Yearling sales begin at Keeneland

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ)- Millions upon millions of dollars worth of thoroughbreds are moving through Keeneland this week, as September’s annual Yearling Sale begins.

According to the track, the sale is globally acknowledged as the leading Thoroughbred yearling auction, and the “primary barometer for the health of the horse industry.”

The September sale began Monday morning.

Horsemen and horsewomen from around the world pour into central Kentucky for the event which draws bids for horses inside Keeneland’s sale pavilion. It’s the 73rd year for the sale which will be held through September 25th.

Here are a few numbers related to this year’s catalog, provided by Keeneland:

4,479: Yearlings cataloged to the sale – 2,334 colts and 2,145 fillies.

1,830: Number of registered bays. Of the other yearlings in the sale as of Sept. 7 (not including horses that were withdrawn or are out), 1,189 are dark bay or brown, 821 are chestnut, 311 are gray or roan and three are black.

607: Yearlings cataloged in Book 1 – 202 horses on Monday, 203 horses on Tuesday and 202 horses on Wednesday.

242: Sires represented in entire sale.

143: Number of 2016 stakes winners that are graduates of the September Sale.

143: Consignors represented in entire sale.

46: Keeneland barns used to house the yearlings (barns are used more than once as the sale progresses.)

38: Number of 2016 winners Grade/Group 1 that are graduates of the September Sale.

26: States, provinces and foreign countries where yearlings were foaled (does not include horses withdrawn or out as of Sept. 7) – Alabama (1), Arkansas (1), California (26), England (3), Florida (129), France (1), Iowa (7), Illinois (11), Indiana (21), Ireland (2), Japan (2), Kentucky (3,587), Louisiana (32), Manitoba (1), Maryland (40), Minnesota (1), North Carolina (1), New Jersey (1), New York (115), Ohio (15), Oklahoma (14), Ontario (105), Pennsylvania (39), Texas (4), Virginia (37), West Virginia (11).

For more information, or to watch the sale live, head to www.keeneland.com.