$1.2M Nyquist Colt Tops Final Keeneland Book 3 Session

A colt by red-hot sire Nyquist   topped the sixth session of Keeneland's September Yearling Sale, Sept. 20, fetching $1.2 million from Donato Lanni, agent for Front Row Club, Starlight, and Madaket.

"The horse landed fair and squarely," FRC's Tom Ryan said of Hip 1686. "He's obviously by a stallion everybody now respects in Nyquist. You're giving yourself a chance at creating a potential Kentucky sire down the road if he lives up to our expectations." 

Hip 1686 became the highest-priced horse purchased by the partnership and the 18th overall through the sixth session. 

Ryan said what book a horse comes out of does not matter to him and his team.

"It's a matter of having the patience and the team to identify them," Ryan said. "I remember we bought a Kentucky Derby winner (Authentic) as Hip 2616 many years ago. We're a long way away from that still." 

Authentic  , a son of top sire Into Mischief  , was purchased late in Book 4 for $350,000 by SF Bloodstock and Starlight West at the 2018 September Sale. His most notable wins came in the 2020 Kentucky Derby (G1), Haskell Stakes (G1), and Breeders' Cup Classic (G1). He retired with more than $7 million in earnings.

Ryan said he has noticed some of the heavy-hitter buyers staying through later books.

"As they should," he said. "I think money is in different buckets these days, so it's not all individuals. A lot of it is collective syndicated money, and they have the buying power to work through Book 2, 3, 4 and 5."

Hip 1686 was bred in Kentucky by Three Chimneys Farm and is out of the multiple stakes-winning Constitution   mare Alexandria . The mare's first foal to race, Kilby Girl , a filly by Gun Runner  , is a winner. She also has an unraced 2-year-old filly by Gun Runner.

The colt is the eighth yearling by Nyquist to break the million-dollar mark at the September Sale. The 2016 Kentucky Derby (G1) winner and 2015 Eclipse champion 2-year-old male stood the 2026 season at Darley near Lexington for an advertised fee of $175,000.

Pin Oak Stud purchased the third- and fourth-highest-priced colts of the session in Hip 1773, a son of Nyquist for $825,000, and Hip 1875, a son of Liam's Map   for $800,000.

Hip 1773 was bred and consigned by the historic Stone Farm and Hip 1875 was bred by EGL-One. Pin Oak, one of the session's most active buyers, purchased five horses for gross receipts of $2,045,000. 

The highest-priced filly of the day was Hip 1600, a daughter of 2023 Horse of the Year and first-crop sire Cody's Wish🔥  . She was bred and consigned by Dixiana Farms. Hip 1600 is out of the stakes-winning The Factor   mare Sold It. Hip 1600 was purchased by Friends and Family for $575,000

Dixiana sold the filly's half brother by Not This Time   at last year's sale for $625,000 to Lauren Carlisle, agent. 

Snyder's Homebred Maxfield Colt Fetches $900K

With just six hips to go, Connie and Richard Snyder's homebred colt by Maxfield   entered the ring commanding the attention of those in the pavilion. Bidding for the strapping bay colt quickly escalated into a relentless duel, blowing past the $500,000 mark as neither buyer refused to budge.

It was CHC, Maverick Racing, and Light Post Ventures that came out on top with a winning bid of $900,000. 

Darley's Maxfield has been good to Connie and Richard's Cove Springs operation. They sold their first $1 million horse, a filly by Maxfield, now named Glamorize , at the Keeneland September sale two years ago to Resolute Bloodstock. 

Connie and Richard watched with disbelief and raw emotion from the back ring with consignor Kerry Cauthen of Four Star Sales as the bid board continued to climb to $900,000. They were met with congratulatory high fives and hugs as the classy colt exited the ring. 

"I'm a bit starstruck," Richard Snyder said. "We knew he was a nice colt. We've loved him since day one, but that's an awful lot of money for us. 

"This means a lot. I mean that's what we do. We raise horses and breed them and sell them, and you've got to have these kinds of horses to keep the ball rolling."

Snyder said he did not expect that kind of return but noted how competitive the market has been for the top horses.

"It's a strong market, but you've got to have the right horse," he said.

Hip 1969 is out of the Caleb's Posse mare Posse Needed, whom the Snyders purchased in foal to Frosted for $35,000 at the 2020 Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale. 

The Snyders will offer another colt by Maxfield—Hip 2620—during the eighth session of the sale Sept. 24. Snyder said Maxfield is a very solid sire who gained their respect from the beginning. 

Darley's multiple grade 1 winner Maxfield, who sits fourth on North America's second-crop sire list, drew extra attention this summer when his leading earner, Englishman , won back-to-back grade 1 races at Saratoga Race Course and tied a track record in the Woody Stephens Stakes (G1). 

Maxfield stood the 2025 season at Darley near Lexington for an advertised fee of $50,000.

Book 3 Stats

At the end of the second and final session of Book 3, total gross sales were up nearly 3% from the halfway point at last year's sale to $447,302,500, including private transactions, of 1,254 horses. Last year's midpoint saw 63 more horses bring a gross of $435,685,000, which surpassed the 2024 sale total.

Last year's overall sale saw 3,078 horses sell for a record gross of $531,739,400. With six sessions to go, that leaves the current gross total just $84,436,900 away from last year's total.

The average price for six sessions was up 7% to $356,701 and the median was up slightly to $250,000. The RNA rate of 22.4% represents the 361 horses who have failed to meet their reserve. 

Seventy yearlings have sold for $1 million or more, breaking last year's record of 56. 

The sixth session saw 281 yearlings sell for gross receipts of $52,487,500, including private sales. The average price also saw an increase to $186,788 compared to last year's corresponding session. The median stayed the same at $150,000.

Taylor Made leads the consignors headed into Book 4, with 158 from their draft bringing a total of $57,313,000. St. Elias, West Point, Lane's End Racing and Belladonna lead the buyers with 16 purchases totaling $13,925,000. Seventy-eight horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 21.7%.

"I thought today was good. Our clearance rate was healthy," said Taylor Made's president and CEO Mark Taylor. 

"I think we had about a 21% buyback rate. We didn't have any real explosive breakout horses, but it was a very solid trade. As long as you were setting reasonable reserves and your horse vetted, you were going to get your horse sold."

Taylor said he was encouraged by the activity during the final session of Book 3 and expects that momentum to continue into Book 4. 

The September sale continues Sept. 21 at 10:00 a.m. ET, and runs each day through Sept. 26. As of Sunday evening, Keeneland had reported 41 outs for the seventh session.