The Keeneland September Yearling Sale is winding down and as usual there have been several hopefuls from larger horse farms fetching princely sums. But there are also small scale buyers and sellers looking for bargains and big paydays. WUKY's Samantha Lederman has their story.
To me, Keeneland always looks pretty good, but there’s something special about it in the fall, with the leaves just turning and the barns full of multi-million dollars worth of young horse-flesh, all pure potential waiting to be discovered. Some 4600 yearlings will pass under the auction hammer during these few weeks, and maybe a few of those will go on to become Champions and stakes winners. The September Sales are also important as a barometer for the market in general.
Cathy Sweezy and her husband Wayne combine their vast horsemanship and experience in the thoroughbred industry to run Timbertown Stables together, a small but complete horse farm that breeds, boards, trains and consigns top class horses. They typically have between 20 and 30 horses at this sale, and while Sweezy leaves the breeding, foaling and raising of the young horses to her husband, the transformation the yearlings undergo as they get ready to go under the hammer is her favourite part of the job.
Timbertown might not have the numbers that leading consigners Taylor Made or Eaton Sales do, but Sweezey maintains therein lies their advantage. Likewise Zach Madden at Buckland Sales is small but he’s hoping mighty, as he’s just about to complete his first year as a consignor. He acknowledges it’s tough starting out against established competitors.
Madden was born on his grandparents’ horse farm and grew up surrounded by animals of all kinds, regular foalings and visits to the track. He is now commuting that innate love along with an apprenticeship of sorts at Three Chimneys under John Hamilton while he was at college, and a genuine passion for sales with his early success in the business.
A consignor’s ambitions are like any racetrack horseman’s and include of course Derby dreams and Breeders Cups.
Zoe Cadman, a former leading lady jockey and now tv racing broadcaster is looking at yearlings for friend and client Marette Farrell. With the enormous volume of entries, Cadman has a good eye obviously and knows what she likes.
From the breeders to the consignors, to the buyers and eventual trainers and owners, everyone hopes they’ll be spotting that special something in their yearling and dreaming of twin spires, or purple and yellow garlands, who knows. The September Sales continue at Keeneland through this Sunday. Admission is free to the general public.
