Keeneland September Yearling Sale commences Monday

A record 5,110 horses have been cataloged for the 62nd annual Keeneland

September Yearling Sale, which begins Monday and continues through September 26.

The seven catalog books contain 219 more horses than last year's record 4,891.

At the 2004 sale, 3,370 yearlings were sold for an industry record $324,904,300.

The number of horses sold, the average price ($96,411), the median price

($37,000), and the highest price ($8 million), were all September Sale records.

The 2004 average and median prices were up 4.4 percent and 8.8 percent,

respectively, from the previous records of $92,329 and $34,000. In 2003, a total

of 2,969 yearlings fetched $274,125,300.

The previous record for gross sales in September was $291,827,100 for 3,313

yearlings in 2000.

In 2004, Japanese trainer Hideyuki Mori, bidding on behalf of an anonymous

client, paid a sale record $8 million for a colt by Storm Cat. Consigned by

Lane's End, agent, the chestnut is the first foal out of Dogwood S. (G3) winner

Welcome Surprise (Seeking the Gold). The eight-year-old mare is a half-sister to

classic winners A.P. Indy and Summer Squall and out of Broodmare of the Year

Weekend Surprise (Secretariat).

It was the fourth highest price ever paid for a horse at Keeneland, which has

been conducting Thoroughbred auctions in Lexington, Kentucky, since the mid-1940s. The all-time record

is $13.1 million set in 1985 for Seattle Dancer.

Overall, 26 yearlings fetched more than $1 million at last year's auction,

including four that sold for over $3 million.

This year's September sale, easily the largest single marketplace in the

world for Thoroughbred yearlings, will be the first auction held in Keeneland's

newly remodeled sales pavilion.

"The trend more recently has shifted to more commercial breeding and this has

really changed the landscape of the business, including the number of horses

bred and therefore cataloged for sale," Keeneland Director of Sales Geoffrey

Russell said. "This is especially true of the middle market.

"Our consignors do an outstanding job of bringing great horses to our sales.

Buyers, both international and domestic, are able to come here and fill all

their orders in the 14-day period at one location rather than having to

visit smaller sales all across the country and the world and not always meeting

their targets. We have multiple choices for the buyer at all levels of the

market."

As always, the top sires in the world will be represented, a list that

includes A.P. Indy, Awesome Again, Danehill, Danzig, Deputy Minister, Dixieland

Band, Dynaformer, Fusaichi Pegasus, Giant's Causeway, Gone West, Hennessy,

Kingmambo, Pulpit, Sadler's Wells, Seeking the Gold, Storm Cat, Theatrical (Ire)

and Unbridled's Song.

The sale also features the first crops of such promising prospects as Buddha,

Came Home, E Dubai, Include, Johannesburg, Jump Start, Mizzen Mast, Mongoose,

Officer, Orientate, Pure Prize, Red Bullet, Scorpion, Street Cry (Ire) and Texas

Glitter.

On the female side of the equation, there is a plethora of outstanding

pedigrees. On the first day alone, some of the more interesting pedigrees

include:

Hip No. 17, a half-sister (by Giant's Causeway) to multiple Grade 1 winner

Jersey Girl (Belong to Me).

Hip 27, a half-brother (by Storm Cat) to international champion Johannesburg

(Hennessy).

Hip 55, a half-sister (by A.P. Indy) to Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Monarchos

(Maria's Mon).

Hip 66, a half-brother (by Storm Cat) to Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe (Fr-G1)

winner Sagamix (Linamix) and Group 1 winner Sagacity (Highest Honor).

Hip 69, a half-brother (by Gone West) to Grade 1 winner Golden Missile (A.P.

Indy).

Hip 74, a colt by Storm Cat out of champion Serena's Song (Rahy), who has

produced three stakes winners.

Hip 98, a half-sister (by Storm Cat) to champion Vindication (Seattle Slew)

and Grade 3 winner Scipion (A.P. Indy).

Hip 106, a half-brother (by Gone West) to champion Sweet Catomine (Storm

Cat).

Hip 136, a colt by Storm Cat out of champion Ajina (Strawberry Road [Aus]).

Hip 149, a half-brother (by Deputy Minister) to Grade 1 winner Arch (Kris S.)

out of stakes winner Aurora (Danzig).

Hip 164, a half-brother (by Giant's Causeway) to champion Hold That Tiger

(Storm Cat) and classic winner Editor's Note (Storm Cat), whose second

dam is the noted broodmare T. C. Kitten (Tom Cat).

Hip 216, a half-brother (by Fusaichi Pegasus) to multiple Grade 1 winner

Keeper Hill (Deputy Minister) and Grade 2 winner Golden Gear (Gulch).

Hip 217, a half-brother (by Sadler's Wells) to champion Stravinsky (Nureyev)

out of Beverly D. S. (G1) heroine Fire the Groom (Blushing Groom [Fr]).

Hip 220, a colt by Gone West out of multiple Grade 1 winner Fleet Renee

(Seattle Slew).

Hip 221, a half-brother (by A.P. Indy) to champion Farda Amiga (Broad Brush).

Hip 234, a colt by Giant's Causeway out of champion Golden Attraction (Mr.

Prospector).

Hip 260, a half-brother (by Fusaichi Pegasus) to European classic winners

Bosra Sham (Woodman), Hector Protector (Woodman) and Shanghai (Procida).

There will be no sale session on Friday in order to allow for a transition

between horses in the first two catalog books and the rest of the sale.

Sessions begin each day at 10 a.m. (EDT).