Amy Gregory
Keeneland Association

LEXINGTON, Ky. – Keeneland has cataloged 181 horses for its upcoming April Two-Year-Olds in Training Sale, to be held on Monday, April 5. The one-day session will begin at 4 p.m. eastern time. 

Prospective buyers can see the juveniles perform under tack during a one-day Preview Show, scheduled for Thursday, April 1, beginning at 10:30 a.m.

Keeneland’s April Sale has produced back-to-back champion colts Lookin At Lucky, multiple Grade 1 winner and champion juvenile in 2009, and Big Brown, 2008 champion three-year-old colt and winner of the Kentucky Derby (G1) and Preakness (G1).  

Co-owner Mike Pegram Pegram bought Lookin At Lucky for $475,000 from Jerry Bailey Sales Agency, agent, at last year’s April Sale. The Smart Strike colt went on to win the 2009 CashCall Futurity, Norfolk Stakes and Del Mar Futurity, all Grade 1 stakes, and earn more $1.2 million. He was co-highweighted at 126 pounds on the 2009 Experimental Free Handicap.

Champion Big Brown, a dual classic winner and earner of more than $3.6 million, was purchased for $190,000 by Hidden Brook, agent for Paul Pompa Jr., at the 2007 April Sale, where he was consigned by Eddie Woods, agent.

Kentucky Derby winner and champion Thunder Gulch, as well as Kentucky Oaks (G1) winners Gal in a Ruckus and Keeper Hill, also are April Sale alumni.

“The April Sale provides buyers a chance to purchase a ‘ready-made’ racehorse, one that will produce an immediate return on their investment. That’s a great advantage in today’s economy,” said Geoffrey Russell, Keeneland’s director of sales.

“While the number cataloged this year is down, once again consignors have stepped up the quality of their offerings from which buyers have the opportunity to purchase racing’s next champions,” Russell noted.

Eighty-one stallions are represented by April Sale juveniles, including such established sires as A.P. Indy, Birdstone, Distorted Humor, Dynaformer, Elusive Quality, Giant’s Causeway, Lemon Drop Kid, Medaglia d’Oro, Mr. Greeley, Pulpit, Seeking the Gold, Smart Strike, Speightstown, Storm Cat, Street Cry (IRE), Tapit, Tiznow, and Unbridled’s Song, among others.

Freshman sires with two-year-olds cataloged are Aragorn (IRE), Bernardini, Bluegrass Cat, First Samurai, Henny Hughes, It’s No Joke, RockportHarbor, Sharp Humor, Silver Train and War Front, among others.

The April Sale catalog will be available on-line at Keeneland.com beginning Tuesday, Feb. 16. Print catalogs will be mailed the week of March 1.

The entire April Sale, as well as Preview Show works, will be streamed live at Keeneland.com; replays of works will be posted on the website.