Midshipman Leads The Charge As Keeneland Book 5 Kicks Off

[Wandering Eyes]

Keeneland September Book 5 opened Wednesday with continued strong trade across the board led by a Midshipman colt (hip 3056) who topped the session at $270,000 to trainer Wesley Ward.

Increases were seen on all fronts as 303 yearlings sold through the ring for $15,405,500, up 12.09% from last year's Session 9 gross of $13,744,000 for 308 horses. Average price of $50,843 was 13.94% above $44,623 last year and the median increased 14.29% from $35,000 to $40,000.

Cumulatively, Keeneland has sold 2,074 yearlings through the ring for $487,629,500 for an average of $235,115 and a median of $150,000. The total is up 23.07% from the corresponding period last year when the gross was $396,213,500 for 2,048 horses. The average rose 21.53% from $193,464 in 2024, while the median increased 36.36% from $110,000.

For the session, Legacy Bloodstock led consignors with sales of $1,247,000 for 29 horses.

Faris Breeding spent $705,000 on seven yearlings to top buyers.

Co-bred and consigned by Nursery Place, the Midshipman colt is the top-priced yearling to sell for his sire, a fact that stunned Nursery's John Mayar.

“Darley texted us and said congratulations, he's the highest priced Midshipman [yearling] sold which I find hard to believe for a good sire like that,” he said.

The colt's first dam Tiz Rae Anna was stakes placed in the Ruthless, Busher and Cicada all at Aqueduct in her own racing career before producing SP Typhoon Fury (Mitole) as her second foal.

“He's a May foal,” Mayar continued. “And he wears that. He's a big, free-ranging mover but he's still an unfinished product. He acts like a rocketship. Rangy but incredibly well balanced and very light on his feet.”

Trainer Wesley Ward, who picked up several yearlings earlier in the sale with classic aspirations, should be able to mold this colt to his tastes, Mayar said.

“I think he's going to do whatever you ask him to do,” he said. “I think he's very fast but I also think he'll run on [longer]. He'll do whatever Wesley wants him to do. I think he'll be very happy.”

As a consigner, Nursery Place has seen plenty of success already this week including selling a Ghostzapper filly (hip 762) for $1,175,000 during the Book 2 opener held last Wednesday. The $270,000 tag on their Midshipman colt matched their co-third highest price of the sale thus far.

“He just came together in the last two hours,” said Mayar. “There were a lot of really good people on him. Did I think he could bring [that price]? I don't know. I told [Ward's agent] Louis DuBois, 'you need to look at this colt because he's what I think you all like' and the next thing you know, Wesley's down at the barn an hour before the sale and boom, it's done.”

The September Sale continues Thursday beginning at 10 a.m. ET and runs each day through Saturday.

Hip 3085, a Knicks Go colt | Keeneland

 

Knicks Go Colt 'Aspires' For More
A Florida-bred colt (hip 3085) became the highest priced yearling from the second crop of Horse of the Year Knicks Go when selling for $210,000 to Aspire Equine early in Wednesday's session at Keeneland September. Consigned by Eaton Sales, the colt was making his second trip to the ring this year and provided a solid pinhook for previous owner MJ Stables who picked up the colt at the OBS Winter Mixed Sale in January for just $30,000.

Bred by Mast Thoroughbreds, the dark bay or brown colt got a timely update when 3-year-old half-sister Khali J (Khozan) broke her maiden on debut at Thistledown for trainer Robert Gorham Aug. 5.

The colt clearly showed well on the end of the shank as Eaton Sales's Reiley McDonald was quick to note.

“The horse has been easy from the word go,” McDonald said. “He has a good a profile as you'll see on any horse. Big, strong colt. He has the most beautiful neck and shoulder. [He] should be in the book of conformation.”

Knicks Go currently ranks fourth on the first crop sire list by progeny earnings, less than $1,000 out of third-place currently held by Darley's Maxfield. He's currently sired 12 winners led by 'TDN Rising Star' and GII Saratoga Special Stakes winner Ewing along with GI Natalma Stakes third La Culasse.

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