By Jessica Martini, Brian DiDonato & Christie DeBernardis
A colt by Scat Daddy (hip 578) earned top billing for the second day in row Wednesday during the middle session of the three-day Book 2, selling to Coolmore's M.V. Magnier for $1.1 million. A son of the late Ashford sire also topped Book 2's opening session Tuesday on a $950,000 bid from bloodstock agent Kerri Radcliffe. There were a total of three seven-figure purchases Wednesday with sons of Quality Road (hip 804) and Orb (hip 844) each bringing $1 million.
A total of 194 yearlings sold Wednesday for a gross of $47,018,000. The average for the session was $242,361 and the median was $180,000, with an RNA rate of 33.33%. Twenty-two youngsters sold for $500,000 or more.
“We had a good day today,” Keeneland's Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell said. “Book 2 started off strong yesterday and continued on today. Having three million-dollar horses was a great bonus. It is also interesting the sires involved, Scat Daddy, Quality Road, Orb. It's good American stock being bought by an international market.”
Throughout the first three sessions, a total of 483 horses have exchanged hands for $149,414,000, with an average of $309,346 and a median of $220,000. The cumulative RNA rate was 33.74%.
There have been 11 horses to reach the million-dollar mark so far in this year's sale compared to nine for the entire 2016 September sale.
Due to the new format, in which Book 1 was taken from three days to one, and Book 2 was expanded from two days to three, stats cannot be compared to last year.
“The way the format is, having the super select Book 1 of 167 horses, those [Book 2] horses were spread out through the three sessions last year, so it is hard to do a comparison study between each session,” Russell said. “I think [the new format] has done what we wanted it to do, and showed the results we hoped and expected to get. The buyers have been very involved all the way through and very engaged. The prices have been very good. So far, so good.”
Buyers and sellers alike are adjusting to the new format and all agree that it does increase the workload on both ends.
“It was a little hectic at first and took the buyers a little time to catch up,” Gainesway's Brian Graves said. “It is a lot of information to absorb, but now that they have gotten caught up, it seems to be going really well to me.”
Indian Creek's Shack Parrish expressed similar sentiments, saying, “The marketplace is good in spots. It has been hard work for buyers to get to barns and it has been a push for us, but we are here to sell.”
SCAT DADDY GIVES ANDERSON FIRST SEVEN-FIGURE SALE
Offspring of Scat Daddy have been red hot at racetracks around the world this year and that success has carried over to the yearling auctions with his final crop making headline after headline. The second session of Keeneland September's Book 2 was no exception as a colt by the late Coolmore sire (hip 578) sold to the operation's M.V. Magnier for $1.1 million, marking the first seven-figure sale for breeder/consignor David Anderson of the Ontario-based Anderson Farms.
“I am more than thrilled,” Anderson said. “This is over the top. It is my first million dollar horse. I couldn't ask for a better home for him. I hope he goes on and does well for the connections. He is going to one of the greatest trainers in the world. It's very emotional for me. I wish my father was here.”
Anderson added, “As the momentum built the last day, there were a lot of the proper players in the game looking at the horse and I felt like the stars were aligned for a big price. I just didn't know how much.”
Magnier was equally happy with his new purchase and felt the big price tag was justified.
“It is a lot of money for a horse, but he is by the right sire that everybody wants, so I supposed he is entitled to make it,” Magnier said. “He looks like he is going to be a fast horse. He is a very good mover, all quality. Mr. Anderson said he is the best horse he ever had on the farm, so let's hope he is right. He will most likely go back to Europe.”
Hip 578 is the first foal out of fellow Anderson homebred Orchard Beach (Tapit), who is a half-sister to GSW Necessary Evil (Harlan's Holiday). Orchard Beach produced a filly by Hard Spun earlier this year.
“He's without a doubt the greatest colt who has ever come off our farm,” Anderson said. “I had many people tell me he was the best Scat Daddy in the sale. Whether that's true or not, I don't know, but we certainly thought so.”
He continued, “I bred him. I bred his mother actually. I still have the mother and I have a half-sister to sell next year. Obviously, I am looking forward to that now.”
