The 73rd Keeneland September Yearling Sale opened today at 11 a.m. ET with the premier Book 1 catalog.
Click here for a video
preview of the sale. All 13 sessions of the sale will be streamed live on Keeneland.com.
Here is the sale schedule:
Monday-Wednesday, Sept. 12-14. Book 1 sessions began at 11 a.m.
Dark Day on Thursday, Sept. 15. No sale will be held.
Friday-Saturday, Sept. 16-17. Book 2 sessions begin at 10 a.m.
Sunday-Sunday, Sept. 18-25. Book 3-6 sessions begin at 10 a.m.
Bob Ellston interview
Hear what new Keeneland Vice President of Racing and Sales Bob Elliston (former head of Turfway Park) about the excitement of his first Keeneland September Yearling Sale and Fall Meet.
Elliston joined Keeneland in August 2016. He formerly was Executive Vice President and COO of Breeders’ Cup Ltd.
September sale by the numbers
The 73rd Keeneland September Yearling Sale begins today at 11 a.m. Thirteen sessions will be held through Sunday, Sept. 25.
The September Sale catalog represents the cream of the North American Thoroughbred yearling crop and attracts the industry’s major buyers from across the U.S. and around the world. The sale will produce a wide range of figures that horsemen, the media and others will examine.
Here are a few numbers related to this year’s catalog:
4,479: Yearlings cataloged to the sale – 2,334 colts and 2,145 fillies.
1,830: Number of registered bays. Of the other yearlings in the sale as of Sept. 7 (not including horses that were withdrawn or are out), 1,189 are dark bay or brown, 821 are chestnut, 311 are gray or roan and three are black.
607: Yearlings cataloged in Book 1 – 202 horses on Monday, 203 horses on Tuesday and 202 horses on Wednesday.
242: Sires represented in entire sale.
143: Number of 2016 stakes winners that are graduates of the September Sale.
143: Consignors represented in entire sale.
46: Keeneland barns used to house the yearlings (barns are used more than once as the sale progresses.)
38: Number of 2016 winners Grade/Group 1 that are graduates of the September Sale.
26: States, provinces and foreign countries where yearlings were foaled (does not include horses withdrawn or out as of Sept. 7) – Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (26), England (3), Florida (129), France (1), Iowa (7), Illinois (11), Indiana (21), Ireland (2), Japan (2), Kentucky (3,587), Louisiana (32), Manitoba (1), Maryland (40), Minnesota (1), North Carolina (1), New Jersey (1), New York (115), Ohio (15), Oklahoma (14), Ontario (105), Pennsylvania (39), Texas (4), Virginia (37), West Virginia (11).
13: Sessions of the sale.
6: Number of catalogs for the sale.
Sporting Art auction works on display
People walking through the Keeneland Sales Pavilion during the September Yearling Sale will be able to view the 175 high-quality pieces of art that are cataloged to the fourth annual Sporting Art Auction, to be held in the Sales Pavilion on Monday, Nov. 21.
Keeneland Association and Cross Gate Gallery of Lexington again are collaborating to hold the Sporting Art Auction, which features fine sporting art, American paintings, and sculpture from renowned artists.
Featured pieces include:
* Irish painter Sir William Orpen’s Sergeant Murphy & Things, a 29½” x 40” oil on canvas that depicts the winner of the 1923 Grand National.
* Andy Warhol’s Willie Shoemaker, a 40” x 40” unique silkscreen portrait of the Hall of Fame jockey.
* Morris Park Handicap, 1900, a 25” x 40” oil on canvas by noted American artist Henry Stull of Maid of Harlem’s stunning upset of champion Ethelbert.
This year’s collection also includes works by such celebrated artists as Sir Alfred Munnings, Edward Troye and John Frederick Herring Sr. and contemporary artists Andre Pater, LeRoy Nieman, Larry Wheeler, Peter Howell and Richard Stone Reeves.
The auction, which begins at 4 p.m., is free and open to the public.
In keeping with the Keeneland Association’s mission, Keeneland’s portion of the auction proceeds will benefit its non-profit initiatives, including the Keeneland Library Foundation.
Catalogs are available from Sporting Art Auction representatives in the Sales Pavilion’s Limestone Café or on the auction’s website at thesportingartauction.com. Inquiries are welcome via the website, by email to info@thesportingartauction.com or by calling Cross Gate Gallery at 859 233-3856.