by Jessica Martini, Brian DiDonato and Christie DeBernardis
LEXINGTON, Ky – While there were some questions as to how the surprise result of the U.S. presidential election might impact business at the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale, trade remained solid during the second of two Book 1 sessions Wednesday.
“It didn't seem to affect the stock market today, so I don't think it really affected us [either],” Keeneland's Director of Sales Geoffrey Russell said. “I think everybody was concerned, obviously, starting off, because… everybody expected a different result [in the election], but the financial markets obviously didn't have a problem because the Dow [Jones Industrial Average] ended [close to] an all-time high. There were some concerns about exchange rates early, but it changed as the day went on. The dollar's back strong where it belongs, and it didn't seem to stop international buyers today. I think all is well.”
For all of Book 1, 253 head brought a combined $102,919,000. The $406,794 average represented a 4.24% increase from last year's corresponding figure, while the median rose by 13.04% from $230,000 12 months ago to $260,000. The Book 1 RNA rate was 28.73%–up slightly from last year's 27.53%. A total of 18 offerings have reached seven figures at this year's sale, compared to 21 at this point in 2015.
For Wednesday's session, 138 head sold for gross receipts of $52,764,000–good for an average of $382,348 and $260,000 median.
Topping the session, and the sale so far, was 2010 GI Breeders' Cup Ladies' Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song) (hip 336), who went to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm for $3.8 million. Consigned by Eaton Sales, the 10-year-old–a $2.8-million purchase here by Brushwood Stable in 2011–is in foal to Tapit.
It was a strong day for weanlings Wednesday, and a $1.45-million son of War Front led all foals thanks to Coolmore's M.V. Magnier. Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency consigned the colt as hip 408.
“It was a very good sale today; strong across the board–strong for mares, strong for foals,” Russell said. “As we've said in the past, with mixed sales, they vary from year to year. You can't make direct comparisons. Yes, we'd like to have a $6-million mare today [like last year's session and sale-topper Take Charge Brandi {Giant's Causeway}], but we didn't. It was a strong sale from top to bottom.”
SF Bloodstock and Newgate Farm have led all buyers with 11 purchases together for a combined $6.515 million. SF has signed for another eight head for $3.23 million. Reiley McDonald's Eaton Sales leads all consignors in Book 1 with gross receipts of $14.22 million from 25 sold.
Keeneland November continues with the first of two Book 2 sessions Thursday morning starting at 10:00 a.m. For complete results and more, visit keenelandsales.com.
Pope Takes Home the 'Belle' of the Ball
After a prolonged bidding war between Mandy Pope out back and Don Alberto in the pavilion, GI Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic heroine Unrivaled Belle (Unbridled's Song) (hip 336), carrying a foal by leading sire Tapit, topped Book 1 of Keeneland September, selling to the determined Pope for $3.8 million Wednesday.
“I'm done shopping! I am done,” Pope proclaimed as Timber Town's Wayne Sweezey signed the ticket on her behalf. “She is gorgeous. We have good thoughts about her 2-year-old [filly by Tapit]. I'll breed her back to Tapit. What a hell of a racemare!”
The Whisper Hill Farm owner continued, “She's a big-sized mare, rangy, good bone, but not overly huge. I think she is a good fit for Tapit. She was my pick of the sale, so it's very exciting.”
Winner of the GII La Troienne S. and GIII Rampart S. in 2010, Unrivaled Belle scored a career high in that year's Breeders' Cup Ladies Classic and retired in 2011 with a record of 14-6-61 and earnings of $1,854,706. Purchased by Betty Moran's Brushwood Stable for $2.8 million at the 2011 renewal of this auction, the 10-year-old mare's first foal is the now 3-year-old filly Meseika (Medaglia d'Oro), who is still unraced.
Don Alberto went to $400,000 for Unrivaled Belle's juvenile filly Unique Bella (Tapit) as a Keeneland September yearling and she finished second on debut at Santa Anita June 23 for trainer Jerry Hollendorfer. Her most recent produce is a yearling filly by Malibu Moon, who summoned $550,000 at the September sale.
