Keeneland sale: $2 million Into Mischief colt leads session 5

Justin Casse, M.V. Magnier and White Birch paid $2 million Saturday for a colt by Into Mischief, the highest-priced horse of session 5 during any Keeneland September yearling sale.

After the first four days produced cumulative gross sales and post sales of more than $318 million, the auction took a day off Friday before resuming Saturday.

With the post-sale acquisition of a $1.4 million colt by Not This Time plus the $1.15 million through-the-ring sale of another son of Not This Time, three horses sold for at least $1 million to set a record for session 5 and increase the record number of seven-figure horses for the entire 2025 auction to 56.

Through Saturday, 949 horses sold through the ring for a total of $369,438,000, an increase of 23% from the same period in 2024 when 913 horses brought $300,432,000. The average of $389,292 rose 18% from $329,060 last year, while the median was up 20% from $250,000 to $300,000. Last year 36 horses sold for $1 million and more.

On the first day of the Book 3 catalog Saturday, Keeneland sold 278 yearlings through the ring for $61,799,000, up 29% from last year’s comparable session when 273 horses brought $47,904,000. The average of $222,299 increased 27% over $175,473 in 2024. The median rose 20% from $150,000 to $180.000.

Saturday’s top-priced yearling, who was consigned by Gainesway, agent, is from the family of champion Jaywalk, Grade 1 Blue Grass winner and sire Tapit Trice along with Grade 2 winners and sires Mission Impazible and Forest Camp. At the 2019 September sale, Gainesway, agent, sold the colt’s dam Miss Jessica J, a daughter of Empire Maker, for $2 million.

Asked what appealed to him about the colt, Casse said, “The sire, the pedigree, the individual. He could have been easily in any one of the last few days. He just ended up on this day. He was a real standout. He was a beautiful physical with a lot of scope and obviously by a sire of sires who can do no wrong.”

Casse said he was not surprised to have to stretch to $2 million to buy the colt because of the record-setting market during week 1.

“I feel like that book 2 was like book 1 five years ago,” Casse said. “Book 1 was in a whole other stratosphere from what we’ve seen in the past. The other books have shifted up in value. There is a real hunger, and I’m just waiting to see what lies ahead, because you have a different buyer base coming into town, and the pedigrees are a lot different. I just hope for the market’s sake that it’ll all transition, which I think it should. Maybe not at the level we’ve seen so far, but definitely everything should be up.”

Gainesway was the session’s leading consignor with through-the-ring sales of $12.25 million for 35 yearlings.

In a post-sale transaction of $1.4 million, Douglas Scharbauer bought a colt by Not This Time who is the first foal out of stakes winner Bella Runner by Gun Runner. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, agent, he is from the family of champion and sire Bernardini and Grade 1 winners Love and Pride and Cara Rafaela.

Eclipse, Bridlewood, LaPenta and Warren paid $1.15 million for a colt by Not This Time from the family of champion and sire Good Magic. Out of winning Pioneerof the Nile mare Flash Magic, he was consigned by Summerfield’s Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck, agent for Stonestreet Bred for Brilliance.

Into Mischief is also the sire of a colt sold for $900,000 to Case Clay Thoroughbred Management. Consigned by Hill ’n’ Dale at Xalapa, agent, he is from the family of Belmont Stakes (G1) winner Touch Gold, Canada horse of the year With Approval, Canada champion Serenading and Blue Grass winner Brilliant Speed. His dam is Curlin mare Superlative.

Jones and Everett, agent, Belmar and Legendary went to $800,000 to buy a colt by Good Magic from the family of Canada champion Lukes Alley and Grade 1 winner Coup de Fusil. Consigned by Gainesway, agent, he is out of winning Empire Maker mare Easy to Love.

The partnership of Belladonna Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing was the session’s leading buyer, spending $2,435,000 for five horses.