(Keeneland Association release)

Lexington, Ky. (July 30, 2009) – Keeneland officials announced today that 5,189 yearlings have been cataloged for the 2009 September Yearling Sale, scheduled for Sept. 14-28.

Sessions begin at 10 a.m. daily; no sale will be conducted Friday, Sept. 18. Keeneland will provide live coverage of the entire 14-day sale at Keeneland.com.  September Sale catalogs will be available on-line at Keeneland.com beginning Tuesday, Aug. 11. Catalogs will be mailed the week of Aug. 24.

“Keeneland September Sale graduates continue to enjoy extraordinary racing success, accounting for 682 stakes wins worldwide last year alone,” said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland’s director of sales. “For that reason, Keeneland draws a global contingent of buyers that is unparalleled in our industry. Last season, buyers, representing 48 different countries, purchased horses here. 

“The September Sale is undoubtedly too where America shops for racehorses, evidenced by the fact that its alumni dominate North American racing,” Russell noted. “In 2008, we were represented by five Eclipse Award winners, highlighted by two-time Horse of the Year Curlin and the sensational Zenyatta. Zenyatta was one of five September Sales graduates to win Breeders’ Cup races last year, along with champions Stardom Bound, Midnight Lute and Forever Together, as well as Desert Code.”

So far this year, September Sale graduates have captured 85 graded stakes, and count among them 15 Grade 1 stakes winners – Zenyatta, Gio Ponti, Lord Shanakill, Thorn Song, Good Ba Ba, Diamondrella (GB), Gozzip Girl, Mr. Sidney, Quality Road, Santa Teresita, Seventh Street, Zensational, General Quarters, Pioneerof the Nile and Stardom Bound.

Of the total 5,189 yearlings cataloged, 2,662 are colts, 2,524 are fillies and three are geldings.

Keeneland will offer yearlings by 289 different stallions, including such established sires as A. P. Indy, Birdstone, Dalakhani (IRE), Distorted Humor, Dynaformer, El Prado (IRE), Elusive Quality, Empire Maker, Forestry, Galileo (IRE), Ghostzapper, Giant’s Causeway, Gone West, Indian Charlie, Invincible Spirit (IRE), Kingmambo, Lemon Drop Kid, Malibu Moon, Medaglia d’Oro, Mineshaft, Montjeu (IRE), Mr. Greeley, Pivotal (GB), Pulpit, Rahy, Red Ransom, Seeking the Gold, Smart Strike, Speightstown, Storm Cat, Street Cry (IRE), Tapit, Tiznow, and Unbridled’s Song, among others.

Also cataloged are yearlings by such promising young sires as Afleet Alex, Aragorn (IRE), Artie Schiller, Badge of Silver, Bernardini, Bluegrass Cat, Eddington, First Samurai, Flower Alley, Grand Reward, Henny Hughes, Holy Roman Emperor (IRE), Hurricane Run (IRE), Limehouse, Rock Hard Ten, Rockport Harbor, Roman Ruler, Shamardal, Value Plus, War Front, and Wildcat Heir, among others.

Keeneland recently announced that the commission rate on horses which fail to meet their reserve (RNAs) will be reduced from 4.5 percent to 2.5 percent for the upcoming sales season, beginning with the September Sale. It is one of several new enhancements Keeneland will debut in September.

The sales commission for horses sold will remain 4.5 percent, which is the lowest rate in the world. That rate was reduced from 5 percent in 2001, providing more than $25 million to clients for reinvestment in breeding and racing operations.