Half-Brother to Kentucky Derby Winner Mage Sells for $1.2million

Media Release - Thursday September 14

Demand for quality horses continued to be strong into the third session of Keeneland’s September Yearling Sale on Wednesday as the auction transitioned into the Book 2 catalog. Robust trade generated positive results, including the sale of five seven-figure horses – led by a colt by McKinzie who is a half-brother to 2023 Kentucky Derby (G1) Presented by Woodford Reserve winner Mage and was purchased by Mayberry Farm for $1.2 million.

The half-brother to Kentucky Derby winner Mage topped the first session of Book 2 selling for $1.2million.

Total sales through the first three days of the auction are $180,949,000 for 430 horses, on par with the corresponding period last year when 439 yearlings sold for $180,355,000. Cumulative average price of $420,812 rose 2.43 percent from last year’s $410,831, while the median ticked up 1.54 percent from $325,000 to $330,000.

A total of 28 yearlings have sold for $1 million or more during the first three days of the 2023 auction to equal the number from the same period last year.

On Wednesday, the first day of Book 2, 209 yearlings sold for $64,024,000, down slightly from last year’s $66,695,000 when 219 horses sold. The average of $306,335 increased 0.59 percent from $304,543 in 2022 The median of $255,000 was nearly identical to last year’s $250,000.

“We have to be very pleased with the way the day turned out,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “Being on par with last year’s record sale figures – gross, average and median. Early in the day it was a little slower but it picked up and charged on very strongly right to the end.

“The market was very healthy,” Lacy said. “Buyers are finding it very competitive; there are a lot of quality horses out there. It’s challenging on both sides of the coin in a good way. The strength of the domestic buying bench was very evident. International buyers were active at a lower price level, but I think they will be very active for a while. It bodes well for tomorrow.”

“The strength at the top is very obvious,” Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach said. “There were 39 horses today that brought $500,000 or more compared to 29 horses last year, so that’s a significant increase. And you can see, we’re half a million ahead of our gross after three days this year compared to our record sale last year. RNAs are just a touch higher than what we would want and we’re cognizant of that, but the activity is all there. Median and average are just a couple percent higher than they were last year, so it’s an extremely good sale.”

Runnymede Farm, agent, sold the two highest-priced yearlings Wednesday.

The $1.2 million colt, who is from the first crop of McKinzie, is out of stakes winner Puca, by Big Brown, and from the family of Grade 1 winner Finnegans Wake. (Puca is scheduled to be sold Nov. 8 at Keeneland on the first day of the November Breeding Stock Sale by Case Clay Thoroughbred Management.)

Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffs signed the ticket for the colt on behalf of Mayberry Farm. 

“He’s a very athletic colt, and we would like to have a nice colt,” Ingordo-Shirreffs said. “Obviously, there’s a fabulous pedigree, and (he is out of) a young mare, so it has a lot of positives. You always want one with a lot of presence, and he has that.”

Mayberry Farm purchased six yearlings for $4,210,000 to lead all buyers during the session.

Runnymede Farm, agent, also consigned the day’s second-highest priced yearling, a colt by Gun Runner who sold to Repole Stable and Spendthrift Partners for $1.15 million. From the family of Kentucky Derby winner Strike the Gold and Grade 3 winners Bridgetown and Greydar, he is out of the Speightstown mare Margate Gardens.

“The best colt of the day, in our opinion,” Mike Repole said. “The team liked him. I think the right people were on him, and sometimes when you get a couple of the right people on them, you pay a little bit more than you want.”

“He is a perfect mover, very efficient on his feet,” Runnymede’s Romain Malhouitre said. “He is a very good cross between Gun Runner and Speightstown. He is a late April foal, and he always was compact with that beautiful walk. We knew he would come here and show himself quite well, but we didn’t expect he would go that high.”

Runnymede has sold three million-dollar yearlings at this year’s September Sale.

“The sense of gratitude is just tremendous,” Runnymede Chairman and CEO Brutus J. Clay III said. “We feel so blessed to have the team we have. For me, we have this land that has been in the family (since 1867), so I can’t take credit for that but to be able to be a good steward of that is incredible. (The yearling out of) Margate Gardens was a particularly sweet moment because (co-breeder) Peter Callahan has been a partner of ours for 30 years.”

Advertisement

Two yearlings sold for $1.1 million each.

West Point Thoroughbreds paid the amount for a son of Into Mischief out of Grade 3 winner Ever So Clever, by Medaglia d’Oro. Clearsky Farms, agent, consigned the colt, who is from the family of Grade 3 winner In Conference and stakes winner Foxy Danseur.

“He is a June 1 foal,” buyer Terry Finley said. “I made the analogy that he is a kindergartner on a playground of third graders. He’s really athletic, had a great mind and I think he has a huge amount of upside.”

Finley, who said the colt would race for a partnership to be determined, said the desire for racehorses had continued into Book 2.

“People aren’t afraid to spend money and invest in the future,” Finley said. “That’s what we’re all doing: investing in the future.”

Selling to D.J. Stable for $1.1 million was a Tapit filly who is the first foal out of multiple Grade 3 winner Lady’s Island, by Greatness. Consigned by Gainesway, agent, she is from the family of Irish champion Law Society.