“You never know what they are going to do past $1 million,” consignor Eaton Sales' Reiley McDonald commented. “I thought she'd be above $2 million, but you never want to get too greedy prior to a sale. It was a nice price. Mandy really bought a unique mare. Her 2-year-old daughter by Tapit worked [out of the gate] in [a bullet] 1:11 flat in hand today at Santa Anita. This is a very talented mare and her value could go up from the $3.8 million. We are pleased with it, Mandy's pleased with it, a win-win for everybody.”
Pope was quite active as usual during Book 1, spending a total of $8.15 million for five mares, including one she bought in partnership with Gainesway's Antony Beck during Tuesday's session. Unrivaled Belle, her most expensive purchase of the quintet, was the second mare Pope bought Wednesday, going to $1.05 million earlier in the day for Miss Empire (Empire Maker) (hip 254), who sold in foal to Medaglia d'Oro. Miss Empire is also a Brushwood mare, purchased by the nursery for $625,000 at this sale's 2013 renewal, and was followed into the ring by her first foal, a Tapit filly, who brought $975,000 from Peter Brant's White Birch Farm.
“The market has been unbelievable,” Pope remarked. “I tried to buy some at Fasig [Monday night] and didn't get too far with that. If you want the nice mares and the nice weanlings you have to pay for it right now. That's all there is to it.”
The breeder added, “After last night's election, we hope things continue and our economy moves forward and we will have more money for purses. We hope Trump's a racing man. He's a gambler, so we will have to see if he puts a little investment into the horse industry. I certainly hope so.”
This is not Pope's first time making headlines for spending big money to add top racemares to her broodmare band. Stretching to a record-setting $10 million for Horse of the Year Havre de Grace (Saint Liam) at the 2012 Fasig-Tipton November sale, she went to $4.2 million at the next day's Keeneland November Sale for GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Plum Pretty (Medaglia d'Oro). The Florida-based horsewoman's other notable purchases include two-time champion sprinter Groupie Doll (Bowman's Band), a $3.1 million buy here in 2013; and Group 3 winner Aloof (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), who topped this sale in 2014 at $3.9 million.
Pope offered updates on the produce of her all star broodmare band, the oldest of which are 2-year-olds.
“I have Havre de Grace's 2-year-old filly by Tapit, who had one start and was third,” Pope said. “She should be running again up at Aqueduct and I expect her to do well. Plum Pretty's 2-year-old is a big, growthy colt and he needs extra time, which he is getting. They are all coming along. Groupie's Tapit baby that had all the problems as a little baby is doing great. He is breaking out nice. He is not going to miss a beat I don't think after all that.”
Feathered Sells for a Ton
Having already made an impact during Tuesday's KEENOV opener and at Fasig-Tipton Monday night, Laura Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Equine stretched to $2.35 million to acquire the GSW and MGISP Feathered (Indian Charlie) (hip 420) in foal to War Front Wednesday. The 4-year-old was consigned by Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency.
“I'm still a little shell shocked, but that's ok–I thought we could get her for a little less than that,” Lyon offered. “It's an old Phipps family, graded stakes on dirt and grass, in foal to War Front, beautiful. The only thing she hasn't done yet is produce, but we're counting on that.”
Lyon paid $1.65 million on GSP Whatdreamsrmadeof (Graeme Hall) carrying a full-sibling to MGISW Curalina (Curlin) at Fasig, and has spent a total of $5.625 million on four mares so far across town at Keeneland.
“The ones I want are extremely expensive,” she noted when asked about the November market. “I just hope the foals sell as well as their dams have. I don't think the good ones are cheap.”
A $300,000 OBS March 2-year-old buy by Eclipse Thoroughbred Partners in 2014, Feathered was turned over to Todd Pletcher and hit the board in a pair of Grade I dirt races that fall. She took to the turf at three, stealing Churchill's GIII Edgewood S. before finishing second in the GI American Oaks.
