Constitution Weanlings Lead the Way at KEENOV Monday

Constitution | WinStar photo

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LEXINGTON, KY – Led by a pair of weanlings by Constitution, the first of two Book 5 sessions of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale opened with steady trade Monday in Lexington. For the second day in a row, bloodstock agent Renee Dailey purchased the session's highest-priced weanling, going to $150,000 for a son of Constitution from the James M. Herbener, Jr. consignment. Marette Farrell paid the day's second-highest price when going to $145,000 to acquire a daughter of the WinStar stallion. Sandy Willwerth's Machmer Hall purchased Monday's highest-priced mare, going to $135,000 to acquire Dontwasteurpretty (Unbridled's Song).

In all, 253 head sold Monday for $7,413,700. The session average of $29,303 was down 8.57% from the corresponding 2018 figure of $32,049, while the median rose 10% to $22,000 from $20,000 a year ago. With 75 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 22.87%. It was 25.77% a year ago.

Bloodstock agent Chad Schumer was a prolific buyer Monday at Keeneland, signing for 10 mares, including the $130,000 Fortune Candy (Milwaukee Brew). He was the session's leading buyer by gross at $368,000. Through the first week of the sale, Schumer has purchased 29 head for $1,930,000 and an average of $66,552.

“I think it's typical,” Schumer said of the market as the Keeneland November sale marched through its sixth session Monday. “It's up and down. Sometimes you get in there and you buy something and you are thinking, 'Wow.' I bought an A.P. Indy mare earlier today [Prize Catch (hip 2024)], she had produced a seven-figure yearling, almost a $2-million yearling [Althaaquib (War Front) sold for $1.9 million at the 2016 Keeneland September sale], and she wasn't terribly old [12], and we bought her for $40,000 in foal to Connect. I thought that was just a shocker. It's a mixed sale and I think that is the appeal of it. If you are patient and keep at it, you're going to find things like that.”

The Keeneland November sale continues through Sunday with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

Dailey Strikes Again for Constitution Colt

Bloodstock agent Renee Dailey, active all week purchasing pinhooking prospects for various partnership groups, struck again Monday at Keeneland, acquiring a son of Constitution (hip 2080) for $150,000 from the consignment of James Herbener, Jr.

“We are in pursuit of Constitution foals,” Dailey said, who by the end of the day had signed for four weanlings by the WinStar stallion this week in Lexington. “We are trying to stick to buying colts from here on out. My partners feel very strong about Constitution being the next Into Mischief and I felt like he was the best one I had seen so far.”

The bay colt is out of Spikes (Dixie Union) and is a half-brother to stakes-placed Powerpointer (El Corredor). He was bred by Herbener, and Dr. and Mrs. Patrick Ford.

Dailey, who purchased two weanlings at the Fasig-Tipton November sale, has purchased six weanlings so far at the Keeneland November sale. She acquired the session's top-priced foal Sunday when going to $250,000 for a son of Connect (hip 1735).

Her list of weanlings by Constitution, in addition to hip 2080, includes a filly (hip 1487) for $30,000 at Keeneland and one at Fasig-Tipton (hip 63) for $135,000. Later in Monday's session of the November sale, she signed for another colt by the stallion (hip 2289) at $57,000 on behalf of B & B.

Of the partnership groups she is representing, Dailey said, “I have a lot of different clients and they come together in different ways. We are very liberal with partnering with people. It's a good way to make business and make clients. Carrie and Craig Brogden have been very supportive of me at this sale, as has John Greathouse. We've had a lot of different partners that come from them. I think we're going to have a great group of people next year with these horses and hopefully we're going to have fun at the sales.”

Constitution Filly a Fortunate Alliance

Rusty Roberts, who boards his Kentucky-based mares at Ralph Kinder's Alliance Farm, was able to acquire Red White and Blu (Tiznow), in foal to Constitution, for just $6,500 at this year's Keeneland January sale. The mare's weanling filly by the hot freshman sire (hip 2034) returned to the Keeneland ring Monday and sold for $145,000 to the bid of bloodstock agent Marette Farrell. The dark bay filly was bred by Alliance Bloodstock Agency, which purchased mare and foal privately this spring, and was consigned by Alliance Sales.

“Rusty Roberts is a partner of mine from Oklahoma,” Kinder explained after watching the weanling sell. “Rusty bought the mare and then we made a deal. My daughter [Kathryn Kinder] took the mare and raised the baby and then, after raising the baby for him, he gave us the mare.”

