After covering the Keeneland Septemeber Sale yesterday, I was amazed to discover there were ZERO seven digit horses sold. Compared to at least five on the first day of last years September Sale. The breeders/sellers and those involved in the sale were expecting the market to correct itself, but that is pretty major. I just wanted to give some resources for those of you who want to follow the sales.
UPDATE: As I am writing this, a breaking news alert from BloodHorse.com just mentioned that the FIRST seven digit horse of the sale was sold.
You can follow the sales with Ron as he is on the grounds from dawn to dusk posting stories and tweets. Dede is also working the sales, and video is daily through Thursday. So a great team bringing in depth sales coverage. Ron or Dede may post breaking news, so that is an important reason to check them out via Twitter.
News Editor Ron Mitchell will be posting updates via @BH_SaleUpdates.
@lordatwar is Blood-Horse longtime employee Tom Hall and a pedigree
expert and Thoroughbred historian. He will be posting real-time updates
as horses enter the ring.
@BloodHorse will retweet the most important updates from both accounts.
Sale Video:
Sale Preview:
[brightcove videoid="39815849001"]
Day 1 Wrap:
[brightcove videoid="40122117001"]
Quick Story:
Blood-Horses' own Stable Boy use to work the Keeneland sales aiding in video and website production. He was telling me a story of a lady who some of his buddies noticed acting oddly in the crowd one auction day long ago. They were noticing her moving as if to bid on major horses and yet not being counted by the auctioneers, or she was just being candid.
Anyway, she was approached by one of the tech guys and asked about what she was doing, and she started to explain she was fantasy bidding. She would come to watch sales and pretend to bid on horses she liked, but made sure it was subtle enough to no one would really notice. Unless you are a techy apparently.
I thought that was a fun story and kind of bizarre, but no doubt a hobby if you are a horse enthusiast. Now I would not recommend bidding on a horse and then running away, as a certain plaid wearing man did, but do go to sales and watch if you have never been. It is neat to see all the varying nationalities and see what breeding patterns people are aiming for. I noticed state breeder of the year from Minnesota methodically peering into the catalog under the shade of a tree.
Side Notes:
I will be writing a brief blog on my experience at Dixieanna Farm soon, to add more to the magazine feature and video feature we are partnering together. I would expect that Friday.
Piratesonthelake had a headline and story in the Friday September 4, 2009 Daily Racing Form. So a nice shout out to him in becoming a celebrity =)
