KEENELAND’S marathon September Yearling Sale ended last Sunday with solid results which saw 2,792 horses sold for $272,890,500, down 3% compared to last when there was one less day of selling. The average of $97,740 was down almost 5% and the median decreased by 20% to $40,000.

Nine yearlings sold for $1 million or more; six of those were by leading sires Tapit and War Front. The strength of the upper and middle markets is reflected in the fact that 84 yearlings sold in the range of $500,000 to just under a million compared to 58 last year.

“Buyers were here in the beginning, but they stayed longer than anticipated, well into the second week,” Keeneland’s Bob Elliston said. “The traffic in the barns was extraordinarily busy throughout the sale.”

“Keeneland spends 52 weeks a year recruiting buyers and promoting the thoroughbred industry and our sales,” Irish-born Geoffrey Russell added. “Sales team members personally travel across the US and to the far reaches of the world, and we are supported by full-time representatives in Europe, Australasia and most recently China. It’s gratifying to see these efforts bear fruit.”

Sheikh Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum attended the sale personally and his Shadwell Estate Company topped the buyers’ list, paying $10,750,000 for 15 yearlings, led by two War Front colts for $1.9 million and $1.3 million each. Coolmore’s MV Magnier acquired five yearlings for a total of $5,525,000, including the sale-topping $3 million Scat Daddy colt and a $1 million Medaglia d’Oro colt in his name, and partnered with John and Leslie Malone’s Bridlewood Farm on a $2 million Tapit colt.

For the 18th time since 1988, Taylor Made Sales Agency led all consignors, selling 282 horses for $32,899,300. Their consignment was highlighted by the sale of three seven-figure yearlings. Will Farish’s Lane’s End was both a leading consignor and buyer, selling 209 yearlings for $22,820,900, while buying 10 yearlings for $5,510,000. The $3 million sale-topping colt is a half-brother to multiple champion Beholder and Grade 1 winner and sire Into Mischief. He is highest-priced yearling sold at the September Sale since 2010.

For the fifth consecutive year Tapit was the September Sale’s top sire by gross. His 31 yearlings realised $19,835,000 and averaged $639,839, the highest average for a sire represented by three or more yearlings since 2006, when 12 yearlings by Danzig averaged $1,465,833.