Grade 1 Winning Siblings on Offer Sept. 13 at Keeneland

The anticipation leading up to the Keeneland September Yearling Sale each year is loaded with various factors, having yearlings in peak presentation form, keeping them bubble wrapped until they walk through the sales pavilion, and the pedigree page—activity leading up to the sale and potential to come. This year on the second day of selling, Sept. 13, there are no less than 22 yearlings on offer who boast grade 1 winners as siblings and half siblings.

A full brother to this year's Dubai Golden Shaheen Sponsored by Atlantis Dubai (G1) winner Switzerland  is on offer, the son of Speightstown   is one of three grade 1 winners for the Winstar Farm sire.

The yearling colt out of the Indian Charlie mare Czechers , a grade 2 and 3 placed stakes winner on the West Coast, is consigned by Gainesway as Hip 195. The mare has produced seven runners and her 2-year-old, Hellier, is a full sister to the yearling colt bred by SF Bloodstock in Kentucky. This year she dropped a Game Winner   colt.

"We purchased him in November for $350,000, and he's just done nothing but improve," Brian Graves, general manager for Gainesway, said. "He's a real leggy colt, nearly a May foal. He's very correct; he's been good the whole time we have had him and seems to be going over well here in the barns."

Taylor Made Sales Agency consigns a Justify   colt out of Dream of Summer  as Hip 222. The March-born gray was bred in Kentucky by James C. Weigel and is a half sibling to grade 1 winning sire Creative Cause   and Personal Ensign Stakes (G1) winner Vexatious .

"Dream of Summer, this colt's mother is just a rare mare. She's been one of the best we've had on our farm in the last 25 years," Mark Taylor, CEO of Taylor Made Sales Agency said. "She's got a current 2-year-old, Summer Promise , that was second in the Schuylerville (G3) at Saratoga.

"When you see this colt, he's a strong, well-built, beautiful mover. Dream of Summer puts athletes on the ground. I think he's one of our better colts, and it will be interesting to see what he brings."

Dixiana Farms, who sold their first seven-figure homebred during last year's edition of the September Sale, brings forward a full brother to Santa Anita Handicap Presented by Yaamava' Resort & Casino (G1) victor Express Train . The Union Rags   colt is out of the Mineshaft mare, I'm a Flake; her now 2-year-old colt by Accelerate  , named Union Express, was purchased last year at this time for $300,000 by Mayberry Farm and is currently on the West Coast with trainer John Sheriff's and close to his first start.

"I think they're pretty similar, Express Train and Hip 283," Robert Tillyer, farm manager at Dixiana Farm, commented. "This guy ticks all the boxes; he's big and strong and vets nicely. He walks well; he's pretty exciting."

"The mare has had four to race; Express Train has earned nearly a million and a half. The mare has a Munnings   colt on the ground, which's as nice as this guy. So it's is pretty exciting for next year."

Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1) champion Golden Pal , a multiple graded winner of over $1.6 million with trainer Wesley Ward, has been an exciting horse on the grass from 2 to 4. He is the first foal out of Lady Shipman , another top-class American turf sprinter; this year, her yearling colt Lieutenant General, by Omaha Beach  , will be selling with Taylor Made Sales Agency as Hip 308.

"Lady Shipman was second in the Breeders Cup (Turf Sprint, G1T), which does not appear on the Keeneland catalog page. She was a tremendous mare, and now she's reproducing that, Golden Pal is one of the fastest horses we've ever sold, and I'm very excited to see them give him a shot on the dirt," Taylor said. "The yearling is a great mover, a different type, and I think this mare is allowing the stallion to come through a little bit. He's smooth, fluid, and very athletic. We've got a lot of good Omaha Beaches in the sale, and I think this one will be an excellent representative."

Garrencasey Sales will present the half sibling to Bleecker Street , winner of the New York Stakes (G1T) and recently placed in the Diana Stakes (G1T) at Saratoga. The consignment owned by Dermot and Emma Quinn generally consigns their homegrown horses but couldn't resist this Flatter filly from breeder and dear friend Delia Nash. 

The early February-born filly is consigned as Hip 315 for the single horse consignment in Book 1 from the Quinns. Being by the late, great sire Flatter makes the gray filly a bit of a collector's item for buyers looking for a great addition to their racing stable with residual value to be offered as a broodmare down the road.

"This filly has continued to impress me all year; she has matured nicely, she has a terrific walk, is very correct, and has a great mind," Emma Quinn noted on the first day of showing Sept. 10. "Overall, I think she would be a great addition to anyone's racing stable. She has come out, put her head down, and been quite professional about her job."

The mare, Lemon Liqueur, has a 2-year-old Always Dreaming   filly named Red Lemonade who is gearing up for her first start for breeder Delia Nash, along with a Not This Time   foal by her side.

"Delia is a small-time breeder; she's has three or four mares and has been extremely lucky. This year Bleecker Street has had a phenomenal 4-year-old campaign. She has been fantastic to watch, and I particularly loved watching her in the New York Stakes (G1T) at Belmont, coming from last to first in the stretch. She is so impressive, has never been off the board, and has come back, since the catalog was printed, to be grade 1 placed. It is a privilege to sell this yearling filly for Delia."

Quinn added: "The traffic has been fairly steady. Keeneland has a unique reputation for representing the finest horses, breeders, consignors, and buyers in the industry. To me, Book 1 is all about the horses and their success. Breeders bring their best products, and buyers buy the best athletes. It's an exciting time, and I am anticipating success here at the sale."

Dixiana Farms is looking forward to another banner year for the Lexington operation. 

"Hopefully, the momentum will continue throughout the year. We've got 29 yearlings to sell and will be here from Book 1 through to Books 6 and have some nice horses in each book," Tillyer said. "We've got nice horses all the way through. I think we've got the placement pretty well, and we're excited to get going. It's nice to get out here and get going finally."