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Taylor Made’s Stallion Program on the Rise

Since the loss of Taylor Made’s signature stallion Unbridled’s Song seven years ago, the farm has worked to regain its footing in the ever-evolving, ever-competitive business of stallion development. The first step, finding prospective stallions that fit a specific program, often proves to be the most difficult.

“What do you look for in a stallion?” asked Taylor Made’s Frank Taylor. “The one thing we know is nobody knows who is going to be a great stallion. If anybody tells you they do, they’re not telling the truth.”

Ben Taylor, Vice President of Taylor Made Stallions, added that once you find a good fit, the price tag behind the prospect can often make consideration unrealistic.

“We are constantly on the lookout, but the market has been so difficult in the last few years and the competition so fierce,” Ben said. “Everybody seems to be after the same ones and the payouts are just so astronomical that we haven’t been able to get some of the upper-end stallions. So we just pick our spots and try to be ready for opportunity when it presents itself and take advantage of it. We’re trying to get stallions that we believe in and can get behind, but it’s tough. We really needed a horse like Not This Time to come on.”

Not This Time (Giant’s Causeway), currently the leading first-crop sire by winners, has been an up-and-comer to watch all year with his offspring showing his precocity on the track while proving to be increasingly popular at the sales.

“They’re early, I think they’re going to go the distance and they’re running on both surfaces,” Ben said. “He reminds me of Unbridled’s Song in that he’s good-looking, his horses are talented and are all a pretty good size. In fact, I think he may be a little better than Unbridled’s Song from a physical standpoint because he gets the perfect-sized horse. He’s flawless and his babies resemble him.”

Not This Time already has the clout of having sired a GISW in ‘TDN Rising Star’ Princess Noor, who romped to victory in the GI Del Mar Debutante S. earlier this month.

“Princess Noor is unbelievable,” Ben said. “They really haven’t asked her to run yet, so they say, so it’ll be interesting to see what happens going forward. She’s an unbelievable talent for sure.”

Princess Noor takes the GI Del Mar Debutante S. | Benoit

Her sire had shown the same promise as a juvenile under Dale Romans, breaking his maiden by 10 lengths and then taking the GIII Iroquois S. by just under nine. After a close second in the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile, a soft tissue injury forced the son of Giant’s Causeway to end his racing career.

“We’re very lucky to have Not This Time,” Ben admitted. “If he would have gone on and had the opportunity to compete as a 3-year-old, we probably wouldn’t have him.”

In the same year that Taylor Made welcomed Not This Time to their roster, they also added dual GISW Mshawish (Medaglia d’Oro).

“He’s a little bit under the radar, I think,” Ben said. “But he’s had a few horses run really well in major maiden races with quality fields. They’re horses that want to go longer, so a lot of them haven’t started yet, but they’re showing a lot of talent and I think you’re going to see more of them popping up.”

In the class following Not This Time and Mshawish, GISW Midnight Storm’s (Pioneerof the Nile) first yearlings are now hitting the sales ring.

Two Midnight Storm yearlings brought six figures at the Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase, and several dozen youngsters are catalogued to go through the ring in the following days at Keeneland. His headliner at Fasig-Tipton, a colt out of Chickasaw Gal (Indian Charlie), brought $200,000 off a $12,500 stud fee.

“The yearlings that have sold so far have sold well,” Ben said. “From day one, we’ve had reports from people who bred to him say, ‘Hey, I got a great one. I want to breed another mare.’ He’s from a sire line that I’m really excited about and I think is going to make a big impact going forward.”

On September 11, Taylor Made announced a new addition to their roster for 2021 in ‘TDN Rising Star’ Instagrand, a son of top sire Into Mischief who will stand for an initial fee of $7,500.

“I’m very excited about Instagrand because he is a powerful, strong, good-looking horse and he’s by Into Mischief, who is just dominating the business right now,” Frank said. “Instagrand’s first two starts were unbelievable. The greatest stallions, I think, have brilliance.”

