Keeneland September Sale 2025: Yearlings To Watch
More than 4,600 horses are in the catalogue for this year’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale. The Idol Horse team has identified some of the most interesting hips from a global perspective.
Hip 8
Quality Road x Lady Aurelia colt
Consigned by Indian Creek, Agent for Stonestreet Bred for Brilliance
This colt is the third foal out of Lady Aurelia, who won the G1 Prix Morny and the G2 Queen Mary Stakes at two before returning to Royal Ascot to take the G1 King’s Stand Stakes at three. She has had two foals to race: a Curlin colt named American Rascal, a stakes winner at Zia Park in New Mexico who also ran at Royal Ascot in 2023, and Aurelia’s Mischief, an Into Mischief filly who was placed at Tampa Bay Downs in Florida in April.
Her third foal is by consistent Lane’s End Farm stallion Quality Road, whose progeny include multiple Grade 1 winners Abel Tasman and National Treasure.
Hip 33
Constitution x Malibu Stacy colt
Consigned by Paramount Sales, Agent LVII
Japanese buyers are sure to be paying close attention to this colt. Dam Malibu Stacy, a Grade 2 placegetter, is a year-younger sister to Coasted, who has been a prolific producer in Japan – her foals include Group 1 placegetters Danon Beluga and Bond Girl. Malibu Stacy has had only two foals to race: Nyquist filly Ruan, who has been placed in Saudi Arabia, and City Of Light colt Bright Lights Joe, who has raced in Florida, Kentucky and Indiana this year.
This colt is by the ever-improving Constitution, who is now leading sire in Chile and has produced Grade 1 winners in the United States like Belmont Stakes winner Tiz The Law and this year’s leading older horse Mindframe.
Hip 109
Into Mischief x Secret Sigh colt
Consigned by Lane’s End, Agent for Summer Wind Equine LLC
Another yearling that is sure to attract attention from Japanese buyers, this colt is by six-time champion American stallion Into Mischief out of Tapit mare Secret Sigh. While she was unraced, she is a half-sister to Mozu Ascot – a Japanese Group 1 winner at a mile over both turf and dirt. Mozu Ascot was a private sale immediately after failing to meet his reserve through the ring when offered at this sale a decade ago.
Secret Sigh’s last two foals were sold for $1.5 million (Stop The Press, by Uncle Mo) and $1.9 million (Paladin, by Gun Runner) respectively; Paladin, a two-year-old in training with Chad Brown, may debut in New York before this colt goes through the ring.
Hip 265
Flightline x Bubbler colt
Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa, Agent
How about a colt sired by a world champion that is also a half-brother to a two-time world champion? Pedigrees don’t come much better than Hip 265, a chestnut colt from the first crop of Flightline. The remarkable Flightline retired unbeaten after six starts, having earned a global rating of 140 – the equal-highest mark ever awarded, alongside Frankel.
This colt is out of Distorted Humor mare Bubbler, who is also the dam of Arrogate, the world’s best horse in 2016 and 2017. There are 64 yearlings by Flightline at this year’s sale; his foals last year averaged $465,000 through the sales ring and he is currently the leading freshman sire of yearlings at an average at $887,500 so far in 2025.
Hip 303
Uncle Mo x Day Of Victory filly
Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa, Agent
The first Keeneland September catalog since the death of Coolmore stalwart Uncle Mo has seen his yearlings receive plenty of attention. This filly is a half-sister to Finley’sluckycharm, who won the G1 Madison Stakes here at Keeneland in 2018. Finley’sluckycharm has since shipped to Japan where she has produced Sixpence, winner of the G2 Nakayama Kinen earlier this year in what was a Japanese record for 1800m (nine furlongs); behind Sixpence that day was Soul Rush, who defeated Romantic Warrior at his next start in the G1 Dubai Turf. While Sixpence’s last two efforts at Group 1 level have been below par, he remains one of Japan’s most promising horses and this filly should attract plenty of attention from that part of the world.
Hip 334
Flightline x Flawless colt
Consigned by Bridie Harrison, Agent for Peter E. Blum Thoroughbreds
Already given the name Nonstop, this colt is another from Flightline’s first crop. He is a half-brother to 2020 American Horse of the Year Authentic, who earned the title with his wins in an unprecedented September Kentucky Derby as well as the Breeders’ Cup Classic.