Anderson works on a lot of his matings with bloodstock agent Marette Farrell, who recommended mating Orchard Beach to Scat Daddy.
“Marette and I talked about it and she is a real student of pedigrees. She thought right from the get-go the cross with Scat Daddy was really going to work with his mare and obviously it has so far.”
Anderson added, “Scat Daddy has been very good to me. I got on the band wagon late. I have another filly that I bred and sold by him that is with Chad Brown right now, and it looks like she is a very good filly. He's just been a tremendous sire and I think it is evident with the prices of his yearlings.”
A colt by Scat Daddy (hip 506) topped Tuesday's session when selling to Kerri Radcliffe for $950,000 and he was also responsible for a pair of colts that shared top billing at Sunday's Fasig-Tipton Turf Showcase Sale. Through the opening three sessions of the Keeneland September sale, 31 yearlings by Scat Daddy have sold for a total of $11,240,000, putting him third behind Tapit and War Front in the sale's leading sires standings.
“Sadly, as you know, we lost Scat Daddy a couple of years ago,” Magnier said. “He is probably one of the biggest losses we will ever experience, but we are lucky to have [his sons] No Nay Never and Caravaggio to follow in his footsteps. It's a big loss, but that is life, I suppose.” —@CDeBernardisTDN
A FEIN PARTNERSHIP
Shortly after getting outbid on a $1-million Quality Road colt, Eric Fein and team regrouped, joined forces with bloodstock agent Kerri Radcliffe and returned to the sales pavilion to secure a colt by Orb (hip 844) for that same $1 million late in Wednesday's third session of the Keeneland September Sale.
“We keep bidding against each other, we finally decided to bid together,” Fein, who sat alongside Radcliffe and bloodstock advisor Ian Brennan, said. “The high-end horses are all going for a lot of money. It's come down to partnerships, otherwise you're bidding against each other and these horses are bringing crazy amounts. I was underbidder on the Quality Road. I was buying that one on my own and then I found out I was bidding against another friend. It's time to come together and do it together.”
Radcliffe added, “Instead of beating each other up, we might as well be in a partnership together.”
The million-dollar colt, out of stakes-placed Tally Ho Dixie (Dixieland Band), is a half-brother to stakes winner and graded stakes placed Kyriaki (Scat Daddy) and the from the family of Grade I winners Stellar Jayne, Starrer and Star Billing.
“We liked everything about him,” Fein said. “He's going down to Stonestreet and I think we've decided on Todd Pletcher as the trainer.”
Fein, who campaigns GI Champagne S. runner-up Syndergaard (Majesticperfection), has stepped up his presence at the sales over the last year. He purchased a colt by Curlin (hip 45) for $1 million at this summer's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.
The Queens, N.Y. native recently sold his national title insurance company, which he said has left extra time for his racing interests.
“I sold my business, so that helped,” Fein said when asked about his increased participation at the sales. “My children have enough already, so it was time for me to spend some money and enjoy the rest of my life.”
The Orb yearling, bred by Copper Penny Stables, was consigned to the September Sale by Gerry Dilger's Dromoland Farm. Dilger, along with longtime client Barbara Facchino of Barouche Stud, purchased the youngster for $175,000 at last year's Keeneland November Sale.
“I thought he was a very beautiful, really nice baby,” Dilger said. “He was well-grown and strong, a good-moving horse. He just caught my eye right away.”
The dark bay colt continued to improve throughout the winter.
“He just kept growing,” Dilger said. “He did well over the winter months and came into the spring and still had that strength about him.”
Asked if he was expecting the colt to bring seven figures, Dilger said, “No, I wasn't. No way. I'm grateful to the lads on the farm–they did a great job with him. We were just lucky to get him here.”
