Keeneland bills its marathon September Sale as the World’s Yearling Sale, and they’re not wrong. Buyers from around the globe assemble in Lexington to find their next stars. In years past, Centennial has purchased horses like Wicked Strong, Preservationist, Rocketry, and Antiquarian at this sale. Paula Parsons and Dr. Stephen Carr once again led the charge in identifying those colts who meet our standards of strong physicals paired with potential stallion-making pedigrees. They are:
Hip 411: Upstart – Shade, by Street Sense
Hip 884: Cody’s Wish – Alotta Skirt, by Candy Ride
Hip 903: Arcangelo – Benbang, by Shanghai Bobby
Hip 910: Liam’s Map – Bird Sense, by Street Sense
UNNAMED COLT
UPSTART – SHADE by STREET SENSE
Purchased for $350,000
One of the best of his generation at two, three, and four, Upstart has now firmly established himself as a grade one sire. This Upstart colt is the first foal out a half-sister to a classic winner.
A.P. Indy grandson Upstart was a grade one horse at two, three, and four, whose victories included a 5½-lengths score over a field that included Frosted and Keen Ice in the Holy Bull Stakes (G2). He also crossed the wire an impressive 2 3/4-lengths clear in the prestigious Fountain of Youth (G2) and earned G1 placings in the Champagne Stakes, Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, Florida Derby, Haskell Invitational, Metropolitan Handicap, and Whitney Stakes.
Upstart is already sire of 26 stakes winners, topped by Zandon, winner of the Blue Grass Stakes (G1) and Woodward Stakes (G2), and G1-placed in the Kentucky Derby, Travers, Pennsylvania Derby, Metropolitan Handicap, and Whitney. He is also responsible for Percy’s Bar, winner of the 2026 Ashland Stakes (G1) and runner-up in the Test Stakes (G1), unbeaten
2026 Pocahontas Stakes (G3) winner Manuka Honey, and graded stakes scorers Kathleen O., Trademark, Prerequisite, Masqueparade, and Fondly, a half-sister to our own Antiquarian.
This colt is the first foal of his dam, the maiden special weight and allowance winner Shade. A daughter of Champion Two-Year-Old and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Street Sense, Shade is half-sister to Fore Left, winner of the UAE 2,000 Guineas (G3), Tremont Stakes, and Sunny Slope Stakes.
The second dam, the Unbridled’s Song mare Simply Sunny, is a sister to Warm Sunshine, dam of Steal Sunshine – from the same A.P. Indy sire line as Upstart – winner of the Gulfstream Park Mile Stakes (G2), Carry Back Stakes, and Ellis Park Derby, and graded stakes placed on seven occasions. Simply Sunny is also three-quarters sister to Reveron, winner of the Gulfstream Park Derby and second in the Florida Derby (G1), and a half-sister to Saturday Surprise, the dam of stakes winner Mi Saturday.
Simply Sunny is a granddaughter of Stylish Star, winner of the Dahila Handicap (G3), Del Mar Oaks (G3), Las Cienegas Handicap, and Autumn Days Handicap, and also runner-up in the Gamely Handicap (G1).
Street Sense is an outstanding broodmare sire with horses like Champion Roaring Lion, Kentucky Oaks (G1) winner Good Cheer, and multiple G1 winner Mindframe to his credit. We can note this colt is the product of a TrueNicks A++ rated mating that has already produced stakes winner Dreaming of Alys for Upstart.
UNNAMED COLT
CODY’S WISH – ALOTTA SKIRT by CANDY RIDE
Purchased for $250,000
From the first crop of a Horse of the Year, here we have a colt out of a Candy Ride mare who is a close relative to a graded winner and grade one performer.
Sire Cody’s Wish, by Hall of Famer Curlin, was named Champion Older Horse and Horse of the Year for his outstanding five-year-old campaign in which he won the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1), Metropolitan Handicap (G1), Vosburgh Stakes (G2), and his second Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), building on a resume that already included victories in the Forego (G1) and Westchester (G3).
The dam, Alotta Skirt, was a maiden special weight winner at Keeneland, and scored twice against allowance foes at Churchill Downs. She is a daughter of the terrific broodmare sire Candy Ride, whose daughters have produced 82 stakes winners, topped by multimillionaire and Travers Stakes (G1) winner Epicenter.
Alotta Skirt is a half-sister to the Monmouth Park course record holder Bridgetown, a near millionaire who captured the Summer Stakes (G3), Woodford Stakes (G3), Gilded Time Stakes, Turf Dash, Latham Stakes, two runnings of the Troy Stakes, was second in the Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Turf (G2), and earned a trip to Royal Ascot.
She is also a half-sister to Carnack’s Choice, winner of the Lafayette Stakes, in track-record time, the Prevue Stakes, and graded stakes placed; to three-time stakes winner Clement Rock; to Notary, a stakes winner of over $500,000 and graded stakes placed; to Margate Gardens, dam of Disruptor – by a son of Candy Ride, Gun Runner, so closely related to the dam of this colt – winner of the Challenger Stakes (G3) and second in the Churchill Downs Stakes (G1); and to Mullins Bay, dam of stakes winner Current Climate.