A $1.2 million joint sale-topping purchase for Larry Best’s OXO Equine at the 2018 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale, the flashy colt broke his maiden in near record-breaking fashion at Los Alamitos and then took the GII Best Pal S. at Del Mar by over 10 lengths. After a layoff, the sophomore placed in two graded stakes including the GI Santa Anita Derby.

Frank said he believes that one of the keys to Instagrand’s early success at stud will be the support he receives from first-time stallion owner Larry Best.

Instagrand named ‘TDN Rising Star’ after ten-length maiden win | Benoit

“Instagrand has OXO Stallions behind him and Larry is very excited,” he said. “He’s going to support him with a lot of mares, and he’s going to buy his weanlings and yearlings at the sales. So he believes in the horse fully and is going to put his power behind him, which is going to be a great thing for breeders. We think he’s got a really big shot.”

Frank reflected on the eventful season it has been for the Taylor Made Stallions program.

“We’ve been doing it for 20-some years and we’ve had great success. We’ve gotten really lucky and blessed now to have Not This Time and to have Midnight Storm and Mshawish coming up. We’re really excited to add Instagrand to the program.”

Ben agreed that in the game of making stallions, luck is always a major player.

“We’ve been very fortunate to have the success we have had with the limited number of stallions. We’ve had Saint Ballado, Unbridled’s Song and Forestry. Something I always ask to myself is ‘How many times are you going to be lucky?’ And it takes luck to have a stallion reach the top, no matter how good a job you do.”

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Breeders’ Cup Presents Connections: Both Orseno, Imprimis Breathing Easier Ahead Of 2020 Turf Sprint

Though it's been 20 years since Joe Orseno saddled a pair of winners at the Breeders' Cup World Championships, the 64-year-old trainer could be on the cusp of adding another victory to his record this fall at Keeneland.

In 2000, while employed by Stronach Stables, he sent out Macho Uno to win the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Perfect Sting to win the Breeders' Cup Filly & Mare Turf. Last Saturday, the Orseno-trained Imprimis won the $700,000 Turf Sprint at Kentucky Downs, earning an expenses-paid berth in this year's Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint.

“It's a long time between, that's for sure,” Orseno said. “It's just a matter of you have to have the horses; you have to obviously get lucky. I believe you make your own luck in this business with hard work and paying attention. I get the most I can out of my horses, but the ability has to be there.”

Imprimis, a 6-year-old son of Broken Vow, finished sixth in the Turf Sprint in 2019, but Orseno said the gelding is in much better form in 2020. The difference, the trainer explained, can be chalked up to a pair of throat surgeries that have allowed him to breathe in more air during his races.

“I didn't feel like his race in the (2019) Breeders' Cup showed what he was capable of,” explained Orseno. “You know, I was looking at the same horse, his bloodwork was good, he was training the same way he always had. We finally galloped him with an aerodynamic scope because he'd always made a little bit of noise, and we found that he was getting little to no air through his throat. It's just unbelievable what this horse was accomplishing not being able to breathe; he's always trying.”

After the first surgery, Imprimis was better, but he still made a little more noise than Orseno liked when he was training. He decided to scope the horse again and found that one of the structures in Imprimis' throat was still interfering with his breathing.

“We just thought, 'Let's fix it so we have no excuse,'” Orseno said. “The horse didn't owe us anything, but we wanted to give him the best chance for success. The owners (Breeze Easy LLC) are all about the horse, I'm all about the horse, and we weren't trying to make any particular race, so why not fix it.”

It all seems to be going the right way for Imprimis now. The gelding has crossed the wire first in both of his 2020 races thus far, though he was disqualified for interference and placed third in the G3 Troy Stakes at Saratoga last month.

Orseno and daughter at Gulfstream Park (Gulfstream Park photo)

Now, heading into the Breeders' Cup with the potential favorite for the Turf Sprint, Orseno is even more grateful for the horsemanship lessons he learned early on his career; he was taught to always put the horse first, and it's paying off.

