The 2026 Keeneland September Yearling Sale begins today (Sept. 14) in Lexington, KY, and it’s another opportunity to access more than $20 million in purses and rewards restricted to Ontario Breds.

Beginning in Wednesday’s third session, 76 Ontario Bred horses are due to go through the auction ring at the Keeneland Sales Pavilion.

This year, Ontario Breds are worth even more thanks to additional annual government funding of $10 million.

The funding increase – part of $35 million in additional government funding annually for the next five years for Ontario’s three horse racing breeds – was a key reason why the Canadian Thoroughbred Horse Society’s (CTHS) Canadian Premier Yearling Sale, held Sept. 2 at the Woodbine Sales Pavilion, was up sharply in every category.

The CTHS sale saw 145 yearlings sell for a total gross of $4.47 million, producing an average of $30,838. The median was $17,000. It was the first time the sale had surpassed $30,000 in average in 10 years and only the second time in a decade it had surpassed $4 million in gross. In 2023, the gross was $4,017,790, but 23 more yearlings were sold that year compared to this year.

As for the Keeneland September Yearling Sale, the 76 Ontario Breds slated to sell are spread over the final 10 sessions of the 12-day sale. They are, as follows (Friday, Sept. 18 is dark):

  • Session 3 – Wed., Sept. 16 – Hips 421, 631
  • Session 4 – Thurs., Sept. 17 – 794, 804, 840, 901, 919, 932, 933, 957, 959, 967, 1013, 1111
  • Session 5 – Sat., Sept. 19 – 1147, 1234, 1356, 1373, 1434, 1450, 1493, 1532
  • Session 6 – Sun., Sept. 20 – 1623, 1665, 1669, 1701, 1790, 1816, 1910, 1914
  • Session 7 – Mon., Sept, 21 – 2000, 2008, 2070, 2139, 2164, 2178, 2182, 2220, 2275, 2298, 2325, 2341
  • Session 8 – Tues., Sept. 22 – 2592, 2628, 2650, 2658, 2662, 2674, 2719, 2777
  • Session 9 – Wed., Sept. 23 – 2821, 2844, 2851, 2873, 2908, 2924, 2931, 2959, 3004, 3078, 3103, 3123, 3166, 3167, 3219, 3227, 3230
  • Session 10 – Thurs., Sept. 24 – 3280, 3463, 3488, 3559, 3617
  • Session 11 – Fri., Sept. 25 – 3957
  • Session 12 – Sat., Sept. 26 – 4175, 4264, 4538

You can access a sortable sales roster here.

The complete Ontario Bred shopping list is also available by pdf here:

Ontario Bred Shopping List – 2026 Keeneland September Yearling Sale

Highlights of the money available to owners of Ontario Bred horses includes:

  • Restricted purses of more than $9 million, with 16 races for Ontario Sired horses, eight for Ontario Bred horse and 16 for Canadian foaled horses (which are predominantly from Ontario).
  • Purse bonuses of more than $7.5 million for open stakes and overnights (20 per cent for Ontario Bred horses and between 22 and 33 per cent for Ontario Sired horses).
  • Access to $3.2 million in purses in the new Empire Trillium Series open to Canadian and New York Bred 2- and 3-year-olds.