Keeneland September Sale: An Aussie perspective

Cover image courtesy of Keeneland

The Keeneland September Yearling Sale begins on Monday 9 September with an incredible 4424 yearlings catalogued across six books of selling.

Book 1 consists of 372 yearlings of which 25 are out of Group or Grade 1-winning race mares, with another 44 yearlings who are full or half-siblings to Group 1 winners.

Last year, Book 1 saw 221 yearlings sold for gross receipts of US$116,925,000 (AU$173.9 million) at an average price of US$529,072 (AU$793,000) and a median of $400,000 (AU$600,000). A total of 23 yearlings changed hands for seven figures.

The 2023 sale topper was the Into Mischief (USA) colt from Nonna Mia (USA) who was bought by the three-pronged partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds, Lane's End-related Woodford Racing, and Chuck Sonson for US$3 million (AU$4.5 million).

“I’m Keeneland’s representative in Australia,” said Barry Bowditch. “It’s great to be back at the September Yearling Sale with Book 1 starting on Monday and a huge two weeks of selling. There are lots of international buyers here and a smattering of Aussies too.”

“The sale attracts buyers from all over the globe and has massively diverse pedigrees and bloodlines and year in year out it’s graduate success is extraordinary. If you want some of the best bloodstock in the Northern Hemisphere, or the world, this sale is a must attend.”

What is the role of Keeneland representative?

“In Australia, I ensure that anyone looking to take part in the sale is looked after. If someone is interested in attending or buying in America, I make that (process) as easy as possible. I help them with questions like, Where do I go? Who do I speak to? I’m everyone’s man on the ground and am the touch point for both the sale and the buyers.

“From an Aussie perspective, the industry has become smaller and we are seeing Australian mares in the sale here and American pedigrees in Australia. It shows the globalisation of the industry over the last few decades. Having participation in these markets is so important (if you want to be part of the global industry). There are key learnings in being here and observing and hopefully participating.”

With all the globalisation, there are a few pedigrees in Book 1 with Australian form.

Lot 172 is an Into Mischief (USA) filly from Listed winner Purely Hot (USA) (Pure Prize {USA}), who is the dam of G1 American Pharoah S. winner Eight Rings (USA) (Empire Maker {USA}). Shea Eden trained Ocean Embers (Beneteau) who won the G3 Cockram S. and G3 Bow Mistress S. descends from the family, being out of winning mare Burningwood (USA) (Tabasco Cat {USA}) whose dam, Group 2 winner Wood So (USA) (Baederwood) is the granddam of Purely Hot.

Ocean Embers is the dam of winning 3-year-old filly Cindersea (Deep Field) and a yearling filly by Home Affairs.

Gallery: Lots catalogued in the Keeneland September Yearling Sale who have Australian form in their pedigrees, images courtesy of Keeneland

Lot 271 is an Authentic (USA) filly from Twinkling (USA) (War Chant {USA}), making this filly a half-sister to Group 2 winner Skippylongstocking (USA) (Exaggerator {USA}) and Listed winners Olivia Twist (USA) (Mshawish {USA}) and Moonlite Strike (USA) (Liam’s Map {USA}). Twinkling is out of a stakes placed half-sister to Listed winner Libor Lady (USA) (Exchange Rate {USA}) who is the dam of G2 Sandown Guineas winner Allibor (All Too Hard).

A few lots later comes Lot 275, an Into Mischief filly out of triple Grade 1 winner Unique Bella (USA) (Tapit {USA}). Unique Bella, a daughter of Grade 1 winner Unrivalled Belle (USA) (Unbridled’s Song {USA}), is a half-sister to unraced mare Meseika (USA) (Medaglia d’Oro {USA}) who is the dam of Gai Waterhouse and Adrian Bott’s import Osmose (Fr) (Zoffany {Ire}) who won the 2024 G3 Epona S.

Bloodstock agent Will Johnson is heading to Keeneland on Tuesday for Book 2 and onwards. “It’s too hot for an Aussie like me to be at Book 1,” he laughed. The trip is mainly to see clients and for research.

“It’s not necessarily a buying trip. If I see the right physical with the right pedigree, then it makes sense to give someone a call. I’m going there with an open mind. The main thing is to see clients, who are selling horses, and it’s a good opportunity to see stock by some of the most influential sires in the world such as Curlin, Good Magic, amongst others.

“The American breed continues to have a significant influence on the Thoroughbred. It’s also a chance to promote Australian racing and what we have to offer. You never know who you’ll meet while on tour and we’ve seen several Americans invest in Australia recently too.

“I want to look at as many horses as possible. It’s a good education and a good reference point down the line. A yearling filly might win a sprint race on turf and become a broodmare prospect for Australia later, and what they produce as mares is what they were like as yearlings, so it’s good to have that reference.”

“Turnover in America was up 5 per cent in August, whilst ours tends to be contracting which is an alarm bell for the long term. Their prizemoney continues to increase too, especially in Kentucky, New York and Florida.

“It’ll be good to chat to people, have dinner and see why things are going well there. It can’t be underestimated how much they’ve cleaned up the sport in the last decade, especially with the introduction of HISA. There’s no Lasix in the big races, and they’ve stamped out people with track records of indiscretion, even had a few trainers go to jail. We can no longer say that American racing is compromised by drug use, which is important for the breed.”

Which stallion’s progeny is Johnson looking forward to seeing?

“First crop Charlatan, as well as proven horses like Not This Time, Gun Runner, Good Magic, and Into Mischief. It’s always interesting to see what their stock looks like physically, since they are mainly looking to win a 2000-metre race on dirt (the Kentucky Derby).”