Out of a stakes-placed Dynaformer Mare, Feathered is a granddaughter of MGISW Finder's Fee (Storm Cat) and great granddaughter of GISW Fantastic Find (Mr. Prospector). This is the same family as MGSP Lady Zuzu (Dynaformer), who brought $2.35 at FTKNOV from Wertheimer et Frere.
Former Eclipse colorbearers have been extremely popular this week: the aforementioned Curalina was purchased for $3 million by Shadai Farm Monday, and GI Gamely S. heroine Illuminant (Quality Road) went to SF Bloodstock at the same sale for $900,000. @BDiDonatoTDN
Martin Buying Up Broodmares for 'Chrome'
Perry Martin, the co-breeder of California Chrome (Lucky Pulpit) who has retained a piece of the future Taylor Made Stallion, has been busy in Lexington this week building up a broodmare band to send to the 2014 Horse of the Year and North American all-time leading money earner.
Through Wednesday's second session of Keeneland November, Martin, with the assistance of members of the Taylor Made team, has acquired by himself or in partnership seven horses for a combined $2.105 million.
Among those purchases was Roughing (Eskendereya), a half-sister to GISW Diplomat Lady (Forestry), who cost $500,000. In foal to Uncle Mo, she was consigned by Paramount Sales, Agent XXVI as hip 297. The unraced 4-year-old brought $380,000 in foal to City Zip here some 12 months ago.
Martin later partnered with Vindicate Thoroughbreds on the $560,000 hip 325, a Speightstown 4-year-old half-sister to GISW Marylebone (Unbridled's Song) named Theworldweknow. Consigned by James Keogh's Grovendale, Agent V, Theworldweknow is in foal to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah.
“We've done analysis on the internal, the external, the physical on all the horses whose pedigrees I liked,” Martin, a scientist who operates Martin Testing Laboratories with his wife Denise, said when asked what kind of mates he had been zeroing in on for California Chrome. “The A.P. Indy sire line [of which California Chrome hails from] does well with Storm Cat, Mr. Prospector. I've thrown Cee's Tizzy in there, and have also looked at Unbridled's Song mares.”
Martin sold California Chrome's dam Love That Chase (Not For Love) for $1.9 million in foal to Tapit at Monday evening's Fasig-Tipton November sale, and said he was using those proceeds to buy mares for the dual Classic winner and G1 Dubai World Cup hero.
“I'm going to spend at least how much I sold Love the Chase for… and then I might go a little bit over that,” he revealed part way through Wednesday's session. “Plus I've already bought some [mares privately] in advance. Looking at the prices here, I was wishing I put them in the sale, but we got good deals and we'll stick with them for now.”
Martin also scooped up a $90,000 Tiznow weanling filly (hip 102) Tuesday from the Lane's End draft. The Feb. 15 foal is out of SW/GSP Warm Breeze (Street Sense).
“We bought her for racing–she just caught my eye,” he noted.
Martin said that he had tried to get involved in the Keeneland sales pavilion last year, but that this was his first time making a real splash.
“We were here last September looking at yearlings, and I got outbid on everything,” he recalled. “I'd stop, and they'd go double where I stopped. We figured out that that's probably not for us… It's easier to make money than to spend money, but we're having fun and we're going to continue to enjoy ourselves.”
And how has Martin's superstar runner been doing since his hard-fought second in Saturday's GI Breeders' Cup Classic?
“He's doing great. [Tuesday] was his first day back really galloping. He's doing well–the weight's back already. He's actually two pounds heavier than when he raced, so he's thriving.” @BDiDonatoTDN
Pudycat Joins Mt. Brilliant Band
Ithinkisawapudycat (Bluegrass Cat), dam of GI Spinaway S. winner Sweet Loretta (Tapit), will be joining the broodmare band at Mt. Brilliant Farm after Greg Goodman secured the 7-year-old mare for $2.2 million during Wednesday's second session of the Keeneland November sale.
“We're happy to get her,” Goodman, who was sitting alongside bloodstock agent Marette Farrell during the bidding, said of hip 447. “She is great-looking and she is the dam of a graded stakes horse. We just really liked her. We only had three or four mares that we liked in the sale and she was at the top of our list.”
