The 2026 renewal of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale broke smartly and set a strong pace in measuring up to last year’s record-breaking edition, the highest-grossing thoroughbred sale of all time.
Monday saw 18 yearlings sell for seven figures, with a total of 97 posting gross sales of $71,770,000. The average price of $739,897 marked a 13% increase from the corresponding figure in 2025, while the median grew by 16% to $625,000.
Sons of sire sensation Gun Runner commanded the two highest prices of the day and accounted for five of the top 10 lots, led by Four Star Sales’ full-brother to Grade 3 performer French Blue.
Mahmud Mouni gave $2,800,000 for the Three Chimneys Farm-bred bay on behalf of Tagermeen Racing, a group of five Libyan-based owners, who plan to send the session topper to Chad Brown, trainer of his well-regarded two-year-old full-brother Bletchley, who is due to debut on Friday.
“We are so excited,” said Mouni, after signing as RTM Racing. “We love it because we put this colt in our plans two days ago. Honestly, we were not expecting (to spend) that much, but that’s what the horse deserves. Our dream is the Kentucky Derby.
On the market, Mouni commented: “It is very hot. The market has been increasing for two years. Honestly, we were shocked. All the prices we did not expect. If you (bid on) one for a million, you get it for $2 million. All the horses in Book 1 deserve what they go for. High-quality pedigrees and conformation are everything.”
Bletchley cost $1,550,000 12 months ago and Four Star Sales had high expectations that Monday’s offering would follow suit, according to Kerry Cauthen. “The reserve was a million, so it was quite fair,” he said. “We all thought we would possibly get two (million).”
Gun Runner’s yearlings of 2026 are his first crop bred off a fee of $250,000 and breeders were well-rewarded for their increased investment, as 15 of 18 offered sold for an average price of $1,088,667.
Coolmore have done well – to put it lightly – with the Three Chimney Farm sire, thanks to the likes of Sierra Leone, and made a strong bid to continue their luck when purchasing three colts with White Birch Farm for a total of $5,200,000.
At $2,300,000, the most expensive of the trio was Darby Dan Farm’s half-brother to multiple Grade 1 winner Colonel Liam. Training plans have yet to be decided for the late April foal, except that he will remain in the US, MV Magnier revealed.
“He was a very nice horse,” he added. “All the lads liked him. Peter Brant liked him. It’s a great pedigree from a very good farm. We haven’t decided where he is going to go, but he will stay in the U.S.”
Magnier and Brant stated their intentions at an early stage, giving $1,400,000 for Hip 17. The Gun Runner colt became Seeking Gabrielle’s fourth seven-figure yearling since Hinkle Farms bought her for $100,000, months after she foaled a colt that would become the top-class Nyquist.
The same buyers later gave $1,500,000 for a Gun Runner half-brother to dual Grade 1 scorer Paradise Woods, and to the dam of another top-level winner. He always had star quality, according to Allaire Ryan of consignor Lane’s End.
“He’s been a really special colt,” she reported. “He’s been an impressive individual from day one - one of those horses that carries himself with so much class and composure. He showed himself so consistently up here. He was really well received by the market, and everybody's really pleased with the results.”
Bought for export
Japan’s J.S. Company also came away with three pricy purchases on Monday, led by a Not This Time half-brother to Blue Grass Stakes victor Tapit Trice. Gainesway consigned the March-born colt, who is out of a stakes-winning half-sister to champion two-year-old filly Jaywalk.
Yoshito Yahagi will train the colt on behalf of Yosuke Imafuku, who purchased a Not This Time filly offered by Taylor Made Sales Agency earlier in trade. The granddaughter of champion racemare Ashado is the third foal out of Allende, who was bought by Albaugh Family Stables for $52,000 in January 2023.
At $1,700,000, J.S. Company also signed for the most expensive offering of the day by Horse of the Year Flightline, whose first yearlings brought up to $2,200,000 12 months ago. The Paramount Sales colt is the first foal out of Chasing Summer, a half-sister to Breeders’ Cup Classic hero Accelerate.
Head over heart
Tanya Gunther had mixed emotions after she and her father John sold a half-brother to Justify through their Glennwood Farm for $1,900,000. The Gun Runner colt, who is a half-brother to three stakes winners overall, was knocked down to Ron Winchell, who raced Gun Runner himself with Three Chimneys.
“He’s such a nice-looking colt, so well-bred and I didn’t want to sell him,” Tanya Gunter explained, “I’m proud of him but also wish we could keep a horse like that. He did well; he’s such a champion. It’s a mixture of pride and regret having to sell a horse like that, but I’m proud of him.”
Glennwood Farm were out of luck with their Paddington filly, that was retained for $160,000, but later sold another Gun Runner colt to Repole Stable for $550,000