LEXINGTON, Ky--The Keeneland September Yearling Sales 12 day sale that ended Saturday, Sept. 30 set records across the board including the number of $ million plus yearlings sold, gross, average and median.
Keeneand sales topperThe Keeneland sale sells in blocks, with the yearlings that are graded the highest sold first.
The first six days set records, but, as been true of sales for the past few years, the yearlings auctioned late in the sale were hard pressed to meet their expenses of combined stud fee and costs of raising a foal and costs of taking them to the sale.
The top yearlings bring incredibly high prices, like buying a yearling for over a million when you have no idea if it will even make it to the races much less become a champion, but no one wants the unfashionably bred ones or the ones with minor imperfections.
At Keeneland, 56 $1 million yearlings were among numerous high marks that define a record-setting auction.
Over 12 sessions, the sale rewrote records by selling 3,070 horses for a total of $531.5 million: the highest gross ever realized at a Thoroughbred auction worldwide.
Historic highlights included 56 yearlings bringing seven figures, besting the previous record of 40 set in 2005 and led by a $3.3 million Gun Runner colt purchased by M.V. Magnier, Peter Brant’s White Birch Farm and Ron Winchell’s Winchell Thoroughbreds.
HELD SEPT. 8-20, the auction produced $510,544,900 in through-the-ring sales to finish 23.99% higher than last year’s $411,749,500.
Gross sales increased to $531,520,400 when the additional $20,975,500 in post sales reported to date are added.
The combined figure also tops the previous record gross of nearly $428 million from 2024.
“What an incredible September Sale,” Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said. “We definitely had reasons to be optimistic going in, but the strength of the results day after day exceeded even our highest expectations. From start to finish, the energy on the grounds never waned. Buyers from around the world were here in force, the Sales Pavilion was vibrant and the sense of community and excitement was palpable. You could feel that energy.
“It cannot be overstated that the success of this sale is a direct result of the loyalty of the breeders, sellers, consignors and buyers who return to Keeneland year after year and place their horses and their trust with us,” Arvin said. “Our team works hard to honor that trust by striving for excellence in every detail: recruiting buyers from across the globe, providing unmatched hospitality and ensuring the highest standards throughout the sale. It’s the coming together of these efforts –along with the commitment of our participants – that makes moments like this possible. We are so grateful to everyone who helped make this the highest-grossing Thoroughbred sale in history.”
Additional September Sale records in sales through the ring were set in the following categories:
For the fifth year in a row, a record cumulative average of $175,807 was established. The average increased 16.78% over last year’s previous record $150,548.
Cumulative median price of $80,000 rose 14.29% over last year’s previous record $70,000.
Record session average and median ($675,180/$550,000) were set on Day 2, which broke records in both categories set the previous day.
Each of the first four sessions posted a record average and median for the respective sessions.
Number of $1 million horses to sell during a single session (20 on Day 2).
Week 1 (first four days/Books 1-2) total sales of $307,639,000 with 53 horses bringing $1 million or more.
In other key metrics:
18 buyers spent $5 million or more, compared to 14 last year.
120 buyers spent $1 million or more, compared to 96 last year.
56 seven-figure horses sold to a record 34 unique buyers.
266 horses sold for $500,000 or more versus 185 last year.
Buyers represented 33 countries with participation from as far away as Asia, the Middle East and Europe to underscore the size and scope of Keeneland’s deep buying bench.
Not This Time was the September Sale’s leading sire by total sales, with 55 yearlings by the stallion selling for $38.58 million (includes private sales). They included 14 horses sold for $1 million or more, led by a $2 million filly purchased by David Lanigan, Ted Durcan, agent for Mrs. Cindy Heider.
During Week 1, 12 yearlings by Gun Runner brought seven figures or more, and his colts topped every session to help him to an average of $932,917 for 36 horses. For the entire sale, 40 yearlings by Gun Runner sold for $35,085,000 (includes post sales to date).