Kinder subsequently put together a partnership to acquire the mare's foal, as well, he said.

Red White and Blu was unplaced in just one start at the track. She is out of Lajitas (Siphon {Brz}), a half-sister to Colonel John.

Asked if he was surprised Roberts was able to get the 7-year-old mare for that $6,500 in January, Kinder said, “I was. Rusty is always looking for a bargain.”

Kinder added of Monday's result, “After this morning and the reaction we had from everybody, I thought she would end up in six figures. I'm tickled pink with that result.”

Red White and Blu is now in foal to Competitive Edge, according to Kinder.

Roberts, meanwhile, may have found his next bargain. The Oklahoma horseman purchased the unraced Musadaqa (Bernardini) (hip 1981), in foal to Tamarkuz, for $4,000 Monday at Keeneland.

Farrell, who signed for the weanling in the name of John Cummins, said the plan was to pinhook the youngster next year.

“We have loved Constitution–all of his babies and 2-year-olds–and this filly was especially athletic,” Farrell said of the purchase. “I liked the family and I liked where she was raised. Collectively, all of our team made the determination this morning that she was the top of our list.”

Farrell, who purchased GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Storm the Court (Court Vision) for $60,000 on behalf of Exline-Border Racing at this year's OBS April sale, admitted she was making her final bid at $145,000.

“I've made that mistake before, walking away from something like this,” she said. “But I believe Constitution will keep going on and I believe in this filly.”

Farrell added with a laugh, “That was my last bid, totally. I was supposed to stop earlier.”

Another Unbridled's Song Mare for Machmer Hall

Sandy Willwerth admitted she and daughter Carrie Brogden have a bit of an addiction for mares by Unbridled's Song and the two horsewomen added another daughter of the late sire to the Machmer Hall broodmare band Monday at Keeneland, purchasing Dontwasteurpretty (hip 2246) for $135,000 from the Taylor Made Sales consignment.

“She is beautiful,” Willwerth said of the mare's appeal. “She was a $500,000 yearling. We have an addiction to Unbridled's Song mares–they've been very good to us. We had a good year and at least it's a tax beneficial thing to do. She is a long-term purchase.”

The 6-year-old Dontwasteurpretty, who sold in foal to Greenpointcrusader, is out of Wonder Lady (Deputy Minister) and she is a half-sister to stakes winner Yes She's a Lady (Yes It's True). Her second dam is Gather the Clan (Ire) (General Assembly), who produced Grade I winner Pure Clan (Pure Prize).

Purchased for $500,000 out of the 2014 Keeneland September Yearling Sale, Dontwasteurpretty was winless in eight starts for St. Elias Stable. She produced a filly by Overanalyze in 2018 and a colt by Greenpointcrusader this year.

Willwerth continued, “We have 120 mares and, of them, I bet you we have 40 Unbridled's Song mares. They are not making any more of them and they haven't been making any more for a long while.”

Schumer Gets in on the Constitution

Bloodstock agent Chad Schumer, who said he thinks there is only upside to Constitution, went to $130,000 to secure Fortune Candy (Milwaukee Brew) in foal to the in-demand freshman sire Monday at Keeneland. Schumer was bidding on behalf of an undisclosed client and the mare is expected to remain in the United States.

“Obviously, it's a very strong cover,” Schumer said. “I think this is probably the deepest group of freshman sires we've seen in a really long time. And, while American Pharoah obviously is the real deal, he got some tremendous mares, and I have great respect for him. I think Constitution is looking like the real deal, too. And to have a stakes-producing mare in foal to him, I think is just a no-brainer.”

The unraced 12-year-old Fortunate Candy (hip 2275) is out of Freedom Come (Lit de Justice) and is a half-sister to graded stakes winner Harlem Rocker (Macho Uno). She is the dam of stakes winner Art G Is Back (Exchange Rate) and was consigned by Buckland Sales.

Schumer also had success selling a Constitution weanling Monday at Keeneland. On behalf of a client, he paid $20,000 to acquire Spinning Time (Giant's Causeway) in foal to the WinStar stallion at Keeneland last November. The mare's Constitution weanling (hip 2081) sold for $80,000 Monday.

“I bought that mare for an American client, paid nothing for the mare last year–it was an in-between year and that's the time, if you like a horse, to gamble–and we bought her for next-to-nothing and got $80,000 today,” Schumer said. “So we're very, very pleased. The Constitution foals are quite hot.”

 

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