Keeneland have announced that 4,479 yearlings have been cataloged for the 73rd annual Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the world's largest Thoroughbred auction, to be held Sept. 12-25.
September Sale catalogs will be available online at Keeneland.com beginning Aug. 9. Print catalogs will be mailed the week of Aug. 22.
Keeneland's September Sale sets the gold standard for the industry globally, producing more graded stakes winners around the world – 117 to date, including 29 Grade/Group 1 winners – than all other North American sales companies combined.
In 2016, September Sale graduates swept all three Triple Crown classics: Nyquist won the Kentucky Derby Presented by Yum! Brands (G1); Exaggerator took the Preakness (G1) and Creator upset the Belmont (G1). Alumni are led by a contingent of accomplished fillies and mares, including multiple champion Beholder (winner of the Vanity Mile-G1) and additional Grade 1 winners Carina Mia (Acorn), Celestine (Just a Game) Catch a Glimpse (Belmont Oaks Invitational), Illuminant (Gamely), I'm a Chatterbox (Delaware), Off the Tracks (Mother Goose) and Taris (Humana Distaff). They also highlight the top of the handicap division with Divisidero (Woodford Reserve Turf Classic-G1), Lord Nelson (Triple Bend-G1 and Bing Crosby-G1), Melatonin (Santa Anita Handicap-G1 and Gold Cup at Santa Anita-G1) and Midnight Storm (Shoemaker Mile-G1).
September Sale graduates continue to perform exceptionally well internationally, accounting for three winners during the prestigious Royal Ascot meet: Order of St George (IRE) , who captured the Gold Cup in Honour of the Queen's 90th Birthday (G1); Lady Aurelia , winner of the Queen Mary (G2), and Hawkbill , winner of the Tercentenery (G3). Hawkbill later won the Coral-Eclipse (G1) at Sandown, and Boynton took the Superlative (G2) and Roly Poly won the Duchess of Cambridge (G2), both at Newmarket.
"The September Sale provides more winners of racing's biggest events and more participants at the sport's highest level than any other sale," said Keeneland Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell. "From the Triple Crown to Royal Ascot to Dubai's Racing Festival and the Breeders' Cup, buyers are attracted to the September Sale for its consistency in producing world-class athletes."
Of the 4,479 yearlings cataloged to the 2016 September Sale, 2,334 colts and 2,145 are fillies.
Buyers can shop for quality at every level of the market as the catalog will feature yearlings by 242 of the world's leading sires, led by Arch, Awesome Again, Bernardini, Blame, Bodemeister, Camelot (GB), City Zip, Congrats, Curlin, Distorted Humor, Empire Maker, Flatter, Frankel (GB), Galileo (IRE), Ghostzapper, Giant's Causeway, Into Mischief, Kitten's Joy, Lemon Drop Kid, Malibu Moon, Medaglia d'Oro, More Than Ready, Pioneerof the Nile, Redoute's Choice (AUS), Scat Daddy, Sea The Stars (IRE), Smart Strike, So You Think (NZ), Speightstown, Street Cry (IRE), Street Sense, Tapit, Teofilo (IRE), Tiznow, Uncle Mo and War Front, among others.
Also cataloged are yearlings by such exciting freshman stallions as Animal Kingdom, Data Link, Declaration of War, Orb, Oxbow Paynter, Point of Entry and Shanghai Bobby, among others.
Premier Three-Day Book 1 Catalog Opens Sale
For the second consecutive year, the sale's first three sessions comprise the premier Book 1 catalog. The format for the entire sale, which covers 13 sessions, is as follows:
Book 1 (Monday-Wednesday, Sept. 12-14) – All sessions begin at 11 a.m. ET.
Dark Day, Thursday, Sept. 15 – No sale will be held.
Book 2 (Friday-Saturday, Sept. 16-17) – Sessions begin at 10 a.m.
Book 3-6 (Sunday-Sunday, Sept. 18-25) – Sessions begin at 10 a.m.
Keeneland will provide live gavel-to-gavel coverage of the entire September Sale at Keeneland.com
