Yaupon Colt Brings $825K to Start Book 4 at Keeneland

A colt by Yaupon led a strong session of trading Sept. 21 to open Book 4 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, proving that the market's appetite for quality individuals remains fierce. Donato Lanni, agent for Front Row Club, Starlight, and Madaket, went to $825,000 to secure the colt (Hip 2126) out of the stakes-winning and multiple grade 1-placed mare Beautician. The partnership of Tom Ryan's newly launched FRC, Starlight Racing, and Madaket Stables has remained one of the most active buyers during the Keeneland September sale. They have bought 19 horses to date for gross receipts of $10,990,000. Ryan said he believes Yaupon has the opportunity to fill a significant void left by his sire Uncle Mo. "He is a grade 1-winning son of Uncle Mo with the rare distinction of four triple-digit Beyers on dirt, demonstrating elite speed again and again," Ryan said. "With Uncle Mo's genetic influence, and Yaupon's physical appeal, and an early crop that has already attracted early commercial support, he has the profile of a stallion capable of carrying the great line forward." Hip 2126 was the second Yaupon colt purchased by the partnership. They purchased Hip 693 also for $825,000 during the third session of the sale. Proving their belief in the Uncle Mo line, FRC, Starlight, and Madaket also acquired three colts by Uncle Mo's leading sire Nyquist. During the first day of the sale, they also purchased a colt (Hip 126) from the last crop by Uncle Mo for $825,000. Ryan, who has purchased top runners from a wide range of September books, said quality athletes can appear anywhere. "Our mission has always been to leave no stone unturned, so you have no regrets the following summer and fall," he said. "Bob Baffert shows up every day, 110% focused on acquiring a top-quality roster of yearlings. He makes the tough decision on what we consider a bullseye prospect. For this, we are incredibly grateful." Ryan said it is a team effort to make everything go smoothly. "We are very fortunate to have Donato Lanni, Caroline Wilson, and Michelle Armour (who has worked for Ryan for nearly 20 years), leading the charge." Hip 2126 was the co-second-highest-priced yearling for Yaupon during the ongoing Keeneland September sale. Callahan Equine bred the colt out of Beautician, who is daughter of Dehere and a half sister to multiple graded stakes winner and sire Mo Tom (Uncle Mo). Hip 2126 was consigned by Runnymede Farm, agent. "He is a very athletic horse with a good mind and a good walk, and comes from a very good family," said Runnymede's president Romain Malhouitre. "He's always been a nice individual and when he came here, from the first show, he showed himself very well, and it seemed like a lot of people loved him from the first show," he added. "We were very pleased with the group that purchased him." Malhouitre echoed Ryan's belief in Yaupon. "He has the quality of his dad, Uncle Mo. He's going to become a very special sire moving forward," he said. "He has stepped up to the next level with his results on the track, so it's only normal for him to be wanted at the sales." Yaupon has had six graded stakes winners to date, led by Stradale, winner of this year's Mahony Stakes (G3T) and Gallant Bob Stakes (G2). He stood the 2026 season at Spendthrift Farm near Lexington for an advertised fee of $60,000. The top-priced filly of the session was Capriciousness, a daughter of Volatile, consigned as Hip 2151, by Lane's End, agent for Mesingw Farm, who brought $525,000 from FMQ Stables and Three Chimneys Farm. The filly is out of the Street Sense mare Catbrier, making her a half sister to the graded-placed stakes winner Meringue (Frosted). Day 7 Statistics Monday's session saw turnover up 7.5% to $33,911,500, including private sales for the seventh session. A total of 301 horses changed hands. The average price reached $112,663, an 8.3% increase from last year's corresponding session; and the median was up a significant 28.6% to $90,000. Fifty-six horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 15.7%. Donato Lanni, agent for FRC, Starlight, and Madaket, was the leading buyer with his sole purchase of Hip 2126. Gainesway led the consignors with 39 head from their draft, bringing a gross of $5,061,000. The strength of the sale has stayed strong from the beginning, something buyers and consignors had anticipated early on. "(The strength of the sale) is a mix of a lot of things; Keeneland has done a great job. There are some good horses all over the later books," Malhouitre said. "It also shows the breeders are doing such a good job of raising good horses. Everybody is breeding their horses right, and you can see that some people are trusting some brands, such as Hinkle Farm or Stone Farm, all those breeders that are producing good, sound horses over the years." Ryan said he believes this is one of the strongest catalogs assembled for the September sale from top to bottom. "With stallions like Life is Good, Maxfield, Yaupon, Early Voting—all represented—Books 4 and onward; I would say yes (to the catalog having a stronger selection through the later books), based on how the catalogs have stacked up and how these stallions have developed over the summer of 2026. There is definitely plenty of opportunity to buy proven sire quality in these later books." The eighth session of the September sale continues Sept. 22 at 10 a.m. with Hips 2393-2809 slated to sell. As of Monday evening, Keeneland had reported 36 outs.