Ashview Farm, which purchased the mare for $240,000 at the 2012 Keeneland November sale, consigned her Wednesday in foal to Constitution (Tapit).
Sweet Loretta, the mare's first foal, was a $750,000 weanling purchase at the 2014 Keeneland November sale. She reeled off three straight wins to open her career over the summer, winning the GIII Schuylerville S. in July before her dead-heat victory in the Sept. 3 Spinaway.
Ithinkisawapudycat's second foal, a colt by Tapit, sold for $450,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton July sale and Goodman admitted it would be an easy decision on who to send the mare back to in 2017.
“She'll probably go back to Tapit, most likely,” he laughed. “We'll add her to our broodmare band and have some fun.”
Goodman's Mt. Brilliant has had its own success with Tapit this year, having bred GI Belmont S. winner Creator (Tapit).
Of the mare's young multiple Grade I-winning covering sire, Constitution, whose dam Baffled (Distorted Humor) sold for $3.5 million at Monday's Fasig-Tipton November sale, Goodman added, “It's the same bloodline as Tapit. I wish she had been in foal to Tapit, but it is what it is. And we're glad that we got her.” @JessMartiniTDN
Another November Home Run for Ashview
A year ago, the Lyster family's Ashview Farm brought the 8-year-old mare Bella Jolie (Broken Vow) to Keeneland November just days after her first foal Runhappy (Super Saver) had captured the GI Breeders' Cup Sprint. The mare, a $5,000 claim by the Lysters five years before, sold for $1.6 million to Stonestreet Thoroughbred Holdings.
Wednesday at Keeneland, the farm offered Ithinkisawapuddycat (Bluegrass Cat), dam of this year's Grade I-winning juvenile Sweet Loretta (Tapit) who was purchased for $240,000 at the November sale in 2012. The result was another seven-figure sale when Greg Goodman of Mt. Brilliant Farm signed the ticket at $2.2 million.
“It was hard to get a comp because she was seven years old and a Grade I producer and the next youngest mare in either sale was 10 years old as a Grade I producer,” Gray Lyster said of his expectations leading Ithinkisawapuddycat to the sales ring Wednesday. “So we knew we had a really young nice mare. We might have been thinking in the $1.5-million range, but it's been a strong sale at the top level, so I thought it was possible that a nice-looking mare like that could break out. But I wasn't, by any means, expecting that.”
Ashview had already sold a pair of foals co-bred with Colts Neck Stables, out of the mare. Sweet Loretta brought $750,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale and the mare's Tapit yearling brought $450,000 at this year's Fasig-Tipton July sale.
“It's funny,” Lyster admitted. “We thought we overpaid for her when we bought her for $240,000 as a broodmare prospect.”
Asked if Ashview was planning on making these November home runs a yearly occurrence, Lyster laughed, “I hope so. Runhappy's dam was 8-years-old when we sold her last year and she was a Grade I producer and a champion producer. That's our program. We buy young mares and try to give them a good start. And it's worked for us the last few years.”
Ithinkisawapudycat's weanling filly by Street Sense was catalogued to follow her dam into the November sales ring, but was scratched from the auction.
“We never really wanted to bring her here, but you have to nominate Aug. 1 for the November sale, so you don't know how you've sold your yearlings yet,” Lyster explained. “You don't know what's happened the rest of the year. Once we met a certain level, we were comfortable to scratch her. We didn't really want to sell her here, but you'll likely see her next September.” @JessMartiniTDN
A Queen for SF Bloodstock
SF Bloodstock continued its buying spree in Lexington with the $1.7-million purchase of this year's GI Test S. winner Paola Queen (Flatter) Wednesday at Keeneland.
“She was my absolute pick of the day,” SF Bloodstock's Tom Ryan said. “She is just such a beautiful mare.”
Paola Queen, purchased by Grupo 7C Racing Stable for $180,000 at the 2014 Keeneland September sale, was second in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks in April before her determined late-running victory as a 55-1 outsider in the Test. She raced 10 times for Grupo 7C, with two wins and earnings of $431,835.
