Keeneland accelerated once more: eighth session surges by over 23 percent
The Keeneland September Yearling Sale grossed $30,215,000 this Tuesday, showing strong gains across average and median figures once again; for the second consecutive day, a colt by Yaupon topped the session, this time fetching $850,000; the cumulative gross sits on the threshold of $500 million
LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).— The deeper the Keeneland September Yearling Sale progresses into its second week, the harder it becomes to detect any sign of the market cool-down many had anticipated. On Tuesday, during the eighth of 12 scheduled sessions, total gross surged by a remarkable 23.35 percent compared to the corresponding day in 2025, driving the cumulative total to the brink of $500 million.
Keeneland traded 297 yearlings for $30,215,000, surpassing the 276 sold twelve months ago, which generated $24,495,000.
The contrast was striking. The session average reached $101,374—a 14.63 percent surge over the $88,750 recorded in 2025—while the median rose from $70,000 to $75,000, representing a 7.14 percent bump.
At this stage of the auction, the seven-figure blockbusters that defined the opening books have given way to depth of demand across the board, which continues to sustain the numbers.
Once again, Yaupon took center stage. For the second consecutive day, a colt by the sire commanded the session-topping price.
On Monday, a colt by Yaupon was knocked down for $825,000. Just 24 hours later, another went for $850,000, purchased by Donato Lanni, agent for Frank Fletcher and Jackpot Farm.
Consigned by Glennwood Farm, the colt traces to a fertile family that features G1 winner and sire Mo Town, G3 winner Molto Vita (Carson City), and multiple stakes winners including Jaguar Paw (Giant's Causeway), Venetian Mask (Pulpit), Justique (Justify), and West Memorial (Caracaro).
Yaupon's presence did not stop there. One of his daughters fetched $500,000, marking the second-highest price of the session, acquired by Talla Racing. Consigned by Hermitage Farm, she is out of the stakes winner Jan’s Perfect Star(Imperialism), who is also the dam of stakes winner Road Bloc (Street Sense).
Those two major transactions once again placed Yaupon at the heart of a sale where his progeny continue to encounter remarkable demand.
The third-highest price of the day belonged to a colt by Liam’s Map, who went to Go Go Greys and Delta Squad for $475,000. Consigned by Nicky Drion Thoroughbreds, he is the first foal out of Sense Now (Street Sense), from the immediate family of Canadian Horse of the Year Soaring Free (Smart Strike).
Further down the price list, freshman sire Life Is Good maintained a strong presence across different stages of the sale.
Talla Racing dropped $350,000 for a filly by Life Is Good out of Motown Girl (Uncle Mo), consigned by Four Star Sales, agent for D.C. Goff. The pedigree features champion Afleet Alex (Northern Afleet), alongside G3 winners Name Changer (Uncle Mo), How Did He Do That (Good Magic), and Seabhac (Scat Daddy).
Two yearlings subsequently tied for the $325,000 price mark. The first was a daughter of Tiz the Law, a half-sister to stakes winner Not This Boy (Not This Time), acquired by Warwick Equine and Hyteck Racing. The second, a colt by Cairo Prince and half-brother to stakes winner Kale’s Angel (Complexity), was purchased by Joe Migliore, agent for Miguel Clement.
McPeek and Taylor Made Lead the Way
Kenneth McPeek finished as the session's leading buyer, investing $925,000 across six yearlings. Among consignors, Taylor Made Sales Agency took top honors, selling 37 yearlings for $2,986,000.
While those figures reflect a expected shift in absolute terms as the catalog moves into its later books, comparisons with 2025 continue to paint an exceptionally bullish picture. With eight sessions in the books and four to go, Keeneland has sold 1,732 yearlings through the ring for $493,195,500.
During the same span in 2025, 1,771 yearlings changed hands for $472,224,000.
In short, despite selling 39 fewer horses, the current edition has grossed nearly $21 million more—a 4.44 percent increase.
The cumulative average sits at $284,755, a 6.79 percent rise over the $266,643 posted last year, while the cumulative median climbed 2.78 percent, from $180,000 to $185,000.
The total number of yearlings sold for $1,000,000 or more remains at 70, compared to the 56 recorded through the entire equivalent period in 2025. Yet seven-figure horses are no longer the story. With the select books completed, Keeneland needed to show that demand could hold up deeper in the catalog. The recent sessions delivered precisely that answer.
Tuesday saw more horses sold, gross revenue jump by 23.35 percent, average climb by nearly 15 percent, and median post another gain. With four sessions remaining, the $500 million threshold is well within reach. The September Sale may have left its million-dollar headliners behind, but it has yet to discover its ceiling.
