Keeneland Final Crop Sire: Harlan's Holiday

One of the bittersweet moments of the 2015 Keeneland September sale will be when Hip 3100 exits the ring. The colt consigned by Glennwood Farm and out of Stunning Image (IRE) is the final yearling to sell at Keeneland by Harlan's Holiday, who died in November of 2013.

 Overall, 73 Harlan's Holiday yearlings are scheduled to go through the ring (after outs) over the next few weeks with 24 of those in Book 1 (Sept. 14-17). They will join 417 other yearlings by the sire who have entered the ring at a September sale since 2006, with that group including U.S. champion Shanghai Bobby, Canadian champion Conquest Harlanate and Grade 2 winner Intense Holiday among others.
Shanghai Bobby in 2015
This year at Keeneland, Harlan's Holiday will again be represented by a good group of yearlings. Multiple yearlings offered are out of stakes winning dams with others being full sibling to the aforementioned Intense Holiday (Hip 340) and Grade 3 winner Poker Player (Hip 1044) in addition to foals out of daughters of Oh What a Windfall (Hip 133), Pretty 'n Smart (Hip 189), Fashion Star (Hip 207), Aletta Maria (Hip 231) and Danzig's Beauty (Hip 841). You can see a full list of yearlings who have stakes winning siblings (in bold) and half-siblings below.

According to Thoroughbred Daily News, so far this year Harlan's Holiday's yearling sales average is $202,352 and a median of $210,000 with 17 yearlings selling from 19 to enter the ring. In his final season at stud, Harlan's Holiday stood for $35,000, however as he was still a fairly young sire that was sure to rise in coming years.

 Dying at 14 years of age, Harlan's Holiday only has nine crops of racing age (including 2-year-olds) with 63 stakes winners, four champions and 581 winners. Harlan's Holiday currently sits 17th on The Blood-Horse's North America General Sire list by earnings and finished in the top 10 in 2013 and 2014 with an 11th place finish on the list in 2012. While not often a flashy stallion, Harlan's Holiday has held his own against other top stallions and gives owners a solid racehorse.

 But those who buy Harlan's Holiday yearlings won't just have a racing career to look forward to as his offspring are quickly showing that they can excel in the breeding shed. 
Harlan's Holiday son Into Mischief
His son Into Mischief may lead the pack with dual Breeders' Cup winner Goldencents but he is followed closely by Majesticperfection, who has a big winner in his first crop with Lovely Maria winning the Kentucky Oaks this year. Following in their footsteps looks to be Shanghai Bobby, whose first foals were born this year and Willcox Inn whose first, and only crop, will be born next year in New York.

 Harlan's Holiday's loss was a big one for the industry but with his yearlings going through the ring at Keeneland, it looks like he may make one final bang in the yearling sales ring before cementing his legacy on the track over the next few years.

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