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Keeneland catalogs 4,644 yearlings for 2019 September Sale; Book 1 will cover first three days


Keeneland has announced that 4,644 yearlings have been cataloged for the 76th annual Keeneland September Yearling Sale to be held Sept. 9-22.

The auction, which attracts the Thoroughbred industry’s most prominent domestic and international buyers to purchase horses to compete at the highest levels of racing globally, features a revised format for Books 1 and 2 among the changes and enhancements to the world’s most significant Thoroughbred sale.

The 76th annual Keeneland September Yearling Sale will be held Sept. 9-22. (Keeneland photo)

September Sale catalogs will be available online at September.keeneland.com beginning Aug. 6. Print catalogs will be received Aug. 19-20.

In the adjustment to Week 1 of the 2019 September Sale, Book 1 will encompass the auction’s first three days with 190, 190 and 189 yearlings cataloged, respectively, each day. After a dark day with no auction on Sept. 12, the sale resumes with Book 2 featuring 365 yearlings cataloged in each of the fourth and fifth sessions on Sept. 13-14.

A total of 569 yearlings are cataloged in this year’s Book 1 compared to 989 yearlings in Book 1 in 2018. The size of the Book 2 catalog is 730 horses compared to 826 last year.

“Keeneland is in constant communication with our sales clients, and we work with them to determine the best way to structure the September Sale each year to produce the strongest market we can – by enabling consignors to best present their yearlings and giving buyers adequate time to inspect these horses,” Keeneland Vice President of Racing and Sales Bob Elliston said. “We feel the revised format of the 2019 September Sale and the other exciting changes at Keeneland will create a successful atmosphere that rewards participants.”

2019 September Sale Schedule

The September Sale will cover 13 sessions, the same as in 2018. The format is as follows:

Book 1 – Monday-Wednesday, Sept. 9-11. Sessions begin at noon ET daily. A total of 569 yearlings are cataloged over the three days.

Thursday, Sept. 12 – A “dark day” when no sale will be conducted.

Book 2 – Friday-Saturday, Sept. 13-14. Sessions begin at 10 a.m. with a total of 730 horses in the two-day catalog.

Books 3-6 – Sunday-Sunday, Sept. 15-22. Sessions begin at 10 a.m. A total of 3,345 yearlings are cataloged for these sessions over the final eight days of the sale.

Keeneland will have live coverage of the entire September Sale at Keeneland.com. TVG2 will present live coverage of Book 1 featuring on-site reporting by Gabby Gaudet and Scott Hazelton.

Barn Area Renovations and Hospitality

September Sales clients will see the results of the first phase of Keeneland’s multiyear project to renovate the stable area. Barns 11-19, which are located closest to the Sales Pavilion, feature new roofs, re-graded walking rings, a new drainage system, upgraded LED lighting, new electrical wiring and new trees. (Click here for a look at the renovations.)

“The goal of this project is not only to enhance the barn areas but to bring the walking rings and areas where consignors present horses for inspection on par with the caliber of horses being showcased,” Keeneland Vice President and Chief Operating Officer Vince Gabbert said.

Meanwhile, the September Sale will offer expanded customer service and exciting new amenities.

The September Sale will mark the return of the Saddling Paddock Chalet, which debuted during the 2015 Fall Meet and was a feature of the Breeders’ Cup World Championships. The Chalet, which runs the length of the Paddock, will serve the buffet lunch formerly offered in the Phoenix Room in the Grandstand. And, beginning this year, the buffet will be available the entire sale.

In addition, sales clients may take advantage of other upgrades, including an increased variety of food offerings throughout the Sales Pavilion, additional customer service and concierge staffing and a texting platform for golf cart requests, valet and other needs.

New this year is “Outrider Grill” located in the parking area near Barn 47, offering convenient food and beverage options for consignors and people inspecting horses in Barns 41-49 when those barns are in use during the sale.

Yearlings by Leading Sires in 2019 Catalog

The 2019 September Sale has cataloged 2,332 males and 2,312 fillies.

These yearlings represent 231 of the world’s leading sires, including American Pharoah, Bernardini, Cairo Prince, Camelot (GB), Candy Ride (ARG), Curlin, Dawn Approach (IRE), Distorted Humor, Dubawi (IRE), Empire Maker, Galileo (IRE), Ghostzapper, Giant’s Causeway, Hard Spun, Into Mischief, Kitten’s Joy, Lemon Drop Kid, Lope de Vega (IRE), Malibu Moon, Medaglia d’Oro, More Than Ready, Munnings, No Nay Never, Oasis Dream (GB), Pioneerof the Nile, Quality Road, Speightstown, Street Sense, Tapit, Twirling Candy, Uncle Mo, Union Rags and War Front, among others.

Prominent stallions with their first crop of yearlings in the catalog include Air Force Blue, Brody’s Cause, California Chrome, Exaggerator, Flintshire (GB), Frosted, Mshawish, Not This Time, Nyquist, Outwork, Runhappy, Speightster, Tamarkuz, The Gurkha (IRE), Tourist, Upstart and Vancouver (AUS).

American Pharoah, whose first crop of yearlings sold last year, is represented by his first crop of 2-year-olds in 2019. Other stallions with their first crop at the track and also with yearlings in the 2019 September Sale include Bayern, Carpe Diem, Competitive Edge, Constitution, Fast Anna, Gleneagles (IRE), Golden Horn (GB), Honor Code, Karakontie (JPN), Khozan, Lea, Liam’s Map, Palace Malice, Summer Front, Tapiture and Tonalist.

September Sale Graduates Excel This Year

Alumni of the September Sale have accounted for 28 Grade 1 victories this year, with winners including Bellafina (Santa Anita Oaks), Bricks and Mortar (Manhattan, Old Forester Turf Classic and Pegasus World Cup Turf Invitational), Channel Maker (Man o’ War), Cistron (Bing Crosby), City of Light (Pegasus World Cup Invitational), Concrete Rose (Belmont Oaks Invitational), Hog Creek Hustle (Woody Stephens), Hunter O’Riley (United Nations), Mia Mischief (Humana Distaff), Midnight Bisou (Apple Blossom and Ogden Phipps), Mitole (Churchill Downs Presented by Twinspires.com and Runhappy Metropolitan), Ollie’s Candy (Clement L. Hirsch), Omaha Beach (Arkansas Derby), Out for a Spin (Central Bank Ashland), Roadster (Santa Anita Derby), Secret Spice (Beholder Mile), Serengeti Empress (Kentucky Oaks), She’s a Julie (La Troienne Presented by Inside Access from Chase), Sir Winston (Belmont Presented by NYRA Bets), Vino Rosso (Gold Cup at Santa Anita), War of Will (Preakness) and Wet Your Whistle (Highlander).

In addition, other September Sale graduates include Mr. Melody, a Group 1 winner in Japan, and two Canadian classic winners: One Bad Boy, who captured the Queen’s Plate, and Tone Broke, who won the Prince of Wales.

From Keeneland


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