Brown, Ward among trainers looking for runners at Keeneland Sale

Asked about the importance of Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale in providing members of his racing operation, trainer Chad Brown said the sale is “a big part of our stable for sure. A lot of nice prospects that come through my barn started right here at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. I always love to attend, and a lot of my clients do as well.”

Among Brown’s successful September Sale graduates is recent Hopeful (G1) winner Practical Joke, a son of Into Mischief consigned by Gainesway, agent, to the 2015 September Sale and purchased by Aquinnah Ventures for $240,000. Practical Joke accounted for two of Brown’s record 40 victories this summer at Saratoga.

While at the September Sale, Brown said he tries to look at least 100 horses per day and “has a lot of help along the way. It’s competitive: recruiting top prospects, but there’s a lot to choose from.”

Other successful North American trainers at Keeneland for the sale include Steve Asmussen, Bob Baffert, Mark Casse, Gary Contessa, Eric Guillot, Mark Hennig, Jerry Hollendorfer, Larry Jones, Eddie Kenneally, D. Wayne Lukas, Bill Mott, Vicki Oliver, Todd Pletcher and Dallas Stewart.

SEPTEMBER SALE IS IN WESLEY WARD’S BACKYARD

With horses stabled at Keeneland year-round, trainer Wesley Ward doesn’t have far to go to inspect the yearlings offered at the September Sale.

“I’ll go see how the horses came back from their training this morning, then I just walk right over (to the Keeneland stable area for sale yearlings),” he said Friday morning. “I can spend the rest of the day there. A lot of other trainers have to travel in and out (to be elsewhere to watch) works and this and that and the races. I’m just right here. It makes it so easy.”

Chief among Ward’s stakes winners who are September Sale graduates is champion Judy the Beauty, a daughter of Ghostzapper he purchased for $20,000 in 2010. The now 7-year-old mare, who is in foal to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, resides on Ward’s property that can be seen from the Keeneland Grandstand.

Other September Sale graduates Ward trained are four of his Royal Ascot winners – No Nay Never, Hootenanny, Undrafted and Lady Aurelia. Hootenanny and Undrafted remain in training with Ward at Keeneland while Lady Aurelia is at Newmarket in England, where she is prepping for her next start in the Cheveley Park Stakes (G1) on Sept. 24.

“I thought she was a beautiful filly,” Ward said about the daughter of Scat Daddy when he saw her at last year’s September Sale. “Scat Daddy is one of my favorite sires that I’ve had so much luck with. I’ll be looking at every one of them in the catalog. There’s 82.”

Scat Daddy also is the sire of No Nay Never and another of Ward’s seven Royal Ascot winners, Acapulco.

In selecting horses at the September Sale, Ward will work with such horsemen as bloodstock agents Gatewood Bell and Ben McElroy.

“People come from all over the world,” he said about the global appeal of the September Sale. “Guys just getting into the game are getting excited, so they’ll be spending money. You have your people who love horse racing and will be trying to get the best bloodstock that they can. I think it’s going to be a really, really good sale.”

CONSIGNORS COMMENT ON PRE-SALE ACTIVITY

With temperatures in the 60s on a perfect fall-like Sunday morning, Keeneland’s stable area was full of activity as consignors showed yearlings in Book 1 of the September Sale to prospective buyers from around the world.

Craig Bandoroff, Denali Stud: “Action’s good. We’re busy. They’re looking at them; now we have to see if they like them. I’m encouraged. I’m seeing some Europeans here who haven’t been here in a while, so that’s awesome. We’re sending those horses over there, and they’re running well. If you’re in the horse business, (the September Sale) is a hard sale to ignore.”

Headley Bell, Mill Ridge Sales: “Everybody you can imagine is here and we are satisfied with the activity. It is nice that Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Makoum and his team are here. I have seen a lot of Japanese interests here as well.”

Pat Costello, Paramount Sales: “This is our third day showing, and we have been busy right through. Saturday was very, very busy all day, and today is constant. There have been a few Japanese groups and European groups looking.”

Gerry Dilger, Dromoland Farm: “We were very busy Friday and Saturday, and we’re very busy again this morning. I’m very happy with the traffic and the people who have come here. I hope with a bit of luck the sale will be good for everyone.”

Bridie Harrison, agent for Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds: “We just shipped in this morning because we don’t sell until Wednesday. From 8 a.m. until 11 a.m, we have had about 30 shows. I am surprised that we had so much early action.”

Michael Hernon, Gainesway: “We continue to show at a steady, progressive rate. It’s a lovely morning, a lot cooler, less humidity. I think the horses are fresher; they’re showing well. We’re seeing a good number of Japanese parties represented today, having flown in yesterday, so we’re anticipating a good strong market.”

Meg Levy, Bluewater Sales: “It’s been quite busy. We had about 74 shows a horse yesterday. That’s pretty strong. I think we’re doing well. I’m seeing the same folks I see from year to year, but that’s a good thing because most of them are here.”

