Horse owner and breeder Mike Repole took to his Repole Stable X social media account on September 12 to demand a thorough investigation, a public explanation, and a corrected record regarding a transaction involving his private purchase of an Uncle Mo filly during the first day of the 2025 Keeneland September Yearling Sale in Lexington, Kentucky.
Repole stated that he was the underbidder at about $800,000 on the filly, listed as Hip 5 and consigned by Scott Mallory acting as an agent for Matt Dorman’s Determined Stud. The filly eventually sold for $900,000, with trainer Cherie DeVaux, acting as an agent, recorded as the buyer.
“Thirty minutes later,” Repole explained, “the consignor offered me the filly for $800,000. I countered with $500,000. They initially declined but soon after accepted.”
Keeneland’s official sale records still show DeVaux as the buyer at $900,000, despite Repole saying Keeneland invoiced him for $500,000 and he requested the official record be updated to reflect the actual private purchase price.
Repole questioned, “Was someone trying to push me to $950,000? How many other reported prices differ from what was truly paid?”
The Paulick Report reached out to Keeneland officials for clarification on why the results were not corrected to reflect the real transaction. They also asked about the identity of the original buyer, who authorized the bid, and why the original sale fell through so quickly.
Gabby Gaudet, Keeneland’s communications director, replied: “Keeneland’s published results reflect what happens in the sales ring, including the hammer price at the conclusion of bidding. This aligns with standard auction practices globally.”
Keeneland does update results for horses that fail to meet reserve prices but are sold privately within a specified timeframe, marking such sales with the price, buyer, and a “post sale” note in the Sale Status column.
According to Keeneland’s Conditions of Sale, all sellers, including their agents (disclosed or undisclosed), have the right to bid during the sale unless otherwise announced. Buyers acknowledge that sellers can set reserve prices not disclosed to purchasers and are permitted to bid on their own entries. Consequently, sales results published by Keeneland may not always represent the true market value, as consignors may inform Keeneland after the sale if horses initially reported as sold were not genuinely sold.
The filly at the center of the controversy, who is by Uncle Mo out of the graded stakes-producing Medaglia d’Oro mare Knarsdale, remains unnamed according to The Jockey Club Registry.
This article was first published by Paulick Report on September 14, 2026, in their News section. To add Paulick Report as a preferred source, click here.
Fan Take: This story highlights potential transparency issues within major horse auctions, which could significantly impact buyer confidence in the sport. For fans and industry insiders alike, ensuring accurate sales records is crucial to maintaining integrity and trust in Thoroughbred racing’s marketplace.
Source: sports.yahoo.com