“It is so impressive to win the Test, Saratoga's premier race,” Ryan continued. “It's seven furlongs on the dirt, we can breed her to anything–how good would she be with Pioneerof the Nile–or maybe she'll go back into training. We'll just put it all together next week and go from there.”
Paola Queen (hip 274) is out of graded stakes placed Kadira (Kafwain), a daughter of multiple graded stakes winner Raw Gold (Rahy) and a half to graded placed Our Channel (English Channel).
The seven-figure sale made sense to Joe Seitz of Brookdale Sales, which consigned the racing/broodmare prospect.
“Judging by how these graded stakes fillies were selling the last couple of days, we weren't surprised by the price,” Seitz said. “It was a great sale, but it wasn't a surprise. What was really great was watching that stretch run when they put it up on the screen–the way she closed and went around horses, it just showed what kind of class she had. So $1.7 million for a horse who won the Test at Saratoga, doesn't sound exorbitant to me.”
Commenting on the state of the broodmare market in Lexington this week, Seitz added, “It appears that, internationally, graded stakes quality is in the highest demand that I remember in a long time. Hopefully that trickles down. I'm really grateful to Tom Ryan and SF Bloodstock and I hope they have a lot of success with her on the racetrack and in the breeding shed.”
Through two sessions of the Keeneland November sale, SF Bloodstock, alone or in partnership with Newgate Stud, has purchased 19 horses for $9,745,000, with Paola Queen the most expensive acquisition so far. The group was responsible for another 12 purchases, including the $1.4-million GI Kentucky Oaks winner Cathryn Sophia (Street Boss), at Monday's Fasig-Tipton November sale. @JessMartiniTDN
Newgate, SF Get Involved in Weanling Market
Australia's Newgate Farm and S.F. Bloodstock continued to acquire high-class pedigrees Wednesday at Keeneland November, and went to $650,000 for a weanling filly by War Front from the immediate family of record-setting Broodmare of the Year Better Than Honour (Deputy Minister). The bay, bred in Kentucky by Barnett Enterprises, is out of G1SP Maryinsky (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), making her a half to European champion 3-year-old filly Peeping Fawn (Danehill) and French Group 1 winner Thewayyouare (Kingmambo). The granddaughter of GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Blush With Pride (Blushing Groom {Fr})–the dam of Better Than Honour–was consigned to the sale by Paramount Sales, Agent IV as hip 248. Her now 2-year-old half-sister by Fastnet Rock (Aus) brought $1 million from Spendthrift Farm at last year's Keeneland September sale.
“It's the best pedigree in the book–it's a global pedigree,” offered Newgate managing director Henry Field. “It doesn't matter if it's in the U.S.A., Japan, Australia, Europe–it's as respected as it comes. She's a nice enough filly who will keep developing. She's a global commodity and she's a very valuable filly in whichever corner of the globe she ends up residing in. Not only is it a famous pedigree here, but it's the Redoute's Choice (Aus) [family]–probably the greatest family in Australia. It's very special to get pedigrees like that in the portfolio.”
Paramount's Pat Costello added, “She's a beautiful filly, obviously from a fantastic family and by one of the greatest sires in the world. We were delighted with the price.”
'Pioneer' the Latest 'Star' for Walden
It's been a stellar week for WinStar Farm, starting with their homebred Tourist (Tiznow)'s win in the GI Breeders' Cup Mile, a race in which Midnight Storm, a GISW son of the farm's Pioneerof the Nile, finished third. Pioneerof the Nile, whose most famous progeny is Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, was also represented at the championships by GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner Classic Empire and continued to make headlines for WinStar in the Keeneland sales ring.
Ten mares sold in foal to Pioneerof the Nile, who was second only to leading sire Tapit on Book 1's list of top covering sires, for a total of $7.92 million with an average of $792,000. Represented by a $600,000 weanling colt in hip 174, he is also the sire of Nile Queen, a half-sister to GI Preakness S. winner and new WinStar stallion Exaggerator (Curlin), who sold for $525,000 in foal to Bernardini.
