Curlin

As most of us can attest from painful experience, this business will always be an exception to the axiom that "a rising tide floats all boats." Even a record, boomtime sale like the one just completed at Keeneland will inevitably have left many a vessel beached or taking on water. As usual, the September Sale extended a wide spectrum even among the losers, never mind between losers and winners, from the single colt that changed hands for as little as $1,000, to the granddaughter of Take Charge Lady who fell...

The Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which surpassed its record gross Thursday with two sessions still to go, concluded its blockbuster 12-day run Saturday in Lexington with increases across the board over its 2023 renewal. In addition to its record gross, the sale produced its highest-ever average and a tied its record median. "The energy here was at times reminiscent of another era," said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. "When we were on inspections earlier this year, we saw quality and consistency among the crop, and it gave us...

7th-CD, $120K, Msw, 2yo, f, 1m, 3:50 p.m. ET. Exiting the chute on debut is CRIMSON SUN (Curlin) for Green Lantern Stables and trainer Eddie Kenneally. Acquired for $700,000 during Keeneland September, the filly is out of the winning Prospector's Moon (Malibu Moon), who Lauren and Rene Woolcott's Woodslane Farm picked up for $350,000 at the same auction back in 2013. The first-time starter counts as siblings full-sister GSP Malibu Curl and half-brother SW Oscar Eclipse (Oscar Performance). Her second dam produced the dam of MGSW Doctor Mounty (Street Sense)...

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis LEXINGTON, Ky - With a pair of seven-figure colts by Nyquist leading the way, trade remained strong straight through the conclusion of Book 2 during the fourth session of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Thursday in Lexington. "It was a great day," said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy at the close of business Thursday evening. "We are very pleased. The median is up 25% for the session over last year, which is a metric that we always use. That shows that it...

by Jessica Martini, Christina Bossinakis & Jill Williams LEXINGTON, KY - Following another day of competitive bidding, the two-session Book 1 section of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale concluded Tuesday with double-digit increases over its 2023 counterpart. A colt by Curlin brought the section's top price when selling for $5 million to Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm. The sale topper was one of four by the Hill 'n' Dale stallion to bring $1 million or more on the day and, with a further 16 yearlings bringing seven figures Tuesday, Book...

A Curlin full-brother to MGISW Clairiere and an Into Mischief half-brother to GISW Girvin (Tale of Ekati)--both Stonestreet-breds--sold in a matter of minutes Tuesday afternoon at the Keeneland September sale for the two highest prices of the day thus far. Causing the biggest stir was hip 347, a Mar. 11-foaled chestnut colt by Curlin out of MGISW Cavorting (Bernardini), brought by Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm for $5 million after a protracted bidding battle. Cavorting has three foals to race: MGISW Clairiere, SW La Crete (Medaglia d'Oro), and MGSP Judge...

With action fast and furious at the Tuesday session of the Keeneland September sale, three yearlings in a matter of four offerings each sold for more than $1 million. The first was hip 283, a Constitution colt out Via Veritas (Street Sense), who hammered to Lee Searing of CRK Stables through Mayberry Farm for $1.2 million. Bred by Runnymede Farm, Peter J. Callahan, Ecurie Loick Fouchet, and Meridian International Sarl, the Mar. 25 colt was consigned by Runnymede Farm LLC, agent. Magna Carta Bloodstock bought his dam for $275,000 at...

A Curlin colt whose fourth dam is the Phipps blue hen Blitey (Riva Ridge) sold for $1.3 million at Tuesday's session of the Keeneland September yearling sale. M V Magnier signed the ticket for Coolmore and White Birch. Consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, where Curlin stands, the Feb.11-foaled colt is the first foal out of GII Adirondack Stakes winner Thoughtfully (Tapit). Through the ring as hip 262, the bay was bred in Kentucky by Hill n Dale Equine Holdings, Inc and Determined Stud.

A half-sister to champion and top young sire Nyquist brought $1.2 million to kick off the second session of the Keeneland September yearling sale early Tuesday afternoon when selling to AMO Racing USA. The chestnut filly, hip 206, is by Curlin and out of the winning Seeking Gabrielle (Forestry). She was consigned by Hinkle Farms, who also bred her. A Feb. 13 foal, she's from the family of GISW Sahara Sky (Pleasant Tap). Hinkle bought her dam for $100,000 at the 2013 Keeneland November sale.

Meet racing's newest millionaire. Raging Sea (Curlin), closing in an all-out stretch drive, just got up to nail pacesetter Idiomatic (Curlin) in the shadow of the wire to win Friday's GI Personal Ensign Stakes at Saratoga. Billed as the renewed rivalry between Idiomatic and her GI Ogden Phipps upsetter Randomized (Nyquist), the Personal Ensign featured four runners from that June 8th race--all four finishing inside the top five and missing only the recently-retired Pretty Mischievous (Into Mischief). In fact, this is a group of fillies and mares who have taken...

TDN's Senior Racing Editor Steve Sherack handicaps Saturday's five Grade I races at Saratoga, headed by the 155th renewal of the Travers. GI Sword Dancer (Race 9) - Can't envision a scenario where the Sword Dancer doesn't go through either of the Godolphin/Charlie Appleby runners Measured Time (GB) (#2) or Silver Knott (GB) (#4), who both enter off impressive graded wins over the Saratoga lawn. Silver Knott is already proven at this 1 1/2-mile trip and has never been in better form, and we still may not have seen the...

Three 'TDN Rising Star' debutants last weekend followed up in graded stakes to confirm their place among the leading juveniles of the summer. Two were by established big guns Uncle Mo and Curlin. But GIII Sorrento Stakes winner Nooni is by a $5,000 Florida rookie who had already that day celebrated his first black-type winner, by nearly five lengths, in his backyard at Gulfstream. That's some day at the office for Win Win Win, and confirms the contrasts emerging from the early skirmishes in the freshman table. Obviously the cavalries...