September Yearling Sale View from Overseas
A strong international buying base is vital to the success of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale and the sales company goes to great lengths to ensure foreign buyers’ needs are met. During the record-breaking 2022 renewal of the auction, 1,321 buyers from 25 countries participated in the September Sale.
In addition to Keeneland sales team members traveling the world to attend race meets and other sales to spread the word about all the September Sale has to offer, three international sales representatives assist with the year-round recruiting and marketing efforts on three continents.
Keeneland’s three international representatives—Ed Prosser in Europe and the Middle East, Kate Hunter in Japan and Barry Bowditch in Australia and New Zealand—offer insights on how the September Sale is viewed and what to expect this year from their regions.
Offering more yearlings than any other sale in the world, the September Sale has huge appeal to so many different people in each region, whatever their budget.
The September Sale is the yearling sale the world recognizes more than any other. It attracts the very best stock, which in turn attracts the deepest buying bench of any sale in the world.
September Sale Highly Regarded
Keeneland graduates are flying in the Gulf and still hold their own in Europe. King of Steel (a $200,000 September Sale purchase) and Valiant Force (bought for $100,000) both won impressively at the Royal Ascot meet for Amo Racing, whose purchases have had a great run in the U.S. and Europe.
The Japanese have found that they can actually get more bang for their buck at the Keeneland September Sale when it comes to yearlings.
Whether it is Australia or any other racing jurisdiction, the Keeneland September Sale can be seen as a global barometer for the Thoroughbred economy year in and year out.
Preparing for 2023 September Sale
I am preparing for the hundreds of catalogs I will ship all over Japan and am visiting training centers, tracks and local sales to talk about the benefits of the September Sale.
We want to ensure buyers’ visits to Keeneland go smoothly, so we help with hotel bookings, advise on which routes to fly and determine which part of the sale might work best for them to attend.
Marketing to the Australian market will intensify once the catalog goes online and we can see which horses have relevance Down Under as we look to purchase horses that have pedigrees familiar to our local market.
Strong Interest in This Year's Sale
Interest has been really strong in this year’s sale. Our primarily Irish pinhook purchasers have had another good year reselling in Europe and Dubai, so we look forward to welcoming them back in big numbers. We also expect increased participation from the Gulf region, particularly Saudi Arabia.
A strong contingent of Japanese clients have already made plans to attend this year’s sale.
Looking for a Kentucky Derby Winner
It’s billed as the world’s yearling sale because there really is something for every horseman globally there. We will have clients from Europe and the Middle East with differing budgets buying from start to finish. Some are looking for long-term stallion or elite broodmare prospects, others to resell their purchases. And everyone is hoping to find the next Keeneland September champion graduate.
Some of them (Japanese buyers) are specifically looking for a future Kentucky Derby winner. For some purchasers, it gives them an opportunity to buy yearling fillies, which have had a fantastic history of becoming top producers in Japan.
Buyers will be looking for pedigrees that will work in Australia, as well as fast-looking types that will work both in the U.S and in Australia when they are imported later in their careers.
