Keeneland Explodes: 13 Horses Sell for $1 Million or More in Book 2 Opener
- Turf Diario
- Sep 11
- 3 min read
The September Yearling Sale keeps rolling and shattering records, with a diverse marketplace; 48 two-year-olds have now topped seven figures in just three days of action
The start of Book 2 at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale could not have been more spectacular. On Wednesday, during the third session, 13 yearlings sold for $1 million or more, led by a Gun Runner colt that brought $1.9 million, purchased by Spendthrift Farm. The price not only set a new record for a Book 2 session but also pushed the total of seven-figure horses to 48 so far in the sale, easily surpassing the 40 recorded during the entire 2005 edition.
In total, 221 horses changed hands for $85,702,000, a 22.58% increase over the same day in 2024. The average price reached $387,792 (+22%) with a median of $325,000 (+18.18%). Across the first three sessions, 438 yearlings have sold for a combined $229,887,000, up 21.32% from last year. The overall average rose to $524,856 with a median of $425,000, highlighting a market in full bloom.
“It was an incredible day,” summarized Tony Lacy, Keeneland’s Vice President of Sales. “We knew there was plenty of firepower in this session, but seeing 13 horses top $1 million left us speechless. Quality sells, and buyers are selective. It’s a realistic market: no blank checks, but when the right horse appears, competition is fierce.”
Gun Runner Leads the Way
The top-selling horse was the aforementioned Gun Runner colt out of Ginja (Quality Road), from the family of Japanese champion Danon Decile (Epiphaneia), acquired by Spendthrift Farm. Notably, the colt was bred in partnership by Bob Baffert and Three Chimneys Farm, prompting the trainer to confess: “I’ve never sold a horse for a million dollars at auction. I’m thrilled and grateful.”
Agent Mike Ryan secured another standout lot: a Curlin colt out of Cherry Lodge (Bernardini) for $1.4 million, describing him as “the best Curlin I’ve seen in a long time.”
Other highlights included St. Elias Stable, Albaugh Stable, West Point, and Railbirds spending $1.35 million on a Not This Time colt, a half-brother to G1-placed Reinvestment Risk (Upstart). Two yearlings brought $1.3 million each: a Tapit colt, half-brother to G1 winner Drain the Clock (Maclean’s Music) for C R K Stable, and a first-crop Jackie’s Warrior, purchased by Robert and Lawana Low.
The list of seven-figure yearlings continued with offspring from Into Mischief, Constitution, Not This Time, Ghostzapper, Nyquist, and Good Magic, confirming the breadth of stallions represented.
A Growing Market
For Cormac Breathnach, Keeneland’s Director of Sales Operations, the standout feature was the depth of the market: “The 13 million-dollar yearlings were purchased by 11 buyers and represent 10 different sires. That speaks to a very healthy market, with variety and active buyers who have money to invest.”
Gainesway led Wednesday’s sales with $17,165,000 for 30 yearlings, including four seven-figure horses. “It was probably a record for us in Book 2,” admitted General Manager Brian Graves.
With a pace reminiscent of the legendary July Sale of the 1980s, Keeneland now looks forward to continuing its run. With nine sessions still to go, the 2025 edition has already left its mark as one of the most robust and vibrant in recent history.
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