From Gold Coast to Kentucky – Keeneland catalogue abounds with Magic Australian flavour

Two Magic Millions 2YO Classic-winning families provide the most direct Australian thread through the 4,642-lot Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which runs across 12 sessions from September 14 to September 26.

The immediate headline pedigree comes on the opening afternoon. Hip 12, offered by Four Star Sales as agent, is a Justify colt out of Group 1 Blue Diamond Stakes winner Samaready. He is a half-brother to Golden Slipper winner Shinzo and Magic Millions 2YO Classic winner Exhilarates.

Meanwhile, Hip 1009, offered in the fourth session, is a Not This Time colt out of Houtzen, the I Am Invincible mare who won the 2017 Magic Millions 2YO Classic and later the Group 3 PJ Bell Stakes. Taylor Made Sales Agency will offer the colt on behalf of Stonestreet Bred & Raised.

Houtzen was sold to Stonestreet for US$1.5 million at Keeneland in 2020 after a career that also included three starts in Britain and Ireland. She is already the dam of two winners from two foals to race, including Greenwich Village, a US$350,000 Keeneland September yearling who won on debut in the United States.

The catalogue contains five further yearlings out of Australian-bred mares: a Flightline filly out of Oleksandra as Hip 726; a Flightline filly out of Excused as Hip 1385; a Practical Joke filly out of Social Distancing as Hip 1599; an Epicenter colt out of Behold The Queen as Hip 1706; and a Liam’s Map filly out of Catch A Fire as Hip 2579.

Lady Of Camelot and Qafila appear in Book 1 families

Hip 114, a Gun Runner colt out of Always Carina, brings the family of Golden Slipper winner Lady Of Camelot into the first session.

Always Carina is out of Miss Always Ready, a half-sister to More Than Real. More Than Real produced Australian Listed winner Miss Debutante, whose daughter Lady Of Camelot won the Golden Slipper and was Australia’s champion two-year-old filly. The same branch produced Group 3 winners Queen Of The Ball and Platinum Jubilee.

Another Australian Group 1 winner appears close to Hip 11, an Arcangelo filly out of Sacristy. Sacristy’s half-sister Zighy Bay produced Qafila, winner of the Group 1 South Australian Derby, Group 2 Angus Armanasco Stakes and Listed Inglis Debutant Stakes.

Hip 196, a Not This Time filly out of Dogtag, belongs to the immediate family of Australian Group 2 winner Osipenko. Dogtag’s half-sister Raskova produced the Pierro gelding, whose Australian record includes the Group 2 Hobartville Stakes and Group 3 Frank Packer Plate, as well as placings in the Group 1 Caulfield Guineas and Makybe Diva Stakes.

There is also a link to a later Australian-dam entry through Hip 74, an Into Mischief filly out of Thoughtfully. Her third dam Furlough also produced Pardon, the dam of Australian-bred Excused. Excused won in Australia at two and finished second in the Listed Jim Moloney Stakes before producing the Flightline filly catalogued as Hip 1385 later in the sale.

Another recent Australian connection in Book 1 belongs to Hip 193, a Forte colt out of Devine Aida offered by Havens Bloodstock Agency for Fairview.

He is a half-brother to Moira, a Canadian Horse of the Year and Breeders’ Cup Filly and Mare Turf winner. Moira later travelled to Australia, where she campaigned with Chris Waller for Yulong and finished fourth in last year’s Group 1 Underwood Stakes.

Fastnet Rock and New Zealand links

Fastnet Rock appears as the damsire of Hip 71, a Gun Runner filly out of the Irish-bred The Blue Brilliant. The mare was Group 3-placed in France and Listed-placed in Britain, while her sister Asama Blue won in New Zealand and finished second in the Group 3 Anniversary Handicap.

The same family returns with Hip 293, a War Front colt out of Lacadena. Lacadena is a half-sister to both The Blue Brilliant and Asama Blue.

The most direct New Zealand-bred connection is Hip 357, a Flightline filly out of Pinmedown, a Group 2 winner for the late Mike Moroney and Pam Gerrard.

Hip 15’s family includes Group 1 Sires’ Produce Stakes winner Manaal; Hip 41 and the related Hips 76 and 77 trace to Bulletin, who later raced in Australia; and Hip 299’s family includes Australian Group 3 winner Spectroscope.

Starspangledbanner is the lone Australian-bred sire represented in the catalogue, with Hip 499, a filly out of the Invincible Spirit mare With Your Spirit, making her a half-sister to multiple English stakes winner Duke Of Hazzard.

A record market as the backdrop

Keeneland has catalogued 4,642 yearlings across 12 sessions running to September 26. More than 1,100 are in Books 1 and 2 over the first four days.

The two Book 1 sessions begin at 1pm local time on Monday and Tuesday, with Book 2 following on Wednesday and Thursday before a dark day on Friday.

Last year’s sale, as The Straight reported in its catalogue preview, became the highest-grossing thoroughbred auction on record. Keeneland said more than US$531.7 million was generated from 3,078 horses, with a record 56 selling for at least US$1 million. The average of US$172,755 and median of US$80,000 were also sale records.

Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin said the result reflected the international confidence underpinning the market.

“The success of the 2025 September Sale reflected a global marketplace that continues to believe in quality at every level of the sale,” Arvin said. “It demonstrated that buyers will travel great distances for exceptional horses and an exceptional experience.”

September Sale graduates had won 331 stakes worldwide in 2026, including 35 Grade 1 races, through September 10, according to Keeneland.