Demand for Colts Continues at Keeneland September

The demand for colts continued in the ninth session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Sept. 18. A colt by Not This Time topped the session, selling for $350,000 to Justin Casse. Not This Time currently sits second in the sire standings through the ninth session of the sale with 82 yearlings sold for a total gross of $28,147,000 and average of $343,256. The colt was bred in Kentucky by Woods Edge Farm, who also consigned the horse. He is out of the graded stakes-producing mare Running Creek. The Cape Town mare is the dam of 12 foals to race, all winners, including full sibling Easy Time, who captured the 2021 Marine Stakes (G3) at Woodbine for Casse's brother, Hall of Fame trainer Mark Casse. "He was a very nice physical, well put together, very good walker, presented well as Woods Edge horses usually are. He had a good pedigree, his pedigree stood out in this book," said buyer Justin Casse. "(Running Creek) is 12 for 12. Very few mares in the studbook in America go 12 for 12 these days, it's so hard to keep them sound," said Peter O'Callaghan of Woods Edge Farm. "This colt had some credentials, and he vetted. So when you have those colts that tick those boxes, you've got a shot to sell very well. It's been a good trade here today, trade is great for nice colts," he said. A filly by first-crop sire Vekoma, out of the Mineshaft mare Bay Witch, was the highest-priced filly of the day bringing $180,000. Hip 3165 was sold to Team D, and consigned by Greenfield Farms, agent. She was bred in Kentucky by Calvin T. Nguyen and Joey Tran. Wednesday's session saw 308 horses sell for a total of $13,774,000. The average was $44,623, with the median at $35,000. Forty-nine horses failed to meet their reserve, resulting in an RNA rate of 13.7%. Gainesway was the session's leading consignor, with 22 yearlings sold for a total of $1,227,000. Kenny McPeek was the leading buyer for the fourth day in a row, with seven purchases totaling $515,000. Vekoma led the sire standings with four sold, grossing $540,000. Last year's ninth session ended with similar results. The 2023 gross was $13,717,700, from 308 horses sold, including private sales. The average was $44,538, with the median at $32,000 and the highest-priced yearling bringing $250,000. "It's been a great crowd every book," said O'Callaghan. "There's a lot of money around and a great crowd today. When it goes well, it's good, and that's what keeps us all going. We get a few good ones and that just carries the day, and we have to live with the down parts, and that's what we're doing."