A DOZEN sessions this year, one more than in 2021, will see the curtain fall on the Keeneland September Yearling Sale this evening.

Turnover should probably hit $400 million, a staggering number. With a couple of sessions still to be reported, there were already double-digit percentage increases on all the key figures.

Last week’s report covered the four days of selling in Books 1 and 2, the crème de la crème so to speak of the sale. Saturday was a case of getting down to selling the rest, eight consecutive days of trade in what might more loosely be termed the commercial yearlings.

There was no let-up in demand, and again all the main sires were to the fore when it came to the top lots.

Demand was strong for quality lots as the first of two sessions of Book 3 got underway on Saturday, led by the sale of a Curlin colt for $900,000. The partnership of BSW, Crow Colts Group, Spendthrift and Gandharvi went to that figure for the Elm Tree Farm-consigned son of the Malibu Moon mare Tangere. He is from the family of Grade 1 winners Tara’s Tango and Visionaire.

“It’s been tough to buy this sort of horse,” Brad Weisbord said. “With groups like Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola [St. Elias Stables] and the SF group dominating the marketplace, we’ve tried to buy without much success, but Liz [Crow] and Ned [Toffey from Spendthrift] said keep going, so that’s what we did. We try to stay in the $500,000-$600,000 range, but we thought he was the top colt today so we stretched. The breeder [Stonestreet] stayed in for a piece. For us, all the stars lined up.”

Irishmen buy

Bloodstock agent Ben McElroy spent $775,000 for a colt by Bolt D’Oro out of the Congrats mare Beautified. Consigned by Hill ‘N’ Dale Sales Agency, he is from the family of Grade 3 winner Makeup Artist. McElroy noted the success this year of the first crop of runners by the sire, and being impressed by the colt’s Grade 1-placed half-sister, Dance To The Music.

“There is a huge emphasis on sire power, which there has been over the past two years,” McElroy said. “If you have the right sire, you are getting double, if not triple, what you should.”

A colt from the first crop of Omaha Beach, and the family of Grade 1 winner and producer My Flag, sold for $725,000 to Michael Wallace, agent for St. Elias Stables. Clearsky Farms consigned the colt who is from the family of champion Storm Flag Flying and the Grade 1 winners Miner’s Mark and Traditionally. “We’ve been looking for an Omaha Beach, and this one got the attention of the whole team,” Wallace said.

He added: “The sale has been incredibly strong across the board. A lot of people still have plenty of money in their pockets. If you’d asked me three weeks ago if Book 3 would be this strong, I’d have said no. But after seeing Book 1, you knew people would be pushed back into the next days.”

Irishman sells

Jim and Dana Bernhard’s Lynnhaven Racing purchased two colts, by Arrogate and Street Sense, for $700,000 each. Sent up for sale by Peter O’Callaghan’s Woods Edge Farm, the son of Arrogate is out of the winning Ghostzapper mare Ghostslayer, and is a half-brother to Grade 3 winner Biddy Duke. He Is from the family of champions Folklore and Essential Quality.

From the family of Horses of the Year and sires Saint Liam and Gun Runner, the Street Sense colt was consigned by Gainesway, acting for Bonne Chance Farm. His dam is the winning Medaglia D’Oro mare Glory And Power. Lynnhaven also paid $675,000 for a colt from the first crop of Audible. Consigned by Lane’s End, he is out of the winning Candy Ride mare Ridingwiththedevil. Spending $2.87 million for eight horses, Lynnhaven was the session’s leading buyer.

A daughter of the much-missed Arrogate, from the family of champion Perfect Sting, sold to Rigney Racing for $600,000. She is out of the Lemon Drop Kid mare Peggy May and a half- sister to stakes winner Doc Boy. She formed part of Greenfield Farms’ draft.

Audible colt heads the Sunday trade for Paramount Sales

THE strong momentum created by the first session of Book 3 continued to power a healthy demand on Sunday, headlined by the purchase of a colt from the first crop of Audible for $725,000 by bloodstock agent Clay Scherer, acting for Flurry Racing Stables.

Paramount Sales consigned the session-topper who is out of the winning Kafwain mare Oh Boo Hoo. He is from the family of stakes winners Haitian Vacation, Threefiveindia, Hero’s Amor and Ex Pirate. With sales of $4.4 million for 24 yearlings, Pat Costello’s and Gabriel Duignan’s Paramount was the day’s leading consignor.

Continuing their spending spree, Jim and Dana Bernhard’s Lynnhaven Racing paid $650,000 for a colt by Into Mischief consigned by Four Star Sales. A full-brother to Grade 3 winner Comical, he is out of the stakes-placed Tiznow mare Kayce Ace, an own-sister to Grade 1 winner Colonel John.

Munnings

SGV, agent for Repole and Vekoma LLC, paid $575,000 for a Munnings filly from the family of champion Escena. Sold by Grovendale Sales, she is out of the winning Unbridled’s Song mare Oh Carole. Muir Hut Stables purchased a colt from the first crop of Mitole for $550,000. Another from Paramount Sales, he is out of stakes winner Namaste’s Wish, and from the family of Grade/Group 1 winners Purge, Jersey Girl, Jersey Town and Mozu Superflare.

Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys paid $500,000 for a colt by Gun Runner consigned by Hidden Brook. Out of the winning Broken Vow mare Wedding Jitters, he is from the family of Grade 2 winner Skipshot.

New heights reached early

THE 2022 Keeneland September Yearling Sale ended its seventh of 12 sessions on Monday with total sales of $355 million, surpassing the aggregate recorded for last year’s entire 11-day auction.

The session was headlined by a colt by Candy Ride from the family of Grade 1 winner McKinzie who sold for $600,000 to Talla Racing.

The session marked the seventh consecutive day of increases. Elm Tree Farm, acting again for Stonestreet, sold Monday’s top lot. Out of the Maclean’s Music mare Essentially, the colt is also from the family of Grade 2 winner Runway Model.

Donato Lanni, agent for SF/Starlight/Madaket, paid $485,000 for a son of Arrogate consigned by Lane’s End. The colt is from the family of Grade 1 winners Secret Status and Dunbar Road and is out of the Courageous Cat mare Secret Ballot. At $425,000, a colt by Take Charge Indy sold to Maverick Racing and Siena Farm.

Justin Casse spent $410,000 to acquire a colt by Not This Time who is a half-brother to Grade 2 winner Du Jour, part of the strong draft from Peter O’Callaghan’s Woods Edge Farm. He is out of the Bernardini mare Guiltless and from the family of Grade 1 winners and sires Ghostzapper and City Zip.

On top

Paramount Sales were back on top on Wednesday when Maddie Miller spent $450,000 to purchase a daughter of Curlin’s Grade 1-winning son Connect, already a Grade 1 sire himself, from their draft. The filly’s dam is a winning Distorted Humor daughter of the champion and Grade 1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile winner Caressing. The latter is dam of the Grade 1 Travers Stakes winner West Coast and grandam of the Japanese Group 1 winner Danon Kingly.