Date posted March 12, 2010 | Posted by Michele Cullen | Filed under
Sales NewsKeeneland officials have announced a new format for its September Yearling Sale, which will begin Sunday, September 12, 2010.
“The new format reflects the changing Thoroughbred industry,” said Keeneland President and CEO Nick Nicholson. “We’ve been working in collaboration with our customers, particularly our consignors, over the last few years to develop a format that fits the current dynamics and needs of our buyers and sellers.”
Highlights of the re-formatted September Sale are:
• A more focused Book 1: selected sale of 200 yearlings on Sunday night and Monday night
• A vibrant, comprehensive Book 2: 1,300 yearlings selling Tuesday through Friday, roughly 325 horses per day in alphabetical order in a single catalog
• Week 2 – remaining sessions, beginning Sunday: Following a “dark” day on Saturday, Keeneland will continue to offer a diverse selection for a growing buying bench, both domestically and internationally.
This new format allows us to offer 1,500 yearlings prior to the sale’s “dark day” which benefits both consignors and buyers, said Geoffrey Russell Keeneland’s Director of Sales. At the same time, we are doing it within a format that allows us to sell fewer yearlings each day.
Russell said the September Yearling Sale is widely considered an important barometer for the health of the industry. As such, a successful sale – one that is more responsive to the needs of both buyers and sellers – can play a key role in efforts to re-position the marketplace in the midst of the recession.
The new format, Russell said, will “help create more stability and continuity for the marketplace as economic conditions begin to slowly rebound both domestically and internationally.”
In recent years, Keeneland has returned about $25 million to clients for reinvestment in the industry through reduced commissions, the lowest in the world, Russell said. In 2009 alone, Keeneland sold more Champions and Stakes Winners than any other auction company in the world and more North American Graded-stakes winners than all sales companies combined, including 30 Grade 1 stakes winners. Keeneland Sales Graduates, who were Stakes winners in 2009, include Zenyatta, Gio Ponti and Lookin at Lucky.
In addition, Nicholson and Russell said Keeneland will continue its commitment to growing the marketplace for Thoroughbreds internationally and creating a new and expanded generation of owners domestically.
In September 2009 alone, Keeneland had 1,139 individual buyers its sale. And in recent years, buyers from some 50 countries have purchased horses at Keeneland.
“We must re-commit to – and re-double our efforts toward – creating a deeper buying bench both domestically and internationally for horse sales, as well as a new, expanded generation of owners who will participate in this industry and enjoy this compelling sport,” said Nicholson.
