Lexington’s sale time has been shortened, but Kentuckiana Farms has quality for days

by Matthew Lomon

Whether acting as a top consignor or as a part-owner of the Lexington Selected Yearling Sale, Kentuckiana Farms has played a pivotal role in the auction’s sustained success.

A co-owner of the Lexington Sale since its inception in 2005, the family-owned and operated standardbred horse farm is particularly enthused about the sale’s performance in recent years, headlined by a record-setting gross of nearly $68 million in 2023.

“I think [the recent success of the sale] is attributed to bringing a better group of quality yearlings to the market,” said Kentuckiana Farms part-owner Bob Brady. “I think we have to applaud all the consignors for stepping up their efforts in acquiring better pedigrees and doing a better job raising horses.”

The outfit, situated on approximately 1,200 acres in Fayette and Scott counties in Kentucky, has routinely landed among the sale’s most profitable consignors.

In 2025, Kentuckiana led all sellers with 137 yearlings sold, ranking third in total gross – a spot they also held in 2023, following a second-place slot in 2024.

Between the past three Lexington sales, Kentuckiana has sold a total of 387 yearlings for a total gross value of $26,243,200.

For Brady, who has been with the industry stalwart since 1986, the robust performance of Kentuckiana, as well as the emphasis on excellence from fellow consignors, ranks among the key reasons for optimism ahead of the 2026 event.

“It certainly does,” said the University of Kentucky alum. “I also think by cutting off one of the days and shortening the entries in the sale, it just brings a much higher quality back to the Lexington Sale.”

Kentuckiana’s contribution to the wider quality of this year’s sale is a lineup of 98 yearlings, including 31 of their own, and 67 agent horses.

The deep and diverse selection of youngsters features progeny from several standout sires, including Walner, Chapter Seven, Tactical Landing, and Muscle Hill.

Brady spoke glowingly of three standouts from powerhouse trotting stallions Walner and Chapter Seven.

“The Walner colt [Hip #96 Special Account] out of Special Hill, who’s the mother of Special Way,” he said. “He’s a very nice individual – a top-type colt that checks all the boxes.”

“The Chapter Seven colt [Hip #71 Maestro Volo], first foal from Mommamia Volo, is another very nice colt – super athletic, great conformation, out of a very deep pedigree.

“The Chapter Seven filly [Hip #9 Another Belle] out of Another Like Me. Excellent, excellent filly out of a filly family that’s certainly produced very well.”

Alongside Kentuckiana’s top-rated trio is a pair of yearlings — one from Tactical Landing and one from Muscle Hill — that are projecting as strong value picks on Days 2 (Tuesday, Oct. 6) and 3 (Wednesday, Oct. 7), respectively.

“I have a Tactical Landing filly [Hip #160 Back Flash Volo] out of a mare called Back Splash,” Brady said. “Another excellent filly. Super athletic, great conformation, and made an awesome video.

“I would say the Muscle Hill colt [Hip #557 Air Mail] out of Milady Volo is the most improved colt since we started the sale prep. He’s certainly moving in the right direction and looks and is gaited like the good Muscle Hills that we’ve had in the past.”

Kentuckiana’s deep consignment also contains an intriguing lot from the first crop of champion Confederate, who set the world record for 3-year-old pacing colts with a 1:46.1 win on Sept. 4, 2023, at The Red Mile.

Kentuckiana, which has bred, raised or sold over 45 million-dollar earners, is selling six of the 52 available yearlings from Confederate’s maiden crop across Days 1 (Monday, Oct. 5), 2, and 3.

The sextet includes Hip #30 Keeping My Secret, Hip #54 Dixie Highway, Hip #87 Confederacy, Hip #183 Field Drive, Hip #185 Southern Captain, and Hip #633 Tempederate.

“The Confederates are excellent; I’m very happy with them,” Brady said. “They’re the right size, the right type, right bone. They have a super athletic look to them – good, sharp heads. I think they’re going to be very well received.”

Founded in 1975 by Harness Racing Hall of Famer Tom Crouch and his wife Betty, Kentuckiana Farms has experienced tremendous growth in the decades that followed.

Today, the property houses a state-of-the-art yearling complex and turn-out facilities, complete with 90 stalls, four walking rings for yearling inspection, two mechanical exercisers with observation facilities, a round pen for breaking and conditioning, turn-out paddocks, and a video paddock designed to enhance yearling video productions.