The colt was the second million-dollar yearling for GI Kentucky Derby winner Orb (Malibu Moon), whose first foals are 2-year-olds this year. Radcliffe purchased a son of the Claiborne stallion (hip 186) for $1 million at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale. Bloodstock agents Alex Solis and Jason Litt paid $1.25 million for a 2-year-old colt by Orb (hip 127) at the OBS March Sale this past spring. @JessMartiniTDN
BRANT AND MAGNIER JOIN FORCES FOR 'QUALITY' COLT
Peter Brant of White Birch Farm and Coolmore's M.V. Magnier joined forces for the second time this week to take home a son of Quality Road (hip 804) for $1 million late in Wednesday's session. The two powerhouse operations also teamed up during Tuesday's session for a $675,000 Uncle Mo colt (hip 236).
“He was one of the nicest colts we saw all week,” said trainer Chad Brown, who signed the ticket on both this colt and the Uncle Mo. “He has a good pedigree and we are happy to get him. He has everything we are looking for.”
Bred by Keats Grove Farm, hip 804 is out of SW Storm Minstrel (Storm Cat), who is a daughter of MGSW and GISP Colonial Minstrel (Pleasant Colony). The breeder acquired the mare for $150,000 carrying a foal by Quality Road as part of the Edward P. Evans dispersal at the 2011 Keeneland November sale, and the resulting foal was MGSW Blofeld.
“He is a really nice horse and was extremely well received,” said consignor Indian Creek's Shack Parrish. “Today he really did everything right. It is above what we were expecting. It exceeded the reserve by a considerable amount. You can look at the produce record and see what a producer [Storm Ministrel] has been at this sale, so it is really nice for [the breeder].”
Hip 804 was the first seven-figure sale for Quality Road, who has been having a career-best year at stud.'TDN Rising Star' Klimt got the ball rolling with wins in last term's GIII Best Pal S. and GI Del Mar Futurity and a second in the GI FrontRunner S. He had another Grade I-winning juvenile in 2016 in Abel Tasman, who is currently leading the 3-year-old filly division after a trio of top level victories in the GI Kentucky Oaks, GI Acorn S. and GI Alabama S. for Hall of Famer Bob Baffert.
The Lane's End resident has had eight individual graded stakes winners in the United States in 2017 at varying distances on both turf and dirt. In addition to Abel Tasman, the stallion was represented by Grade II winners Salty, High Ridge Road, Frank Conversation and Illuminant; and Grade III victors Long Haul Bay, Cowboy Culture and Guest Suite. —@CDeBernardisTDN
HORTON TAKES CHARGE
Willis Horton, who campaigned 2013 champion 3-year-old Will Take Charge, went to $975,000 to take home a colt from the first-crop of the stallion Wednesday at Keeneland. Three Chimneys Farm's Case Clay signed the ticket on Horton's behalf.
“Mr. Horton obviously loves Will Take Charge,” Clay said. “And this colt reminded him a lot of Will Take Charge, so he's excited to have him. He'll go to Steve Asmussen.”
Horton campaigns GII Saratoga Special winner Copper Bullet (More Than Ready) along with Winchell Thoroughbreds and Clay did his bidding sitting alongside Ron Winchell.
Asked if there was another partnership afoot, Clay said, “It's just Mr. Horton at the moment.”
Out of Oblige (Bernardini), hip 564 is a half-brother to this summer's GII Bowling Green S. winner Hunter O'Riley (Tiz Wonderful) and is from the family of graded stakes winners Diplomat Lady and Dream Play.
“He stood like a statue and did everything right throughout the whole process–he checked all the boxes,” Clay said of the colt's appeal.
Will Take Charge, who stands at Three Chimneys for $30,000, has gotten off to a strong start in the sales ring, with colts selling for $500,000 (hip 331) and $400,000 (hip 345) Tuesday at Keeneland after a strong showing at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Yearling Sale.
“I think there is a vote of confidence in the market for him and hopefully he meets those expectations,” Clay said.
The bay yearling was consigned by Elm Tree Farm and was co-bred by Elm Tree, Curt Leake and Bart and Angie Stark. Elm Tree's Jody Huckabay purchased Oblige, with this Will Take Charge foal in utero, for $150,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November Sale.
“Hunter O'Riley had just broken his maiden and we had a partnership put together with some guys. We were just looking for a mare and this one fit the bill,” Huckabay said. “As they say, we were just in the right place at the right time.”
