Keeneland September Opening Session Sees Strong Results

The Keeneland September Yearling Sale kicked off Sept. 11, yielding impressive results just shy of the record-breaking previous year. An Into Mischief   filly, consigned by Gainesway as Hip 92, took top honors after Shadwell Racing's Sheikha Hissa signed the sales slip at $2.3 million for the half sibling to this year's Summertime Oaks (G2) winner, Window Shopping .

$2.3M Into Mischief Filly Lights Up Keeneland September   

She was bred in Kentucky by Oussama Aboughazale's International Equity Holdings and out of the grade 3-winning Tapit   mare Delightful Joy , from the family of Graeme Six .

"We are delighted to welcome Princess Hissa and her whole team," Keeneland president and CEO Shannon Arvin said, referring to the daughter of the late Sheikh Hamdan Al Maktoum. "Shadwell Racing is about to embark on an exciting new stage of Shadwell, and we love her passion and enthusiasm for sport and the horse. It's an honor to have her here."

Keeneland vice president of sales, Tony Lacy, added: "She is very much like her father, intelligent, passionate, and well educated on pedigrees and form lines."

Gainesway consigned three session 1 horses that realized seven figures, putting them on top with gross receipts of $9,610,000 after selling 12 of its15-horse draft.

"We have had an outstanding day; we've sold some top lots for some outstanding clients that had a lot of capital tied up," Brian Graves of Gainesway commented. "The horses today deserved to bring that kind of money."

The top 11 horses from the first session sold to 11 distinct buyers but were by three sires:

• Into Mischief: Hip 92, $2.3 million; Hip 162, $1.7 million; Hip 145, $1.4 million; Hip 18, $1.1 million; and Hip 147, $1 million;
• Uncle Mo  : Hip 154, $2 million; Hip 94, $1.35 million; Hip 130, $1.35 million; Hip 148, $900,000; and Hip 189, $900,000; and,
• Authentic  : Hip 168, $900,000.

"There is big energy here in the sales pavilion," Robert Clay of Grandview Equine said after signing the ticket on Hip 18. "I think it will get stronger as the day goes on. A lot of energy, a lot of people, and a lot of money around. A lot of nice horses; it's an excellent catalog."  

During the first session, Keeneland reported 114 horses sold of the 144 through the ring for a gross of $56,040,000, down 4.4% from 2022. The average of $491,579 was up 0.6%, and the $400,000 median down 9.6% from last year. There were 30 horses that failed to attain their reserves to represent a 20.8% RNA rate.

"It's encouraging when you see diversity among the buyers," said Lacy. "It's important that the people who come in here feel like they have a chance of getting something. The buyers are spending quite a bit, gaining some of the best bloodstock in the world. Over the last couple of days, people have been energized by the quality of stock and have said it's probably the best group of horses they have seen in the first two sessions, in probably the last 10-15 years."

During last year's opening session, 120 yearlings were traded of the 144 on offer for a gross of $58,615,000, setting an average price of $488,458 and a median of $442,500. An RNA rate of 16.7% represents the 24 yearlings that failed to sell.

"We have focused on getting the excitement back into the pavilion and getting the right horses here," said Lacy. "There was a huge effort from the team, and we got the support from our loyal clients. People are taking a risk on us as a new team and what our vision is. It's encouraging when we are all working together, and I see everyone as partners in this process. We need to make sure the sellers are getting a just reward for their investments and hard work over the last few years. And we have to ensure the buyers are getting to see and review the right horses; otherwise, their time is wasted here. We are trying to create that good combination of a fair marketplace, transparent processes, and allowing people to enjoy the experience."

West Bloodstock made 11 purchases as agent for a gross of $3,720,000, at an average of $338,182, to be the Day 1 leading buyer.

"Our sellers were rewarded today. Runnymede Farm sold a $2 million horse and was thrilled, and to see Penn Sales sell their first $1 million horse today was exciting," Arvin commented. "The results were very similar to last year, which was a record-breaking year."

Selling from Book 1 continues Sept. 12, beginning at 1:00 p.m. with Hips 202-392 heading through the ring. As of Monday evening, 25 horses have been withdrawn from the second session.