Reiley McDonald, Eaton Sales: “The catalog has more international appeal than it has had in a number of years. We have about four or five horses that should sell extremely well, and we have a great bunch of middle-end horses that are top physicals with some pedigree that should fair well also.”

Marc McLean, Crestwood Farm: “On Saturday, we showed each horse 40 or 50 times. Today it seems like a whole new crowd here for their first looks. About half of the lookers are European or Japanese.”

Peter O’Callaghan, Woods Edge Farm: “It’s quite good, actually. For a five-horse consignment, we’ve had for the first few days maybe 160 shows, which was definitely better than last year. That’s encouraging; hopefully, it’ll materialize into actual business. (I’m) seeing some people who in the past would come (to the sale) later but have come in a bit earlier. That’s good.”

Joe Seitz, Brookdale Sales: “Friday was steady but Saturday was very busy and so far this morning it has been busy so we are pleased. It seems like it is busier now than at this stage last year. What that translates to, we are not sure but we’ll take it.”

Archie St. George, St. George Sales: “The traffic in the barn has been good and there is international interest here from Japan, Europe, China and Australia. We have (several) that should sell well.”

Kitty Taylor, Warrendale Sales: “There are a lot of European buyers here. The traffic in the barn was through the roof. We have 20 horses that were shown (a total of) 1,400 times on Saturday. One colt was out 91 times.”

CHAMPION RUNHAPPY WAS WOHLERS’ CHOICE
OF 2013 SEPTEMBER SALE

“If I can find one like Runhappy, that’d be good,” trainer Laura Wohlers said with a wide grin, referring to her hope of finding another future champion, Breeders’ Cup winner and millionaire at this year’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

For Runhappy’s owner, James McIngvale, Wohlers said she and a team of people divide the Keeneland barn area and look at every horse here to sell in the September Sale. In 2013, her assignment included the consignment of Ashview Farm, agent, which had a colt by Super Saver out of Bella Jolie, by Broken Vow.

“He just happened to be in my barn, and when I saw him I said, ‘This is the horse,’ ” Wohlers recalled. “He was such an obvious athlete and looked the part.”

Wohlers liked the yearling Runhappy because of his conformation.

“The biggest thing is he’s got such beautiful balance,” she said. “That, to me, is the dynamic with making a good horse. All his angles were good: short cannon bones; his hocks were low to the ground; his neck ties in nice. I figured he was probably half an inch too long in the pasterns and he toed out just a smidgen in the front right. But I said, ‘This is the horse I really want.’ ”

McIngvale, who is Wohlers’ brother-in-law, paid $200,000 for Runhappy. One of four yearlings McIngvale bought at the 2013 September Sale, Runhappy has won seven of eight races and earned $1,481,300.

Runhappy earned the 2015 Eclipse Award as champion male sprinter following a campaign that featured six consecutive victories. His graded stakes-winning string included the NYRA.com King’s Bishop (G1) at Saratoga, Stoll Keenon Ogden Phoenix (G3) and TwinSpires Breeders’ Cup Sprint (G1) at Keeneland and Malibu (G1) at Santa Anita. He won the Breeders’ Cup Sprint in a Keeneland track-record 1:08.58 for 6 furlongs.

Runhappy is slated to begin his 2016 campaign in the Oct. 1 Ack (G3) at Churchill Downs.

The champion’s yearling half-brother by Exchange Rate is cataloged to the September Sale as Hip No. 208, consigned by Ashview Farm, agent, and scheduled to sell Tuesday, Sept. 13.

SEPTEMBER SALE GRADUATES HAVING QUITE A YEAR

Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale is enjoying a tremendous year, thanks to the success of its graduates who swept the Triple Crown, have won other major races in North America and have exceled internationally.

Through Labor Day, September Sale graduates had won 141 stakes, including 38 Grade/Group 1 wins. Stakes winners came not only in North America but in Australia, Brazil, Denmark, Dubai, England, France, Ireland, Korea, Kazakhstan, Panama, Russia and Puerto Rico.

In the U.S., graduates of the 2014 September Sale dominated the classics: Nyquist (sold for $230,000) won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1), Exaggerator ($110,000) took the Preakness (G1) and Creator ($440,000) upset the Belmont-G1.

The 2014 September Sale also produced Coral-Eclipse (G1) winner Hawkbill ($350,000). Other Group 1 winners in Europe include Lady Aurelia ($350,000, 2015 September), winner of the Darley Prix Morny (G1) and Queen Mary (G2), and Order of St George (IRE) ($550,000, 2013 September), winner of the Gold Cup in Honour of the Queen’s 90th Birthday (G1) and Palmerstown House Estate Irish St. Leger Trial (G3).

Graduates of the 2015 September Sale already are leading this year’s juvenile ranks with stakes winners Bitumen ($110,000), Boynton ($750,000), Champagne Room ($55,000), Classic Empire ($475,000), Gunnevera ($16,000), Lady Aurelia, Levante Lion ($150,000), Made You Look ($360,000), Nonna Mela ($310,000), Practical Joke ($240,000), Pretty City Dancer ($825,000), Roly Poly ($575,000) and Union Strike ($130,000).

