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Figures show strong gains on 2020 with Keeneland pleased with the depth of the market
The first day of the Book 2 catalogue on Wednesday saw 211 yearlings sell at Keeneland for a total of US$60,996,000 (up 41 per cent on the 2020 figure), an average of US$289,081 (up 37.7 per cent) and a median of US$230,000 (up 37.3 per cent).
During the third session in 2020, 206 yearlings sold for US$43,246,000 at an average of US$209,932 and median of US$167,500.
Through the first three sessions of the September Sale, a total of 419 yearlings have sold through the ring for US$151,618,000, for an average of US$361,857 and a median of US$290,000. A total of 13 yearlings have sold for US$1 million or more during the first three days of the September Sale.
"That was amazing – one of the best sale days we have seen in a while," Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said.
"Every time you picked your head up, it was another $500,000, $600,000 yearling. There was a lot of optimism and a diverse group of buyers. We had a lot of end users and new money. It was really positive with a great vibe around the grounds. Today should lead to an exciting day tomorrow.
"We found a lot of consistency where the momentum of Book 1 flowed into Book 2 – a confluence of positive things happening all the way through," Lacy continued.
"A lot of people have not been able to buy a horse yet. There is a pent-up demand. They are not going to go home until they fill their orders.
"We call the September Sale the world's yearling sale and it really is. Everybody has been in play."
Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach noted the depth of the market with 26 lots selling for US$500,000 or more on Wednesday.
"The highlight today was the depth of the market," Breathnach said.
"Apart from the two million dollar-plus horses, we had 26 others that brought over half a million and they went to a broad base of buyers, particularly domestic demand in today's case.
We've seen the new money that we saw in credit applications go to work today. People are excited about what they're buying and they're excited about sticking around. It's a tremendous day."
Gainesway was the session's leading consignor, selling 21 horses for US$7.9 million. They included three of the day's ten highest-priced yearlings.
Spending US$2.74 million for four yearlings, bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, agent for SF Bloodstock/Starlight/Madaket, was the session's leading buyer.
