Keeneland officials announced July 31 that 4,181 yearlings have been cataloged for the 70th annual Keeneland September yearling sale to be held Sept. 8-21.
September Sale catalogs will be available online at Keeneland.com beginning Tuesday, Aug. 5. Print catalogs will be mailed the week of Aug. 18.
To date this year, 84 September sale graduates have won 102 graded/group stakes. Among the 14 grade/group I stakes winners are Belle Gallantey (Delaware Handicap), Danza (Arkansas Derby), Fashion Plate (Santa Anita Oaks and Las Virgenes Stakes), Game On Dude (Santa Anita Handicap), Judy the Beauty (Madison Stakes), Majestic Harbor (Gold Cup at Santa Anita), Palace Malice (Metropolitan Handicap), Stopchargingmaria (TVG Coaching Club American Oaks), Sweet Reason (TVG Acorn Stakes), Tom's Tribute (Eddie Read Stakes) and Wicked Strong (Twinspires.com Wood Memorial).
"Without question, the September sale is where America and the world come to buy graded stakes winners," said Keeneland vice president of sales Walt Robertson. "No other sale comes close to offering the concentration of quality individuals that are found at Keeneland during these two weeks."
The 2013 September sale concluded with strong indicators of resurgence in the Thoroughbred market: gross sales of $280,491,300, the highest since 2008; the sale of 18 yearlings for $1 million or more, the most since 2008; and active participation from a globally deep buying bench that fueled double-digit gains in gross and average price, and a record median.
Keeneland reports that the strength of the 2013 September sale catalog, coupled with a new sale format that put more buyers in play from the outset, drew enormous crowds that packed the sales grounds through the final day of selling. Demand was high and competition was spirited at all levels as buyers responded to a fair, realistic market.
2014 Keeneland September schedule
The September sale will encompass 13 sessions this year versus 12 in 2013.
Week 1 (Book 1): Monday-Thursday, Sept. 8-11; sessions begin at noon ET daily.
The premier Book 1 catalog will span the entire opening week with a total of 762 yearlings cataloged alphabetically by dam over the four-day period.
Friday, Sept. 12: The traditional "dark day;" no sale will be conducted.
Weekend (Book 2): Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 13-14; sessions begin at 10 a.m.
Week 2 (Books 3-6): Monday-Sunday, Sept. 15-21; sessions begin at 10 a.m.
Yearlings representing 246 of the world's elite stallions are cataloged for 2014, headlined by Arch, Awesome Again , Bernardini , Blame , Danehill Dancer, Dansili, Distorted Humor , Dubawi, Empire Maker , Eskendereya, Fastnet Rock, Galileo, Giant's Causeway , Hard Spun , Harlan's Holiday, High Chaparral, Kitten's Joy , Lemon Drop Kid , Lonhro, Lookin At Lucky , Lucky Pulpit , Malibu Moon , Mastercraftsman, Medaglia d'Oro , Montjeu, More Than Ready , Oasis Dream, Pioneerof the Nile , Pulpit, Quality Road , Rip Van Winkle, Roderic O'Connor, Scat Daddy, Sea The Stars, Smart Strike, Speightstown , Street Cry (IRE), Street Sense , Super Saver , Tale of the Cat , Tapit , Tiznow , Unbridled's Song, War Front , and Warrior's Reward .
Also cataloged are yearlings by such freshman stallions as Archarcharch , Cape Blanco, Desert Party , Drosselmeyer, Gio Ponti , Girolamo , Haynesfield , Munnings , Paddy O'Prado , Sidney's Candy, Tizway , Trappe Shot , Twirling Candy , Uncle Mo , and Wilburn .
Of the total 4,181 yearlings cataloged, 2,215 are colts, 1,962 are fillies, and four are geldings.