LEXINGTON,Ky.--Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale resumed Saturday after a one-day hiatus with the first session of the two-day Book 3, which recorded nearly $47 million in sales and was led by the purchase of a colt from the first crop of Horse of the Year Authentic for $875,000 by Donato Lanni, agent for SF/Starlight/Madaket.

Keeneland Sales, $875,000 coltby AuthenticThe session topper, who was consigned by Eaton Sales, agent, is out of the multiple graded stakes-placed Street Sense mare Sweetgrass.

He is from the family of champion Althea.

Donato Lanni, agent for SF/Starlight/Madaket, was the session’s leading buyer by purchasing three yearlings for $1,735,000.

St. Elias, Talla Racing and Spendthrift Farm paid $775,000 for a colt from the first crop of G1 winner Vekoma.

Consigned by Legacy Bloodstock, agent for Spendthrift Farm, he is out of stakes winner Summer of Fun, a daughter of Include who was third in the G1 Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf.

The colt is from the family of G1 winner Louis Cyphre (Ire) and Grade/Group 2 winners Psychobabble (Ire) and Mekong Melody (Ire).

 

ST. ELIAS/STARLIGHT/Harrell Ventures paid $600,000 for an Army Mule colt from the family of G1 winner The Big Beast and G3 winner Stickstatelydude.

Out of She Beast, a winning daughter of The Factor, he was consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa.

Keeneland sold 285 yearlings Saturday for $46,697,000, which was 7.98 percent below the gross of $50,747,500 from the corresponding session last year when 287 horses sold.

The average of $163,849 was 7.34 percent below $176,821 in 2022, and the median of $130,000 declined 7.14 percent from $140,000.

Through five sessions of the 12-session auction, a total of 922 horses have sold through the ring for $280,997,000, for an average of $304,769 and a median of $225,000.

The gross is slightly lower than $287,737,500 for 956 horses in 2022, while the average is up 1.26 percent from last year’s $300,981 and the median remains the same.