Keeneland 2025
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This is the list of horses that I would be most excited by if a partnership like West Point or Eclipse purchased the horse at a reasonable price. This is not exactly the same thing as the “best horse”. My list is definitely not the most expensive horses. None of my choices is likely to be part of the “future sire Derby”, which is what about 60% of what day 1-2 is about. I prefer horses with a certain athletic look that have chance to run classic distances and perhaps run on turf.
#59 - c - Gun Runner - My first Gun Runner. This was my favorite photo. This is a very “long” horse. Maybe he is too skinny. His one successful offspring won the United Nation’s Stake at 1 1/2 miles. Great walk. The next Sierra Leone? The big spenders at AMO Racing paid $1,050,000. No stamina discount. For me this will a model body type.
#61 - c - Oscar Performance - This was my second favorite photo. This is a strong horse that might only get a mile. He has some slight ankle issues, let’s see what he goes for. Oh no, West Point called my bluff and bought part of this horse for $600,000. That is a fair price, but not what WP usually buys.
#129 - c - Flightline - This was my favorite first day FL. Overall I was not thrilled by the FL’s I saw, but let’s try one with an Arrogate mare. Case Clay’s family used to own Three Chimney’s Farm. He paid $850,000. Maybe the is just a big dumb horse. He has a decent walk for a big horse
#126 - f - Charlatan - Maybe I am trying too hard to make this sire work. Not a huge filly, but very athletic. I like this consigner. I was not a big Alex Bregman fan, but he has bought some decent horses. He paid $130,000 0. A great value
#125 - c - Not This Time - I am now officially part of the the NTT bandwagon. This was a great looking horse I saw just walking by. Steve Cauthen’s brother steps up for $725,000. Strange buyer, maybe he sees a breeding angle. Price about average for NTT
#29 - c - Epicenter - A very solid horse that might be “over his head” in book 1. A potentials value. Mr. Magnier steps up for $600,000. This is a big price for solid, but unspectacular, horse
These horse should sell for 3-5x their sire’s stud fee. Any more is a little wild.
I reserve the right to pick other horses as I watch their walking ring oerformance.
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My ideas for day 2 are not that exciting:
#196 - Good Magic - This is the best horse I saw just walking around. I am not a GM fan, but I cannot pass on this physical. Good to have Mr. Repole on board for a cool $1,000,000.
#316 - Not This Time - I have drunk the NTT Kool-Aid. Great looking horse, just walking around. I think the Courtlandt folks got a bargain for only $625,000.
#294 - Flightline - I went looking at #364 because of the pedigree, but I liked the look of this one much better. Maybe I am trying too hard on FL. The LSU Stables guys only had to pay $750,000
#355 - Constitution - Stretching to make this horse exciting. China Horse Club pays a fair $675,000
I wish I had more, but I jumped to looking at day 3 horse because their is more variety
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There were big crowds looking at the day 3 horses. I had not done any work on this group so I was just looking at physicals before I knew the pedigrees. That led to so interesting ideas
#767 - Nashville - Maybe this is just a giant horse, or it might be a different species. She has a nice walk
#498 - Munnings - but from a Bernardini mare
#445 - Jack Christopher
#743 - Epicenter - from a Galileo mare
#698 - Constitution
#605 - Oscar Performance - out of Temple City mare, great walk
#422 - Maxfield - the best in two years
#393 - Charlatan
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So half of the above horses had vet issues so my new list is:
#728 - Yaupon - great physical, #459 has a better pedigree, will not be cheap. The smart guys at Pin Oak pay $700,000. I did find the most expensive Yaupon
#498 - Munnings - but from a Bernardini mare, my first ever Munnings. China Horse Club get a steal for only $285,000
#680 - Oscar Performance - great walk, decent pedigree. Trainer Vicky Oliver pays $130,000
#422 - Maxfield - the best Max I have seen in two years. RNA, so lets substitute Centennials $425,000 for #664, the Maxfield that sold. Max is not a popular sire.
#393 - Charlatan - great walk, withdrawn, let’s substitute Seth Klarman’s Charlatan #469 for $250,000
#767 - Nashville - Maybe this is just a giant horse, or it might be a different species. She has a nice walk. Withdrawn, lets use Seth Klarman’s #436 by Jack Christopher. He paid $435,000
#412 - Mandaloun - just for fun lets add one from sweet consigner Rosilyn Polan. Evergreen pays only $65,000. Maybe a bargain?
#652 - Curlin - with a Bernardini mare, great walk, expensive. Agent Mike Ryan signs the ticket for $1,400,000, but for who?
#465 - Essential Quality - saw walking around. Greg Tramontin pays $265,000 for the only EQ to sell.
Lots of problem horses with past surgeries like #445,481,764,743,703
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Day 4 ideas:
#1092 - Constitution - great size and walk - agent Carlisle maybe for Tom Amoss, paid $750,000
#1140 - Jack Christopher - maybe just a skinny horse, great walk - $150,000 Scott Dilworth , Dilworth a smart pinhooker that sometimes races, I can buy him in Ocala
#983 - Not This Time - captain obvious horse with Ashland winning sister, $550,000 almost too little from Steve Young
#997 - Charlatan - decent price $260,000 from Scott Dilworth again
#920 - Epicenter - very nice - little known Faris Breeding pays $300,000
#872 - Maxfield - small consigner - RNA $150,000
#884 - Maxfield - the next few were from walking around on Wednesday. Finally a Maxfield at decent price $450,000 to Pin Oak
#1014 - Charlatan - withdrawn
#1066 - Not This Time - Drake/Assmussen pay $1,350,000, good walking around pickup
#1021 - Jack Christopher - pedigree interesting - $175,000 Califonia trainer George Papaperdomo
#855 - Corniche - BC Stables pays $600,000
#958 - Cyberknife - $325,000 the mysterious Arab Mr. Mourni
#981 Jack Christopher -RNA $175,000
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Day 5 ideas:
Interesting horses:
#170 - Curlin - The strongest looking horse for sale, could sell for a big price. To me this is exactly what I do not want to pay for
#225 - Justify - This will be a controversial horse. I view him as too compact. With Zenyatta as the 2nd dam, he has enough pedigree to sell for a top price. I would not be a buyer. David Ingordo goes to $750,000.
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