“It's not American Pharoah, it's the horse,” WinStar CEO Elliott Walden remarked when asked about the 10-year-old stallion's increased appeal. “I think it's funny because this time last year everybody was thinking [Pioneerof the Nile] was a one horse wonder. I think they are starting to realize that he's not. He's had great horses through his crops. From Cairo Prince to American Pharoah to now Classic Empire, he's getting Derby-type horses, so it is really exciting.”
Mares that sold in foal to Pioneerof the Nile, who will stand for $110,000 in 2017, include: GSW Tapicat (Tapit) (hip 85) ($2.2 million), GSP Lassofthemohicans (Indian Charlie) (hip 471) ($1.05 million), GSW and producer Graeme Six (Graeme Hall) (hip 210) ($950,000) and MGISW Evening Jewel (Northern Afleet) (hip 185) ($950,000).
“A lot of our advertising over the last few months is how good the mares are that are in foal to him and I think people are finally starting to realize it,” Walden commented.
Grade I-winning 'TDN Rising Star' Constitution (Tapit) could be the next upcoming star sire for WinStar after Ithinkisawapudycat (Bluegrass Cat) (hip 447), dam of GISW Sweet Loretta (Tapit), sold for $2.2 million carrying one of his first foals. His dam Baffled (Distorted Humor) topped Monday's Fasig-Tipton November sale at $3.5 million and his GSW half-sister Jacaranda (Congrats) summoned $2 million later that evening.
“Constitution has had a great week,” Walden said. “Baffled, his mother, topped the Fasig-Tipton sale and his sister sold well and now this mare. He's got one tomorrow in foal to him that is going to sell well, that is a half-sister to [GISW] Dancing Rags (Union Rags). The nice thing about Constitution is he is a Tapit and a Grade I winner with a great bottom side. He's got a blue-blooded pedigree.”
WinStar's young sire Gemologist has had an outstanding year at stud with GISW Yellow Agate and GSW “TDN Rising Star” Theory in his first crop to hit the track. He was represented by a $260,000 weanling during Book 1 in hip 199.
“He's doing great,” Walden enthused. “We are really happy with him and excited as well.”
Theory lost his undefeated status Saturday when finishing a disappointing 10th in the Juvenile.
“He's doing good,” Walden offered. “He spiked a little temperature Monday. He missed the plane today because of that, so Mike McCarthy is looking after him in California for a week and he is going to travel back next week. I don't know if that had anything to do with how he ran, but it makes you wonder.”
Exaggerator, who will stand for $30,000 in his first year at stud, has been settling in to his new home and Walden reports he is already attracting a lot of interest.
“He's doing good,” Walden remarked. “He's settling in really well and has been well received. Breeders love him because he is so beautiful.”
The farm could have another new stallion for 2017 in Tourist, whose future is still undecided following his defeat of champion Tepin (Bernstein) in the Breeders' Cup. @CDeBernardisTDN
War Front Colt to Coolmore
A colt by War Front attracted a final bid of $1.45 million from Coolmore's M.V. Magnier and was the highest-priced weanling during the first two sessions of the Keeneland November sale. The bay colt, consigned by Hill 'n' Dale and bred by Elevage, is out of Drifting Cube (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}), a full-sister to group winner and 'TDN Rising Star' Rubick (Aus) and from the family of champion Redoute's Choice (Aus). Hill 'n' Dale purchased the mare for $1.018 million out of the 2014 Teeley Assets dispersal at Magic Millions.
“He comes from one of the best Australian families,” Magnier said after signing the ticket on hip 408. “We've had a lot success in the family in the past with Rubick–he was one of the fastest 2-year-olds of his crop down there. It's one of the best Australian families, so hopefully it will work up here.”
