By Bill Finley
When attacking the fall mixed sales, the key to future success lies in the ability to properly measure risk versus reward. That's why the eight-year-old mare Veracity (Distorted Humor), in foal to Justify, figures to bring a healthy sum at the Fasig-Tipton November Night of the Stars Nov. 5. The risk is minimal and the rewards are all but guaranteed.
Veracity has had two foals that have been put up for auction, both fillies by Medaglia d'Oro. This year, her yearling sold for $900,000 at the Saratoga Sale and was purchased by Claiborne Farm. In 2018, Lael Stable spent $1 million on her first yearling, also purchased at Saratoga.
“Her family is very active now,” said consignor Shack Parrish, the president of Indian Creek. “For her first two foals to sell for what they did speaks volumes. She's in foal to Justify, her family is very alive and her first two foals sold for what they did. That makes her the whole package.”
Veracity's third foal is a weanling filly, also by Medaglia d'Oro. Owner Bob Edwards has said he plans on keeping her and racing her.
Edwards's e5 Stable acquired Veracity at Keeneland's January Horses of Racing Age sale, buying her for $460,000. That may seem like a lot to pay for a mare who had only broken her maiden during her racing career, but if you dig just a bit deeper you'll find that she is part of one of the hottest families in racing right now.
Veracity's dam is Yell (A.P. Indy), a multiple graded stakes winner. She is a full-sister to Cheery, who is the dam of multiple Grade I winner Elate (Medaglia d'Oro). She is also a half-sister to the dam Toll (Giants Causeway), who produced Tax, the winner of this year's GIII Withers S. and the GII Jim Dandy S.
At the time Edwards purchased Veracity, all Elate had done was to break her maiden. Subsequent victories by Elate in the 2017 GI Beldame S. and GI Alabama S., plus wins in the GII Delaware Handicap in 2018 and 2019, have left little doubt about the family's potency.
“What Elate has done has certainly helped,” Parrish said. “Elate is probably the best mile-and-a-quarter filly in the country. Tax helps, too. There is so much depth to this horse's pedigree and I think that's the reason why Claiborne went in and bought the second foal.”
Fasig-Tipton President and CEO Boyd Browning said he believed that potential buyers would also appreciate the fact that Veracity's pedigree derives from bloodlines that connect her to Paul Mellon's Rokeby Stables. Glowing Tribute, who is the dam of GI Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero (Polish Navy), who campaigned for Rokeby and trainer Mack Miller, shows up in her pedigree.
“To a pedigree student, Veracity's pedigree exemplifies a commitment to breeding,” he said. “You study her pedigree and the roots go all the way back to Rokeby Stables and Mr. Mellon. And it's hard to imagine a more dedicated breeder in this industry over the last 100 years than Mr. Mellon. Clearly, it produced some very positive results for him. It's the family of his Kentucky Derby winner Sea Hero.”
Parrish underscored the unique opportunity.
“She could be one of the three best mares in foal to Justify and you might not see the others on the market,” Parrish said. “This might be the chance to see something on the market you're not going to see again. It's going to be very interesting to see how that goes.”
Meanwhile, Veracity's two-year-old Medaglia d'Oro filly Correctness is turning in regular five-furlong breezes for trainer Arnaud Delacour and should make her debut any day now. A lot of eyes will be on her when she does.
“She's ready to run,” Delacour said. “She's a nice filly. It took her a while to come along, which, considering the pedigree, is not a surprise. She progressed and improved all summer and is ready. I'm looking for a race for her. I want her to go long on the dirt and when I say long I mean anything at seven furlongs or longer. I definitely like her. She is a quality filly.”
Delacour said that Correctness will likely debut at either Aqueduct or Laurel. It will be close when it comes to whether or not she will race before Veracity is sold Nov. 5.
While a win by Correctness will only make Veracity more valuable, it's hard to imagine anything would put a dent into what is already obvious: this is a mare that will be on many buyers' short list.
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