How recent Keeneland sales-topping horses fared at the races

There is an old saying in horse racing: “Breed the best to the best and hope for the best.” Hope can also be a major factor in the sales price of a young horse in a public auction.

The ongoing Keeneland September Yearling Sale is the pinnacle of thoroughbred auctions. Every year, thousands of people, horses and their hopes enter the grounds in Lexington, Ky., in search of racing's next potential superstar.

Have the sales toppers always performed accordingly? Not necessarily. With Book 1, which offers the top anticipated prospects, closed at Keeneland, let’s look at some of the top sale prices of years past and what those horses went on to achieve.

2017: A filly sired by Tapit out of Pretty ‘n Smart (Beau Genius) topped the entire sale, selling to M.V. Magnier for $2.7 million.The filly has not been named yet, but is a full sibling to multiple graded stakes winner Cupid and half to stakes winner Indianapolis (Medaglia d’Oro).

2016: A colt by the ill-fated Scat Daddy topped the sale at $3 million and went on to be named Mendelssohn. You've probably heard of him. In 2017, he shipped over from Ireland to dominate the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf. This year, the colt was again dominant overseas, winning the UAE Derby (G2). He's looking to get back in the winner's circle after suffering a terrible trip in the Kentucky Derby, then running third in the Dwyer (G3) and second in the Travers (G1). He's on a patch to the Breeders' Cup Classic.

2015: A grey/roan colt by Tapit topped this sale, selling for $2.1 million to Whisper Hill Farm. Known as Tapit High, he remains in training but has yet to win or hit the board in a race in his five maiden special weight starts. He is trained by Cathal Lynch and currently based at Laurel Park. The colt is a half brother to Grade 1 winner Eskimo Kisses (To Honor and Serve).

2014: This time, two colts sold at the top price of $2.2 million -- a War Front colt to M.V. Magnier (Coolmore) and a Tapit colt to Shadwell. They went on to have very different careers. The War Front colt was named Air Vice Marshal. The horse has raced 16 times, winning or hitting the board in 11 starts. But just two efforts were winning ones both overseas and in the U.S. The second colt was Mohaymen, who went 5-for-13 in his career. Leading up to the Florida Derby, the gray was a leading contender for the 2016 Kentucky Derby. He finished fourth on the first Saturday in May and now stands stud at Shadwell farm.

2013: A colt by War Front again sold to M.V. Magnier sold for $2.5 million. The colt never made a start, according to Equibase. The colt was from the family of Will’s Way. He went through the sales ring overseas as a horse in training for $4,824 to Derek Shaw Racing.

2012: Shadwell struck for a Distorted Humor colt, giving $1.65 million for him. NAmed Heyaarat, he went on to win two of his nine starts, placing in three other races. 

2011: An A.P. Indy colt, later named Powerful, went to Bob Feld on behalf of John and Jerry Amerman for $1.4 million. The colt is a full sibling to Got Lucky, Girolamo, Daydreaming and Accelerator, Supercharger (dam of 2010 Kentucky Derby winner Super Saver) and She’s a Winner (dam of Bluegrass Cat). The colt was later gelded and retired after 13 starts. He won just two of those.

As seems obvious, top sales prices don't necessitate top racehorses. However, in many cases, especially fillies, family trees alone make for nice breeding prospects. Million-dollar sales will continue to pique our interest as we wonder whether the next big horse walked through the ring this week at Keeneland.