Of the weanling, Magnier added, “He is very good moving with a lot of quality. Let's hope he keeps on improving.” @JessMartiniTDN
A Little Down Under in the Bluegrass
With the dispersal of the historic Australian breeding operation of Muzaffar Yaseen's Teeley Assets, the Elevage partnership between Hill 'n' Dale and Glen Hill Farm found a unique opportunity to buy into pedigrees which have been successful on a global scale. From the 2014 dispersal at Magic Millions, Hill 'n' Dale purchased Taste of Heaven (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) for $1.389 million and Drifting Cube (Aus) (Encosta de Lago {Aus}) for $1.018 million. Weanlings out of both mares were on offer at Keeneland Wednesday, with Drifting Cube's weanling colt by War Front (hip 408) bringing a final bid of $1.45 million from M.V. Magnier.
“They have global pedigrees,” Glen Hill's Craig Bernick explained of the mares' appeal. “The horses in those families are recognized everywhere; Redoute's Choice and Manhattan Rain and they go back to the Best in Show family. In this country that is Blush with Pride and Better Than Honour and in Europe it's Peeping Fawn and El Gran Senor. So it's a family that works on all three continents, which is very, very rare.”
Best in Show produced Blush With Pride, the dam of Better Than Honour and Maryinsky (Ire). Taste of Heaven and Drifting Cube both trace back to Best in Show through Teeley's grand producer Shantha's Choice (Aus) (Canny Lad {Aus}), the dam of Redoute's Choice (Aus).
“The first mare, Taste of Heaven (Aus), is the last daughter of Shantha's Choice who is their best mare in recent history, and to have a direct daughter is great,” Bernick said. “The second filly, Drifting Cube, is a full-sister to a horse called Rubick (Aus), who at the time we bought her was the favorite for all their big sprint races, he was the best 2-year-old there. He didn't make it all the way, but he's a stallion at Coolmore now and he's bred 200+ mares each year he's stood there. She's more a physically robust mare, but from the same family.”
Taste of Heaven's weanling filly by Medaglia d'Oro (hip 321) was first through the ring at Keeneland Wednesday, selling for $525,000 to Blue Sky Bloodstock/Aquis Farm.
“The filly was bought by Australian people, so they obviously understand the pedigree and they came a long way to get what they know is quality,” Bernick said.
Both mares are now in foal to Curlin.
“I think people certainly recognize the pedigree and both mares are off to a great start,” Bernick said. “I would expect to do more [buying in Australia], but we'll see.” @JessMartiniTDN
Baccari Strikes for Honor Code Sibling
Horsemen Chris Baccari came out on top of a feverish round of bidding to take home Hip 303, a Tapit weanling half-brother to champion Honor Code (A.P. Indy) for $1.5 million. Well-known as a successful pinhooker, Baccari is unsure whether he will resell or race the colt.
“That's a very, very hard pedigree to get into,” Baccari said after signing the ticket in the pavilion. “I happen to see the horse at the farm, so I had the ability to see what I was going to get into. He is just a very special horse. It is very hard to find that kind of pedigree with that kind of sire power.”
In addition to Honor Code, who took home the Eclipse as top older male after impressive wins in last year's GI Metropolitan H. and GI Whitney S., the son of SW Serena's Cat is also a half to MGSW and GISP Noble Tune (Unbridled's Song).
Dell Ridge Farm, who bred hip 303 in partnership with consignor Hill 'n' Dale Equine Holdings, purchased Serena's Cat, who is back in foal to Tapit, for $1.4 million at the 2003 renewal of this auction. Her first foal to be offered at auction was this colt's full-sister, the now 2-year-old Serena's Harmony, who was this sale's top-priced weanling in 2014 after selling to John Malone's Bridlewood Farm for $3 million. The May foal's now yearling half-brother by War Front summoned $2.6 million from Coolmore's M. V. Magnier in this ring last year.
“I just felt like [hip 303] could have brought a lot more money here,” Baccari remarked of the price. “He is a young foal and he has been here for several days. When I first saw him he was really sharp. I noticed the last two days he showed a little sluggish maybe for some people, but I remembered what he looked like and I said, 'I'm not worried about what I see right now.' If they don't show certain ways for people, especially at the walk–babies can get a little foot sore on this type of material–that's where I get value. I thought if there is ability to get him I am going to try.”
