McMahon & Hill Secure Quality Yearlings at Keeneland September

Twelve days at Keeneland September always reminds us why we love this work. Thousands of yearlings, hundreds of conversations, and a shared goal with our partners to find the right horses for the right plans. Our team showed up early, worked together, and finished the sale the same way we started it: focused and grateful.

Preparation and Teamwork

We’ve been preparing since August 19th, registering over 1,000 pre-sale inspections. Our Co-Founders Mike McMahon and Jamie Hill led evaluations on the grounds. Our Director of Business Development Mary Motion kept the short list tight with form updates from Saratoga and Kentucky Downs, using Pedigree 360 to filter targets. Our Controller Kristin Stivers kept the trains on time and the numbers straight. Trainers Ian Wilkes, Mark Hennig, Mark Roberts, and Randy Miles all weighed in with multiple looks ringside. We were supported by veterinarians Dr. Natanya Nieman, Dr. Greg Bonenclark, and Dr. Nathan Chaney.

Results at a Glance

• 12 purchased

• $932,000 gross

• Average $77,666.67

Bourbon Lane Stable

• Hip 1648 – $90,000, Epicenter x Money Madness filly, consigned by Warrendale Sales (Agent XXVII). Black-type family that continues to produce and will be raced in a co-ownership with longtime client Maggie Seidman’s Seidman Stables and Wilson Sisk. She will be started by Mark Roberts at Hidden Brook before joining Mark Hennig in New York next summer.

• Hip 1799 – $150,000, McKinzie x War Tweet filly, consigned by Buckland Sales (Zach Madden), Agent XXII. Purchased in partnership with Bourbon Lane, Six Columns, Old Guys Rule Stable, and Wilson Sisk, and will be trained by Ian Wilkes after her early training at Ocala Stud.

Fundraising for the 2025 Bourbon Lane Yearling LLC is progressing and is targeted to close before the Fasig-Tipton October sale.

Old Guys Rule / Old Gals Rule Stable

In 2024, a group of friends decided to start Old Guys Rule Racing Stable. Todd Armstrong, Todd’s father Bill, Monty Gibson, and Scott Lychwick joined forces to buy some horses and have some fun. Todd and Monty arrived at the 2024 September sale and scouted the grounds with McMahon & Hill. Their initial foray landed them five yearlings, and a return trip in November landed them a horse of racing age.

In 2025, Todd and Monty returned with their wives, Tracey and Tanya. The first horse purchased was a colt who is a half-brother to Champion California Chrome. The kicker? The ladies decided to form their own stable—Old Gals Rule Racing—and made their first purchases as well.

Together, Old Guys/Gals Rule Stable made six purchases and one in co-ownership with Bourbon Lane. All will start at Ocala Stud before heading to Ian Wilkes.

• Hip 1177 – $45,000, Silver State x Love the Chase colt, Bedouin Bloodstock, Agent XIV. Half-brother to California Chrome.

• Hip 1220 – $95,000, Jack Christopher x My Happy Place filly, Property of Clarkland Farm, LLC. From the immediate family of GSW My Happy Face.

• Hip 1327 – $80,000, Upstart x Surprise Again filly, Claiborne Farm, Agent. From the immediate family of GSW Guest Suite, A.P. Indy, Summer Squall, and more.

• Hip 1903 – $155,000, Violence x Curlin’s Fox filly, ELiTE, Agent. Half-sister to stakes performer Oncourtcommentator.

• Hip 2334 – $40,000, McKinzie x Debase the Dollar colt, Nardelli Sales, Agent III. From the immediate family of G1W La Coronel.

• Hip 2421 – $65,000, Jack Christopher x Julesforyou filly, VanMeter Sales, Agent. From the immediate family of G1 winner Search Results.

Pinhooking

We began our 2-year-old pinhooking in Book 4 with a Golden Pal filly and a Volatile filly with Randy Miles, and a Bolt d’Oro filly with Mark Roberts.

• Hip 2642 – $50,000, Golden Pal x Vivacitas filly, Hidden Brook, Agent XX.

• Hip 3095 – $75,000, Volatile x With Pleasure filly, Highgate Sales, Agent XXI.

• Hip 3630 – $52,000, Bolt d’Oro x Focused filly, Warrendale Sales, Agent LXII.

Additional Sales & Purchases

• Hip 638 – $450,000, McKinzie colt sold by our client Donaldson Stable to Donato Lanni for SF Racing/Starlight/Madaket. He will be trained by Bob Baffert.

• Hip 4625 – $35,000, Instagrand x Everyonelovesjimmy colt, Greenfield Farms, Agent for Sierra Farm. Purchased for That’s Amore Stable. He will be broke in Kentucky by Jess Ritson before joining Ian Wilkes.

Thank You

To our clients, our horses, our veterinarians, our trainers, and our entire team, thank you. We lean on our people very hard during sales season, and their work is a big part of our company’s success.

Interested in a tailored buying plan, a partnership, or pinhooking strategy? Contact us for more information!

Mike McMahon: mike@mcmahonandhill.com

Jamie Hill: jamie@mcmahonandhill.com

Mary Motion: mary@mcmahonandhill.com