To learn more about these and other accomplished September Sale alumni, visit the September Sale microsite at september.keeneland.com for profiles of each horse, stakes replays and video of each horse selling at Keeneland.

In 2015, the September Sale generated two weeks of robust trade at all levels of the market as 2,745 horses sold for $281,496,100, an average of $102,549 and a record-equaling median price pf $50,000. Results reflected a continued trend toward stability in the Thoroughbred market.

Additionally, last year’s September Sale marked the second consecutive September Sale during which Keeneland sold the highest-priced yearling offered at public auction in North America. The 2015 sale-topper is a colt (now named Tapit High) by leading North American sire Tapit purchased for $2.1 million by Mandy Pope’s Whisper Hill Farm LLC. He was one of 11 yearlings that commanded $1 million or more during the auction. Those horses sold to 10 different entities.

CATALOG UPDATES AND MORE AVAILABLE ONLINE

Keeneland.com/sales has a wealth of free and useful sales information for consignors, buyers and others.

For Book 1 horses, Keeneland Pedigree offers enhanced catalog updates with links to race charts and race-replay videos for active members of their families.

To access Keeneland Pedigree, click on Keeneland.com/sales and use the dropdown tab on the left side to click on Catalogs and Interactive Index to reach the blue Keeneland Pedigree icon. Catalog updates are in red. Links to charts and videos of recent races are in blue.

Catalog updates for all horses in the sale occur daily and are sortable.

Other information on Keeneland.com/sales includes a list of outs for the current sales; searchable catalogs and results for sales beginning with the 1999 July Selected Yearling Sale; and lists of stakes-winning Keeneland sales graduates that can be sorted by sale and are available by year back to 2010.

During the live streaming of the sale, each yearling’s catalog page appears with the video when the horse is in the ring.

AROUND THE RING

Debuting in the Limestone Café during the September Sale is a sushi bar featuring Chef Tin’s freshly rolled items that will be available for patrons to grab and go. …

Keeneland and Country Boy Brewing again have partnered to produce Keeneland Fall Ale. The small-batch brew, a lightly hopped American pale ale that was popular when introduced two years ago, is available at Keeneland during the September Sale and Fall Meet. Keeneland Fall Ale also will be available at more than 40 local restaurants and bars during that time. …

On Wednesday, Sept. 14, Keeneland and VisitLEX’s Beyond Grits will present the third Jefferson Street Soiree to showcase the September Sale and one of downtown Lexington’s culinary and cocktail hot spots. From 6-10 p.m., 12 area restaurants and bars will offer food and beverage tastings, accompanied by live entertainment from The Wooks and Tee Dee Young. The festival district on Jefferson Street stretches from Maryland Avenue to West Short Street.

SPORTING ART AUCTION WORKS ON DISPLAY

People walking through the Keeneland Sales Pavilion during the September Yearling Sale will be able to view the 175 high-quality pieces of art that are cataloged to the fourth annual Sporting Art Auction, to be held in the Sales Pavilion on Monday, Nov. 21.

Keeneland Association and Cross Gate Gallery of Lexington again are collaborating to hold the Sporting Art Auction, which features fine sporting art, American paintings, and sculpture from renowned artists.

Featured pieces include:

·       Irish painter Sir William Orpen’s Sergeant Murphy & Things, a 29½” x 40” oil on canvas that depicts the winner of the 1923 Grand National.

·       Andy Warhol’s Willie Shoemaker, a 40” x 40” unique silkscreen portrait of the Hall of Fame jockey.

·       Morris Park Handicap, 1900, a 25” x 40” oil on canvas by noted American artist Henry Stull of Maid of Harlem's stunning upset of champion Ethelbert.

This year’s collection also includes works by such celebrated artists as Sir Alfred Munnings, Edward Troye and John Frederick Herring Sr. and contemporary artists Andre Pater, LeRoy Nieman, Larry Wheeler, Peter Howell and Richard Stone Reeves.

The auction, which begins at 4 p.m., is free and open to the public. In keeping with the Keeneland Association’s mission, Keeneland’s portion of the auction proceeds will benefit its non-profit initiatives, including the Keeneland Library Foundation.

Catalogs are available from Sporting Art Auction representatives in the Sales Pavilion’s Limestone Café or on the auction’s website at thesportingartauction.com. Inquiries are welcome via the website, by email to info@thesportingartauction.com or by calling Cross Gate Gallery at 859 233-3856.

TVG TO COVER BOOK 1 AND BEYOND

Full coverage of the entire September Sale is available at Keeneland.com. TVG will provide periodic coverage of Book 1, including live reports from Britney Eurton. TVG2 will have full coverage of the sale on Monday and Tuesday of Book 1 and periodic coverage on Wednesday of Book 1 and later sessions.

Source: Keeneland Association