When asked what this price said of the market as a whole, Baccari said, ” It is strong at most spots. This is what I do for a living. I look for weaknesses in the market. Most of the time I come up here and get blown out of the water. I just learned you just have to be ready.”
Though consignor and co-breeder John Sikura also thought the colt would summon a higher price, he was happy with the sale.
“I think the horse was great value to the buyer,” Sikura offered. “It seems the breakout foals are not happening. You can't ever make the marketplace. All you can do is be on top of it. We had a couple high-end foals that didn't sell that we sorted amongst our group. When you have unique, particular high-quality horses, you can afford to value them and stand behind your values which we will. I would have thought coming in there that he would have made more money in the auction ring, but it's in excess of a $1 million for a weanling so that is a great sale. Chris Baccari is a great horsemen. I'm sure he bought him to resell him and that horse has the potential to be a sale topper.”
The Hill 'n' Dale President added, “You can never argue with the market. You bid into it, you set your reserves, you play the market and sometimes you're in agreement with the market and sometimes you have higher opinion. It goes both ways and we live with it up and down. We are happy with the price. We think he brought very good value and hope he can have great success with the horse.” @CDeBernardisTDN
Tapit Filly Causes Confusion at Keeneland
After originally leaving the ring on a final bid of $1 million, Hip 255, a Tapit filly out of Miss Empire (Empire Maker), caused some confusion at Keeneland Wednesday when the final bidder Eugenio Colombo, who did his bidding out back, said he was actually trying to put in a bid of $950,000. Underbidder David Ingordo's bid of $950,000 was taken inside and Colombo was mistakenly taken at a million.
Keeneland originally planned to put the filly back through the ring, but after discussions between the bidders, consignor Eaton Sales' Reiley McDonald and Keeneland representatives, the filly was sold privately to Colombo, who was bidding on behalf of Peter Brant's White Birch Farm, for $975,000.
“Apparently, there were two bidders trying to beat $950,000,” McDonald explained. “They took David Ingordo inside at $950,000 and they took Eugenio Colombo outside at a million when he was actually trying to bid $950,000. The confusion was realized after the hammer went down and we worked it out privately. Eugenio Colombo purchased it.”
As for the price, McDonald remarked, “You never know with a weanling if you will get $1 million. She is a lovely filly. She jumped through all the hoops. It's about where we figured she'd fall.”
Bred in Pennsylvania by Brushwood Stable, Hip 255 is the first foal out of MSW and GISP Miss Empire, who sold to Mandy Pope one hip earlier for $1.05 million carrying a foal by Medaglia d'Oro. Miss Empire is a half-sister to Bordonaro (Memo {Chi}).
“I liked her class,” Colombo said. “She is very well conformed. She is a January foal so she has a good advantage. She is very correct and has all the quality of the Tapits.”
A major player in racing as both a breeder and owner in the 1980s and nineties, Brant campaigned homebred champion sprinter Gulch and was also the co-owner of 1984 GI Kentucky Derby winner Swale. He became the first person to breed a Derby winner and his sire and dam when champion Thunder Gulch (Gulch–Line of Thunder, by Storm Bird) took home the roses in 1995.
Brant, the Chairman and CEO of White Birch Paper and owner of Brant Publications, has been not been very active in the racing industry in recent years, focusing on his other equine-related passion of polo. Founder of the Greenwich Polo Club and co-founder of the Bridgehampton Polo Club, the longtime polo player has begun to refocus on racing, going to $1.1 million for Grade II winner and MGISP Paid Up Subscriber (Candy Ride {Arg}) at Monday's Fasig-Tipton November sale in addition to his weanling purchase.
“Peter decided to slow down on his polo passion,” Colombo remarked. “He has the most successful polo team, not only in America, but worldwide. He's starting to slow down on polo and refocus on his great passion of racing. He was very successful in the eighties and nineties [in racing] and then he decided to focus on playing polo. He has a very ambitious program.” @CDeBernardisTDN
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