He may receive interest from Japan too as Authentic’s younger brother Bushin was bought by trainer Hideyuki Mori for USD$800,000 at this sale in 2022. Bushin – raced by Forever Young’s owner and Umamusume founder Susuma Fujita – is a dirt sprinter-miler in Japan who has won his last two outings at Niigata and Nakayama. He will next race the same week that this colt is sold.
Hip 345
Medaglia d’Oro x Golden Sister colt
Consigned by Eaton Sales, Agent
Twenty years after Irish Group 2 and Listed winner Gaudeamus was offered at this sale, her grandson will be highly sought by buyers from all over the world. By Medaglia d’Oro, he is out of Gaudeamus’ daughter Golden Sister – an Australian-bred half-sister to Hong Kong champion Golden Sixty. Given Golden Sixty was by Medaglia d’Oro himself, it makes this colt a three-quarter brother to one of the global greats of the 21st century.
While American-bred horses aren’t overly common in Hong Kong, greats like Bullish Luck, Good Ba Ba and California Memory were all foaled in Kentucky. Where this colt is headed will be one of the early headlines of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale this year.
Hip 408
Tapit x Maiden America filly
Consigned by Darby Dan Farm, Agent XI
The recent death of Japanese cult hero Grass Wonder is likely to throw the spotlight on this grey or roan filly. Grass Wonder was sold through the Keeneland sales ring in 1996, another important step in Japan’s rise to global prominence. Hip 408 is out of the unraced mare Maiden America, who was born 15 years after her half-brother Grass Wonder. This filly is by three-time leading American sire Tapit, a consistent producer of top-class horses around the world including Japanese Group 1 winner Testa Matta and Group 2 victor Rabbit Run. She is a three-quarter sister to Grade 3 winner Hopeful Growth and a half-sister to another Grade 3 winner, Ten City.
Hip 656
Quality Road x Christies Treasure filly
Consigned by Lane’s End, Agent
Nine years ago, a filly out of stakes-placed mare Christies Treasure – by the versatile Speightstown – sold at Keeneland September for $125,000 to Capital System Co. Ltd. Named Mozu Superflare, she emerged from nowhere to rise to the top of Japan’s sprinting ranks. As the world shut down at the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, she was a shining light, winning the G1 Takamatsunomiya Kinen over top filly Gran Alegria. Her first foal, Mozu M V P, is now two and is in training with Yoshito Yahagi. Perhaps Japanese buyers will return again hoping that Mozu Superflare’s half-sister, by Quality Road, can also make waves at the highest level. This global pedigree also includes G1 South Australian Derby winner Qafila and three-time Hong Kong winner Superb Boy.
Hip 731
Gun Runner x Ginja colt
Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa, Agent
Firmly ensconced among the top three stallions in North America, Gun Runner yearlings are sure to be hot property at this year’s Keeneland September Yearling Sale. This colt is the second foal out of stakes-placed mare Ginja, a half-sister to multiple Grade 1 runner-up Top Decile.
In the last 18 months, Top Decile has achieved global attention as the dam of Tokyo Yushun and Sheema Classic winner Danon Decile. Ginja’s first foal, a Justify filly, is in training in France.
Hip 762
Ghostzapper x Inchargeofme filly
Consigned by Nursery Place, Agent
Will the half-sister to British Classic winner Ruling Court be a dirt or turf performer? Given the late Ruling Court’s success in this year’s 2,000 Guineas, turf would be the automatic assumption. However, as a daughter of American Horse of the Year and prolific dirt sire Ghostzapper, she could be the ultimate dirt package.
While most of Ghostzapper’s best horses have been dirt performers – champion Goodnight Olive, Dubai World Cup winner Mystic Guide and Santa Anita Handicap hero Shaman Ghost among others – he has also had success on turf. Canadian Horse of the Year Moira was named American Champion Female Turf Horse last year and is now plying her trade in Australia. The intrigue around her sets up a sure bidding duel from buyers around the world.
The 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale gets underway next Monday. ∎
