Keeneland keeps growing: tenth session completes four consecutive days of gains

Thursday's session generated $14,219,000, up 13.16% from a year ago, led by a top price of $260,000 paid for a colt by Vekoma. The cumulative gross reached $525,899,500 with two days still remaining

LEXINGTON, Kentucky (Special for Turf Diario).— The seven-figure top prices may be well behind the million-dollar figures that dominated the opening week, but Keeneland continues to find fresh ways to demonstrate the sheer power of its market. The tenth session of the September Yearling Sale concluded this Thursday, marking the fourth consecutive day of gains across all primary economic indicators and boosting cumulative gross receipts to $525,899,500.

A total of 311 yearlings changed hands through the ring during the session for $14,219,000, representing a 13.16% increase over the $12,565,000 generated by 298 yearlings during the corresponding session in 2025.

Average price mirrored the upward trend, rising from $42,164 to $45,720—an 8.43% bump—while the median grew by 6.67%, stepping up from $30,000 to $32,000.

It is precisely the steady consistency of these numbers, as the catalog moves into its closing stages where raw dollar values naturally decline, that continues to showcase the exceptional depth of buyer demand.

Through ten of the twelve scheduled sessions, Keeneland has sold 2,338 yearlings through the ring for $525,899,500, running 5.14% ahead of the $500,189,500 recorded at the same juncture a year ago.

The cumulative average currently sits at $224,936, gaining 6.67% compared to $210,872 in 2025, while the cumulative median stands at $125,000, up 4.17% from the previous $120,000.

Another statistic highlights the scale of this year's renewal: 70 yearlings have brought $1,000,000 or more, compared to 56 through the same point twelve months ago.

Thursday’s session-topper was a colt by Vekoma, purchased by Pin Oak Stud for $260,000. Consigned by VanMeter Sales, he is out of Don’t Charge It (Take Charge Indy), from a black-type rich family that features stakes winners Competitive Speed (Competitive Edge), In Rome (Saint Ballado), and Our Moneyman (Mr. Money).

Just behind the session topper, three yearlings reached the $210,000 mark. Two of those were secured by trainer Kenneth McPeek, who finished as the day's leading buyer after acquiring five yearlings for a total outlay of $715,000.

His purchases included a Maclean’s Music colt consigned by Ashview Farm, out of the winning mare Sky Gesture(Tiznow), tracing back to the family of champion Rubiano (Fappiano) and influential sire Tapit (Pulpit).

McPeek spent the exact same sum for a filly by Complexity, consigned by Brookdale, out of Imprint (Quality Road).

The third yearling to fetch $210,000 was a colt by Dialed In, acquired by Millard R. Seldon Revocable Trust. Consigned by Ledgelands, he is out of My Lil Shamrock (City Zip).

The upper ranks of the session were rounded out by a pair of fillies knocked down for $200,000 each. Burns Racingsigned for a daughter of Jackie’s Warrior offered by Killora, while Iconic Thoroughbreds paid that same amount for a filly by Maclean’s Music out of Hughes Clues (Malibu Moon), consigned by Norevale Farm.

Among consignors, Taylor Made Sales Agency once again led the standings, heading the daily charts with 36 head sold for $1,664,000.

Keeneland now heads into its final two sessions with the bulk of its historic heavy lifting already accomplished. The cumulative gross surpassed the entire 2025 overall total on Wednesday, and Thursday expanded that margin while driving gains in gross receipts, average, and median.

Without the million-dollar fireworks of Book 1 leading the headlines, the September Sale continues to demonstrate its strength where it matters most: depth of demand. And after ten straight days, the market shows no signs of slowing down.