | $476,282 | $350,000 | $18,575,000 | 3 |
| Girvin | 10 | 10 (100%) | $467,500 | $475,000 | $4,675,000 | |
Notables
Four yearlings from the final crop of Uncle Mo have sold for $1 million or more through the first four sessions. Ashford Stud's late sire has averaged $486,071 for 42 hips sold with 26 remaining in the catalog.
Good Magic 's first crop bred after Mage 's 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) victory has hit the sales this year and been well received. Bred on a $125,000 stud fee, his 20 yearlings sold have averaged $490,250.