Huckabay, whose Elm Tree commercial broodmare band numbers some 30 head, was impressed by the bay colt from the start.
“We really did know early on that he was special,” he said. “He was a really, really nice animal from the time he hit the ground. And then when Hunter O'Riley won the graded stakes, that was just icing on the cake.”
The yearling's final price far exceeded expectations.
“We were hoping for maybe $400,000 or $500,000. Hoping,” Huckabay admitted. “The reserve was $199,000–when we bring our horses up here, we bring them up to sell them. It was a great day.”
Elm Tree opened Wednesday's third session of the September sale with another big result. On behalf of Stonestreet, the consignment sold a filly by Scat Daddy (hip 514) for $650,000 to trainer Wesley Ward.
“Stonestreet has been very nice to us and let us sell a few horses. Each year we end up hitting a lick with them and that was a very, very nice filly,” Huckabay said. “And we have a couple more coming up.”
Huckabay thinks the September marketplace mirrors the polarization prevalent in the industry recently.
“When you leave the barn, you know whether you have got some people who can play or not,” he said. “If you don't, there is not a whole lot of people to buy. It's very similar to what we've been seeing the last few years. It's about placement. If you guess wrong and have them in the wrong place, you're in trouble. We've got a few who are in trouble, but we've also had a few to bail us out, thank goodness.” @JessMartiniTDN
RUIS GETS HIS 'PIONEER'
Trainer/owner Mick Ruis has long desired a Pioneerof the Nile and he finally got one Wednesday, stretching to $825,000 for a filly (hip 672) by the WinStar sire, who is also responsible for Triple Crown winner American Pharoah and champion Classic Empire.
“We have always wanted to get a Pioneerof the Nile,” Ruis said. “We were only going to go $550,000, but we were only going to go $500,000 for [GI Del Mar Futurity winner] Bolt [d'Oro] (Medaglia d'Oro) and we had to stretch to $630,000 to get to him.”
Consigned by Four Star Sales, hip 672 is the second foal out of MSW and GISP R Gypsy Gold (Bernardini), who was purchased by breeder Goncalo Torrealba's Three Chimneys Farm for $625,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November sale. Her first foal, the now-2-year-old filly Incredible Grace (Medaglia d'Oro), was purchased by bloodstock agent Steve Young for $775,000 on behalf of owner Robert LaPenta at last year's September sale and she is currently in training with Todd Pletcher. The 9-year-old mare is back in foal to Medaglia d'Oro.
A daughter of SW Broadway Gold (Seeking the Gold), R Gypsy Gold is a half-sister to MGSWs Broadway's Alibi (Vindication) and Golden Lad (Medaglia d'Oro). This is also the family of GISW sire Dialed In (Mineshaft).
“She is a good-looking filly,” Ruis said. “I liked that my guys liked her. Ike Green is on my team and Eric Kruljac picked this one out. She is going to go to Montana, where we broke Bolt d'Oro and all of our horses. She will come to California around January.”
Ruis decided to take a break from training in 2008 and entered the construction business with his son, former jockey Mick Ruis, Jr. In 2016, they sold their company American Scaffold and decided to get back into the game, starting with several expensive 2-year-old purchases. One of those was $375,000 OBS April buy Union Strike (Union Rags), who went on to win that year's GI Del Mar Debutante S. (Click here for a feature on Ruis Racing).
Ruis signed for a total of five yearlings during Wednesday's session, taking home a $275,000 Malibu Moon colt (hip 639); $200,000 Candy Ride (Arg) filly (hip 530); a $125,000 daughter of Tiznow (hip 637); and a $50,000 Bodemeister filly (hip 594).
BASS BEGINS TO EARN BACK STANWYCK INVESTMENT
Prominent owner/breeder Ramona Bass spent $2.4 million to acquire Stanwyck (Empire Maker) at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale, and began to make back that investment Wednesday when the well-bred mare's first foal, a War Front colt, garnered a winning bid of $750,000 from Shadwell. Claiborne Farm consigned the Mar. 28 foal as hip 790.