The second dam of this colt, stakes placed Ellesmere, is by dual Classic winner Tabasco Cat and is a half-sister to stakes winner Princess Tru. They are out of Empress Aly, a full sister to Kentucky Derby (G1) hero Strike the Gold.out of Empress Aly, a full sister to Kentucky Derby (G1) hero Strike the Gold.
UNNAMED COLT
ARCANGELO – BENBANG by SHANGHAI BOBBY
Purchased for $325,000
From the first crop of a Classic-winning Eclipse Award Champion comes a colt out of a young, stakes winning mare.
Arcangelo earned honors as Champion Three-Year-Old on the strength of his consecutive victories in the Peter Pan Stakes (G3), Belmont Stakes (G1), and Travers Stakes (G1). He is arguably the most accomplished son of the brilliant Arrogate, who proved himself to be an outstanding sire before passing away after just three breeding seasons.
This colt is the second foal of his dam, Benbang, and the first, a two-year-old by Epicenter, is on the work tab at Churchill Downs. A Saratoga maiden special weight winner on her debut at two, Benbang gained black-type with a wire-to-wire victory in the Blue Sparkler Stakes at three. Benbang is by Champion Two-Year-Old Shanghai Bobby, meaning this colt’s sire and both grandsires are all Eclipse Award winners. Benbang is out of the winning Street Sense mare Indian Street, a half-sister to stakes winner Nineteenamendment.
Indian Street is out of stakes placed Magger Bags, a sister to Indian Rush. Bred to Shanghai Bobby, the sire of the dam of this colt, Indian Rush produced Bolton Landing Stakes winner March X Press, the dam of Dwyer Stakes (G3) winner Fort Bragg. Bred to Harlan’s Holiday, the sire of Shanghai Bobby, Indian Rush produced Colleen Stakes winner Harlan’s Honor, the granddam of active stakes winner and Grade 1 placed Two Out Hero.
This is a version of the Unbridled’s Song/Harlan’s Holiday cross that has already produced stakes winners Hot Fudge, Admiral Abe, Amidst Waves, Bergen, Ethical Lady, and Standing Perfect.
UNNAMED COLT
LIAM’S MAP – BIRD SENSE by STREET SENSE
Purchased for $325,000
By an exceptional runner and Classic sire, this colt is a three-quarters brother to a Saratoga graded stakes winner.
Liam’s Map, a son of the spectacular Unbridled’s Song, was a brilliant winner of the Breeders’ Cup Dirt Mile (G1), in track-record time, and the Woodward Stakes (G1). He is now one of North America’s leading sires and is enjoying an exceptional 2026 with Preakness Stakes (G1) victor Napoleon Solo, multiple grade one winner Deterministic, and grade one winner Burnham Square leading the way. Overall, Liam’s Map is the sire of 36 stakes winners, including other grade one winners Colonel Liam, Juju’s Map, and Basin. Of course, he is also a half-brother to fellow national leader Not This Time.
The dam of this colt, 5-length Keeneland allowance winner Bird Sense, is also the dam of Pretty Birdie. By a son of Unbridled’s Song – like this colt – Pretty Birdie captured the Schuylerville Stakes (G3) at Saratoga at two, and the Purple Martin Stakes and Poinsettia Stakes, in which she ran a 105 Equibase E-Speed Figure, at three. She also earned placings in four other stakes events, including a runner-up effort in the Eight Belles Stakes (G2). In addition to Pretty Birdie, Bird Sense is the dam of Marabina, a three-time winner who has been black-type placed since the catalog. Her two-year-old, Desert Patriot, is a full-brother to this colt who sold for $650,000 as a yearling.
A daughter of Champion Two-Year-Old and Kentucky Derby (G1) winner Street Sense, Bird Sense is half-sister to grade two placed Bird Maker, to stakes placed Watch This Birdie, to stakes placed Cheechako, and to Bird Map, a multiple winning daughter of Liam’s Map, who is herself the dam of Kentucky Juvenile Stakes winner Pinky Finger. She is also a half-sister to Swan of the Nile, the dam of graded stakes placed Joke Maker, and multiple stakes placed Normandy Hero and Coach Albert Lady.
The second dam, Bird Harbor, is a winning daughter of Dearest Gulch, herself a half-sister to Birdstone, winner of the Belmont Stakes (G1) – defeating the previously unbeaten Hall of Famer Smarty Jones – Travers Stakes (G1), and Champagne Stakes (G1). She is also half-sister to Bird Town, Champion Three-Year-Old Filly and Kentucky Oaks (G1) heroine. Subsequently, Bird Town produced Bird Song – by Unbridled’s Song, the grandsire of this colt – winner of the Alysheba Stakes (G2) and Fred W. Hooper Stakes (G3) and sire of Pretty Birdie. She is the granddam of Unbridled’s Song’s stakes winner Gorgeous Bird, and third dam of active stakes winner and grade one placed Captain Cook.
A compilation video of all four colts in the ring at the sale can be viewed here. At this time, our minimum subscription amount is 2.5% ($55,625) with a total capitalization of $2,225,000. That accounts for all of their expenses through 2027 and includes contributions to our Equine Retirement Fund. All four colts have settled in well in Middleburg, where they will undergo their early training and be made eligible for the lucrative Virginia Residency Program. Please contact the office for more information or if you would like a hard copy brochure.
