The Keeneland September Yearling Sale has never failed to entice the international public to its sprawling grounds near Lexington. As the world's largest purveyor of Thoroughbred yearlings, Keeneland and its consignors offer buyers the promise of finding racing's future superstars.
2022 will be no different.
While Book 1 yearlings boast enviable pedigrees aplenty, there is a striking duo whose familial connections set them apart from the rest. More than 300 yearlings will pass through the ring during the auction's opening days, but the breeders of these two can boast they were produced out of champions.
The first of the trio to step up for sale Sept. 12 is Hip 37, a colt by Claiborne Farm stallion War Front out of champion female sprinter Shamrock Rose (by First Dude). Consigned by Lane's End Farm, agent, the colt is the first foal out of the Conrad Farms' 2018 Eclipse Award winner, who was conditioned by Hall of Famer Mark Casse and retired in 2019 with just shy of $1 million in earnings.
"He's lovely," said Allaire Ryan, director of sales at Lane's End. "This horse has an incredible motor. He looks like a stone-cold runner. His natural energy and impulsion that he has is bottomless."
Hip 37 was bred in Kentucky by Julianna Hawn of Cross Triangle Farm. A Texas native and member of the Texas Horse Racing Hall of Fame, Hawn is well-known and respected for her program in Quarter Horse breeding and racing arenas. Hawn purchased Shamrock Rose in 2019 for $2.5 million from the consignment of Bluewater Sales, agent, to The November Sale, Fasig-Tipton's premier bloodstock sale. Agent Mike Shannon signed the ticket for the mare along with another for Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint (G1T) winner Belvoir Bay, who was acquired on Hawn's behalf for $1.5 million from the same consignment.
Lane's End will also consign the first foal out of Belvoir Bay, a colt by Medaglia d'Oro, as Hip 551 in Book 2.
"Julianna Hawn is longtime friends with bloodstock agent Mike Shannon. They went to Texas A&M together," said Ryan. "Those two mares came to the farm after the sale, and these are obviously their first foals. Julianna is just getting into this game. Unfortunately, Julianna hasn't visited the farm a whole lot, but we've gone through Mike on everything, and he's really her eyes and ears at the sales. She's a horse enthusiast, so this is another outlet for her to have fun. I think in the future she intends to keep any fillies to race, but she'll market the colts."
Denali Stud will offer Hip 158, a filly by Hill 'n' Dale Stallion Curlin out of New Zealand champion female sprinter Bounding. Bred in Kentucky by Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings, Hip 158 is the fourth foal for the Lonhro mare.
"She's a strong filly," said Conrad Bandoroff, vice president of Denali. "Curlin needs no introduction this year. He's having a banner year with Nest and Malathaat. The mare is one that Stonestreet has a lot of confidence in, and her 2-year-old (by Medaglia d'Oro) just went to (Hall of Fame trainer) Steve Asmussen. I understand she is very highly regarded by the Stonestreet team and might be one of their best 2-year-olds this year.
"This filly (Hip 158) has a lot of upside and a lot of international appeal especially with Bounding having done so much in Australia. She's clearly had horses that have sold well here, and we're hopeful with the 2-year-old and the other siblings that she will do well."
A group 1 winner who hit the board in 15 of her 19 career starts, Bounding hails from a well-regarded international racing family. A daughter of the Exceed and Excel mare Believe'N'Succeed, she is a half sister to Investec Derby Stakes (G1) Anthony Van Dyck.
Bounding was purchased by Stonestreet from the consignment of Willow Park Stud at the 2016 Magic Millions National Broodmare Sale for the equivalent of $1,374,080. The mare's first foal was a full brother to Hip 158 named Aussie Pride, who commanded $4.1 million from Godolphin at the 2019 renewal of the Keeneland September sale.
"Stonestreet is an amazing operation, and it's a privilege to represent their program," said Bandoroff. "People have a lot of confidence buying a horse that is labeled Stonestreet Bred & Raised because they know those horses are raised the right way and they know that they breed a top-level horse. We're grateful to be part of the team."
While the competition in the ring with the start of the sale is bound to be fierce, an upswing in the U.S. economy and the ever-increasing demand for horses have consignors hopeful they can make their horses stand out from the pack.
"Going into The Saratoga Sale I was tepid with my expectations, and I was blown away by the strength of the market there. Granted, those are top-tier individuals there, but these are as well in Book 1," said Ryan. "I expect that momentum to carry through. The traffic here has been incredible. I think anything on the sale grounds is going to bring as much as it possibly could, granted they jump through the hoops.
"There is a big demand for horses, and I know that there were several selective breeders who opted to retain some of their yearlings to race instead of coming to the sale. I would expect the ones here will bring a premium."
"We've seen Japanese buyers, which is fantastic, and other international people we haven't seen in a couple years," added Bandoroff. "But our domestic buying bench has also been so strong the last couple of years, and that bolsters the market. I think it's a testament to where our industry in the U.S. is. You hope to come into Book 1 and have some bullets to fire, so hopefully we will."