A half-sister to 2005 GI Kentucky Derby upsetter Giacomo (Holy Bull) and to MGISW Tiago (Pleasant Tap), Stanwyck herself annexed Belmont's 2013 GIII Turnback the Alarm H. at 21-1 before finishing third in the following year's GI Santa Margarita S., GI Apple Blossom H. and GI Personal Ensign S.
“I'm really excited, but I loved him–he's special,” said Bass after conferring with Claiborne's Walker Hancock and her bloodstock advisor Steve Young. “It's kind of sad at the same time, but he's going to a great place, so you've got to be happy with that, right?”
When asked what went into the decision to sell, Bass said, “Well, I spent a lot of money on the mare, so I feel like it's important to try to make some of that money back. He's a colt, and I'm kind of a filly gal, so it worked out well. I'm glad that he's going to a good place. It matters to me because I love my horses.”
Stanwyck was barren to Speightstown after producing hip 290, but is in foal to Uncle Mo.
“I didn't know what to expect–this sale is funny, so I'm just thrilled about it,” Bass said of the price, adding, “He's pretty powerful. He's grown a lot in the last month or so, and he's even loved the sale–he's improved every day. He's very sweet. He's a very kind of gentle guy, and I just think he looks very athletic and very strong. I wish [Shadwell] the best and I'm excited for them.”
Sheikh Hamdan's Shadwell Estate Company, Ltd. has taken its usual spot atop the KEESEP buyer's list. Bidding behind closed doors by phone, the Shadwell team has snatched up 15 youngsters so far for $11,375,000. —@BDiDonatoTDN
JUDDMONTE SEEING SHADES OF ARROGATE
Juddmonte Farms gave $560,000 for an Unbridled's Song colt here in 2014 who blossomed into none other than superstar 'TDN Rising Star' Arrogate, and Juddmonte's Garrett O'Rourke sees shades of the $17.3-million earner in hip 820, a son of Curlin who he picked up on behalf of Khalid Abdullah's operation for $725,000 Wednesday.
The son of MSP Sumptuous (Hennessy), herself a daughter of GSW Belle of Perintown (Dehere) and half to GSW Strike It Rich (Unbridled's Song), was consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck's Summerfield on behalf of breeder Stonestreet.
“He's a Classic-looking horse; the type of horse who we like to race and along the lines of Arrogate,” O'Rourke said. “In looking for that type, he fills an awful lot of the categories that we looked for in Arrogate when we were buying him.”
O'Rourke said that Arrogate's trainer Bob Baffert and agent Donato Lanni were instrumental in the selection process.
“They liked him–it was one of those where Bob looked at him and he liked him straight away, and that makes it easy,” he said. “Everyone fell on him. There was no trying to convince anyone about him–he's an easy horse to like. Obviously, [considering] the price we had to pay for him, there were more than us that liked the horse as well, but he's a very good looker and he's a horse that if he reaches the level that his pedigree and looks suggest, he should be a Classic horse.”
Juddmonte grabbed another yearling late in the session–a More Than Ready filly (hip 853) out of a half-sister to Leroidesanimaux (Brz)–for $550,000. She was consigned by her breeder, Shack Parrish's Indian Creek.
“There are horses that, four, five, six years ago would have been in the $300,000 or $400,000 range, but they're making in the $700,000 range,” O'Rourke said of the market. “That's reflective of a strong economy, and it's reflective of a strong industry, which I'm delighted to see. The only time I'm not happy about that is when I have to fight it out with Prince Khalid's money for horses like this.” —@BDiDonatoTDN
WINCHELL AND GAINESWAY SUCCEED WITH BODEMEISTER
Ron Winchell and Gainesway have enjoyed much success together thanks to leading sire Tapit, but Tuesday it was a son of WinStar's Bodemeister (hip 668) who provided the duo with their latest success when selling to Shadwell Estate Company for $700,000. Bloodstock agent Steve Young was the underbidder.
“There were six or seven of the best judges out there on that horse,” Gainesway's Brian Graves said. “He sold well through what we expected, but as we all know Ron Winchell and David Fiske have an excellent reputation for raising horses and I think that gives people confidence. That is why he sold so well.”