“She had all the right parts in all the right places,” buyer Jon Green said. “I don’t get enamored with too many horses where I sit back and say ‘Oh, my God’ or I forget who it is or who the hip number is, but certainly this filly took my breath away. Mark Casse, our trainer, went to look at her independently from when we looked at her. We compared notes this morning, and there was no doubt that she was the No. 1 filly on both of our lists.”

“I’ve never seen a horse change as much in the last 90 days,” Gainesway General Manager Brian Graves said about the filly, the consignor’s ninth seven-figure horse at the September Sale. “She just really started shaping up, developing and growing the right way. All the trainers really loved her. She developed at the right time. It’s been one of the best sales we’ve had in a very long time.”

With sales of $10.4 million for 23 yearlings, Gainesway was the session’s leading consignor.

A colt by Uncle Mo who is the first foal out of winner Flighty Almighty (GB), by Elusive Quality, sold to Jim and Dana Bernhard’s Pin Oak Stud for $1 million. Consigned by Hunter Valley Farm, agent, he is from the family of French highweight Regal Parade and Group 3 winners Boomer and The Cheka.

“Beautiful colt,” Pin Oak adviser Matt Weinmann, who signed the ticket, said. “Uncle Mo has been having a pretty incredible sale, so we knew (the yearling) would cost. Book 1 was very, very strong, probably the strongest I have seen in my lifetime. You have to pay when there is a good one. We will keep shopping for a while and try to pick out some gems.”

“It’s fantastic, a great price for the horse – well above our expectations,” Adrian Regan of Hunter Valley said. “He’s a lovely colt, very straightforward. Very typical of Uncle Mo. A solid horse. I wish them very best of luck.”

Mayberry Farm spent $875,000 for a filly by Into Mischief who is a half-sister to Grade 3 winner Share the Ride. Consigned by Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa, agent, she is out of the stakes-winning Graeme Hall mare Bell of the Hall and from the family of Canadian champion Ambitious Cat, Grade 1 winner Blushing K. D. and two-time 2023 Louisiana-bred stakes winner Woods N Water.

“She’s a big, strong-looking filly,” buyer Dottie Ingordo-Shirreffs said. “We love Into Mischief; she has a nice pedigree. My husband (John Shirreffs), when we were doing the inspections, thought she was a ‘wow’ and everybody agreed.”

“She was shown almost 200 times,” Jared Burdine of Hill ‘n’ Dale at Xalapa said. “She’s the belle of Book 2. Everybody loved her. She’s a beautiful filly who did everything right. (Her sale price) was in the range. It’s been a solid market. All the good horses are bringing what they’re supposed to bring and some a little more. It’s good across the board.”

Advertisment
More Reading...
Geese That Lay Golden Eggs – What’s in the Future?
The 2025 Inglis Easter Yearling Sale was highlighted by 25 yearlings that sold for $1million or more which was seven more than last year when 18 were in the millionaires club following on from 26 in 2023.
FBAA Professional Development Day- Food for Thought
The Federation of Bloodstock Agents Australia’s third Continued Professional Development Day was again held at Randwick Racecourse on Tuesday 8th April 2025 and was hosted by MC Vin Cox.
The Boss Lady Wins G3 Roma Cup and a Quokka Slot
Roma Cup Day at Ascot is a celebration of equine speed with the three feature races all run over 1100m and Street Boss (USA) provided the star of the show in The Boss Lady, who has been tonight announced to fill the $5million Quokka slot for Peters Investments.
Arrowfield Announce 2025 Fees
In the wake of his third Golden Slipper winner and his career-best yearling sale results, multiple Champion Sire Snitzel heads the 2025 Arrowfield stallion roster at an unchanged fee of $247,500, while Castelvecchio has earned a deserved fee increase.
Trelawney Trio Shine at Inglis Easter
Trelawney Stud were quietly confident they had taken the right trio of yearlings across to the Inglis Australian Easter Yearling Sale in Sydney this week and that was reflected with some outstanding results. 
Who Do You Pick? Star Mares of Tomorrow
In chatting with our guest Jim Clarke this week on our Tara Talks Racing podcast we discussed a topic that will no doubt spark plenty of interest from our audience, if you could have one three year-old filly to take forward and race next season at four, who would it be?
Te Akau Purchase $1million Snitzel Colt From Kiwi Bred Mare
Te Akau Racing principal David Ellis was once again to the fore in the sales ring this week, but this time at Inglis’ Easter Yearling Sale in Sydney.
Belclare Seeking to Find Best Form Back in Australia
Dual Group One winner Belclare’s return home for a three-race campaign didn’t go to plan earlier this year, and now she is back on the other side of the Tasman to try and get her preparation back on track.
The Road Less Travelled - Inglis Easter
Is it possible for a budget conscious breeder to make their mark in a super selective and super elite sale such as Inglis Easter? With the clearance now hitting 87% following five additional sales since Monday night it turns out the answer is yes.
Almanzor Mare Benefits from Maturity
Time was always going to benefit Mehzebeen and the Almanzor mare continues to emphasise that in her five-year-old season.