Pinhook Opportunities Await at Keeneland January Sale

The progeny by first-crop yearling sires of 2026 will likely be prominent on the short lists of buyers involved with weanling-to-yearling pinhooks during the Keeneland January Horses of All Ages Sale, being held Jan. 12-13.

The "short yearlings" by first-crop sires offered during last year's January sale offered plenty of opportunities that later became lucrative homeruns at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale. Collectively, 37 yearlings pinhooked from the January to the September sale averaged $57,378 in January and resold for an average $128,122 in September. Of these, 19 produced positive returns on investment ranging from 4.5% to 538%, which accounts for commissions plus $15,000 for the estimated cost of maintaining the foal and getting it to a sale.

January yearlings of 2025 by Corniche , Early Voting , Drain the Clock , Golden Pal , Mandaloun , Mystic Guide , and Olympiad  all produced triple-digit ROIs in the September sale. Their prices in January ranged from $19,000 up to $185,000 and then sold in September for $115,000 to $650,000. 

As indicated by their weanling averages, the 2026 first-crop yearling sires are likely to provide just as many opportunities.

Weanling averages are appropriate for gauging the value of these first foals as developmentally they are closer to weanlings than yearlings. 

Darley Stallions' 2023 Horse of the Year and champion older dirt male Cody's Wish  leads his sire class with a weanling average of $281,071 from 14 sold. The son of Curlin  was represented by two that sold for $500,000 or more, topped by a $550,000 filly out of the stakes-placed Union Rags  mare Union Maiden. He will be represented by three yearlings in the January sale.

Six other first-crop yearlings sires are represented by six-figure weanling averages: Lane's End's Up to the Mark  ($182,444), Juddmonte Farms' Elite Power  ($182,353), Spendthrift Farm's Forte  ($166,875) and Taiba  ($143,500), Ashford Stud's Gunite  ($166,765), and Airdrie Stud's Mage  ($116,190).

The champion turf male of 2023, Up to the Mark's weanlings were well received, with nine sold from 10 offerings, including a $425,000 half brother to grade 1 winner and fellow Lane's End stallion Raging Torrent . The son of Not This Time  has four entered in the January sale.

Elite Power, another son of Curlin who won the Breeders' Cup Sprint (G1) in 2022-23, also was represented by a $550,000 weanling at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, a colt out of the Pioneerof the Nile mare Mrs. Postman, who is out of grade 1 winner Miss Shop. He will be represented in the January sale by eight yearlings entered as of Jan. 9.

During the January sale, five first-crop yearling sires will be represented by 10 or more, as of Jan. 9. Taiba will have the largest representation at 15 offered, followed by Gunite and Lane's End Arcangelo  at 12 each, and Spendthrift's Arabian Lion  and Mage at 10 each. 

Arabian Lion and Arcangelo are among the sire class's top 12 by weanling average. Arabian Lion was represented by 25 sold last year that averaged $86,040, while Arcangelo was represented by 23 that averaged $78,174.

Other first-crop sires that will be represented in January also include WinStar Farm's Two Phil's , Taylor Made Stallions' Dr. Schivel , and Walmac Farm's Pappacap , who will each be represented by nine yearlings, and Claiborne Farm's Annapolis , with eight entered. Forte will be represented by six yearlings, while Rockridge Stud's Americanrevolution , WinStar's Country Grammer , and Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa's Loggins  will be represented by four apiece.