Tapit was still involved as the sire of the colt's dam Remit, a MSW Winchell homebred. She is a full-sister to the owner/breeder's MGSW and GISP millionaire Tapiture and GSP Retap.
“He is a very nice colt and we thought he would sell well, so we are happy with it,” Winchell said. “We knew he was very popular, so we knew he would bring a lot, but a lot sometimes means half of what it actually is. I love the family obviously and Bodemeister looks like he is doing great.” —@CDeBernardisTDN
WARD SHOPPING FOR HIS NEXT QUEEN MARY WINNER
If anyone's going to find the 2018 G2 Queen Mary S. winner at this year's September Sale, it's trainer Wesley Ward. He's won the Royal Ascot juvenile fillies dash three times previously, including two with daughters of the late Scat Daddy, so it wasn't surprising to see him holding the $650,000 ticket early in Wednesday's session for hip 514, a bay miss by the late Coolmore resident. The Feb. 29 foal was consigned by Mr. and Mrs. Jody Huckabay's Elm Tree Farm on behalf of her breeder, Barbara Banke's Stonestreet Farm.
Dam Misty Lady (Arg) (Lucky Roberto) was a G1SW in her native country. Stonestreet bred and co-owns brilliant 'TDN Rising Star' Lady Aurelia (Scat Daddy), who aired by seven lengths in the 2016 Queen Mary and added the G1 Darley Prix Morny en route to European champion 2-year-old filly honors. A winner of Keeneland's Giant's Causeway S. and Royal Ascot's G1 King's Stand S., she remains a leading candidate for the GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint despite getting nosed out in York's G1 Nunthorpe S. last month.
“This was my pick of the sale for the Queen Mary,” said Ward of hip 514. “We're looking for a filly who can do that. Dr. Jim and Fitri Hay are the principal owners. I've been speaking with Barbara [Banke] many, many times and I will be shortly again to see if she'll come back in as a partner. I love that filly. For what I have done and hope to do in the future, she'll be at the forefront of everything.”
He added, “To me, again, for the purpose I have her for–that being hopefully to win at Royal Ascot–she was my pick of the sale for that.”
Ward did his bidding alongside close associate and bloodstock agent Gatewood Bell, who purchased and managed another Scat Daddy-sired, Ward-trained Royal Ascot winner in now 3-year-old filly Con Te Partiro. The 'Rising Star' was a stakes winner at Saratoga last season and upended the Sandringham H. in fast-finishing fashion at the 2017 Royal Meeting in June.
“When you're talking about that quality, I knew we'd have to pay dearly for her,” Ward said of the price paid for hip 514. “We're hopefully going to put a nice partnership together for her, hopefully involving the breeder.”
Of the market, he said, “The good ones are selling and should be. There's no better game in the world than horse racing, and if you're going to play at the top level, you have to pay for it–or get lucky. One of the two.” —@BDiDonatoTDN
MORE SUCCESS FOR LAKIN OUT OF FAMILIAR FAMILY
Lewis Lakin's success with the family of hip 638–a relative of his MGISW Pure Clan (Pure Prize)–continued Wednesday afternoon when Godolphin went to $650,000 for the daughter of Orb, who was consigned as property of Lakin's Lakland Farm.
Lakin bred hip 638's dam Pure Indy (Pure Prize), out of an A.P. Indy half to Pure Clan as well as to the dam of Grade I-winning juvenile Sky Diva (Sky Mesa), and sold her for $195,000 at the 2012 Barretts March Sale. A winner for West Point Thoroughbreds–which Lakin has partnered with in the past–Pure Indy was reacquired by Lakin for $70,000 at the 2014 Fasig-Tipton February Sale. Pure Indy's first foal, a Paynter colt, cost $22,000 here last year. She aborted a Summer Front foal earlier this term before being bred back to Competitive Edge.
“[Pure Indy is] very pretty; she looks a lot like Pure Clan,” said Becky Thomas, who in the past partnered with Lakin and his wife Brenda in a major pinhooking and breeding operation and has been Lakin's longtime advisor. “It started when he bought [third dam] Gather the Clan [for $175,000 at the 1992 Keeneland January Sale],” Thomas said. “[Hip 638] was a beautiful colt and we're both big Orb fans.”
Thomas noted that Lakin also bred Golden Orb (Orb), a debut winner for Speedway Stables and Christophe Clement on the Saratoga sod Aug. 6. She has been entered in Sunday's GI Natalma S. at Woodbine. A fellow great granddaughter of Gather the Clan, the half-sister to fleet-footed MGSW Finley'sluckycharm (Twirling Candy) was bought back for $30,000 here 12 months ago, but blossomed into a $320,000 BARMAR juvenile as part of Thomas's Barretts March consignment under her Sequel Bloodstock banner.
“It's just a great family, and we've kept going back to Orb because it looks like he's throwing a lot of turfy type horses,” Thomas said. “It's very exciting.”
Lakin and his family own a large Chicago-based tire recycling company. —@BDiDonatoTDN
SPENDTHRIFT, STARLIGHT PARTNER UP
B. Wayne Hughes's Spendthrift Farm and Starlight Racing teamed up to purchase a colt by First Samurai for $575,000 Wednesday at Keeneland. The chestnut (hip 794), bred and consigned by Arthur Hancock's Stone Farm, is a half-brother to Grade I winner Mastery (Candy Ride {Arg}).
“He is just a really, really nice individual,” said Spendthrift General Manager Ned Toffey, who did his bidding alongside Starlight's Jack Wolf and Frank Brothers. “The fact that he is a half to Mastery is a pretty nice bonus.”
The two operations teamed up during Monday's first session of the September Sale to purchase a Street Sense colt (hip 14) for $700,000.
“We wound up on the same horse a little earlier in the sale and did the same thing here,” Toffey explained of the partnership. “We just happened to land on the same horse. They do a great job and we're happy to be partners with them.”
The yearling is out of Steady Course (Old Trieste). Hancock purchased the mare, in foal to Yes It's True, for $20,000 at the 2009 Keeneland November Sale.
Mastery sold to Cromwell Bloodstock, as agent for Everett Dobson's Cheyenne Stables, for $425,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September Sale. The dark bay colt was unbeaten in four starts, including last year's GI Los Alamitos Futurity and this term's GII San Felipe S. and begins his stud career in 2018 at Claiborne. @JessMartiniTDN
A WEB OF SUCCESS FOR DUIGNAN
Gabriel Duignan enjoyed a successful day at Keeneland Wednesday, as both a breeder and as a pinhooker. A colt by Speightstown (hip 659), consigned by Paramount Sales, attracted a final bid of $535,000 from trainer Ken McPeek as agent for Fern Circle. The yearling is out of the unraced Red Carpet Miss (Malibu Moon), a mare Duignan purchased while she was in foal to Declaration of War for $255,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November Sale. Her Declaration of War colt sold for $400,000 at last year's September Sale.
“She is a beautiful-looking mare, I love Malibu Moon mares,” Duignan, who was instrumental in launching that stallion's career when he was president of Castleton Lyons, said. “It's a nice family and I just loved the mare.”
Red Carpet Miss is a daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Stylish (Thunder Gulch). She produced a filly by Uncle Mo this year and was bred back to American Pharoah.
The Speightstown yearling was co-bred with Crosshaven Bloodstock, Petaluma Bloodstock and Circular Road Breeders.
“Kenny McPeek bought a really nice horse,” Duignan said. “He's just beautiful and a great horse to be around.”
Earlier in Wednesday's session, a son of Kitten's Joy (hip 625) out of Pretty Hard (Rock Hard Ten) sold for $350,000 to the Albaugh Family Stable. Through his Springhouse Farm, Duignan purchased the chestnut for $100,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale.
“He was a very backward foal when I bought him,” Duignan explained. “He's a May foal and he was skinny. But he's done very well. And Kitten's Joy has been having a great year. He just did everything I hoped for and he walked in here a nice horse.”
Of the September market, Duignan said, “It's good. A little selective, but good.” @JessMartiniTDN
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