A native of Philadelphia, Orseno didn't grow up in a horse racing family. His father enjoyed the racetrack for the gambling opportunities, so Orseno was able to get an up-close look at the horses from an early age, but he didn't start to fall in love with the sport until high school.

“I lived in a town not far from Garden State Park,” he explained. “When I was in high school I had plenty of jobs, and one of them was parking cars across the street from the track. I wound up meeting a lot of owners and trainers and jockeys, just talking to them, and every now and then someone would give me a horse to bet on. I'd put my two dollars on the horse and sometimes it would win, and I just enjoyed seeing the sport from that new angle.”

Orseno's father was a builder who owned his own business, and he'd always imagined they would go into business together when he graduated high school.

“I grew up playing football, basketball, and baseball, so I probably would have gotten into business with Dad,” Orseno said. “But then Dad passed away after high school, so I went to the track full time. I was walking horses on weekends anyway. I did it all on my own, worked hard and learned all I could learn.

“I feel like I came around in a time when the trainer who brought me around, Mickey Crock, was a real horseman. He was a small trainer with about 15 horses from New England, and he went to Garden State in the winter. He was a horseman, he taught me from the ground up what I needed to know.

“There's a lot of trainers in the game now that aren't horsemen. I'm glad I came up the way I did; it allows me to be all about the horses.”

Orseno took out his training license in 1977, and did well during his early years, winning training titles at Atlantic City, Garden State Park and Delaware Park. By 1993, however, he was down to just seven horses at the Meadowlands, and thought he'd have to leave the business.

That's about the time owner Frank Stronach first noticed Orseno and sent him a few horses. By 1998, Stronach had hired Orseno to take over his 40-horse stable entirely.

It was for Stronach that Orseno won those two Breeders' Cup races in 2000. That year, he also saddled upset Preakness Stakes winner Red Bullet, as well as Pimlico Special (then a Grade 1) winner Golden Missile.

In 2002, Orseno reopened his stable to the public. He's sent out at least 30 winners and accumulated over $1 million in earnings almost every year since then, racing mostly out of Florida year-round.

In fact, Imprimis was purchased specifically for that Florida program. The Sunshine State-bred gelding didn't race at all as a 2- or 3-year-old, but won on debut in February of 2018. In his second start, Imprimis won an allowance optional claiming event by 2 3/4 lengths.

Orseno had tried to claim the horse that finished second to Imprimis that day, and took notice of the dark bay's turn of foot. When the chance came up to buy him with Breeze Easy, Orseno was all in. Even he didn't expect the horse to be this good, however.

“When we bought him, we never dreamt he was going to take us to this place and time,” Orseno said. “After his first start for us (a 4 1/4-length allowance win), I told them he might be better than we thought he was.

“He just accelerates at the top of the stretch, just poetry in motion. After that race I sat down with (Breeze Easy owners) Sam Ross and Mike Hall, and I told them, 'He's better than we thought guys, we might have to travel a bit with him.'”

Orseno was right, and Imprimis has taken them on a journey all the way to Royal Ascot: in 2019, the gelding ran a good sixth, beaten just four lengths, in the Group 1 King's Stand Stakes.

“None of us were disappointed, though I think I should have run him in the Diamond Jubilee over six furlongs instead, and we might have been third behind Blue Point,” Orseno said, laughing good-naturedly.

This year, with his breathing fixed and all systems firing toward the Breeders' Cup, Orseno believes he really has a shot to compete with the best of the best at Keeneland.

“He doesn't need his racetrack, and he'll run over just about anything,” the trainer said. “I just have to keep him happy, that's my job now.”

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Irish Yearling Season Begins In Newmarket

The symbiotic relationship between the Irish and British racing and bloodstock industries has never been so evident as it is on Monday as the Irish yearling sale season gets underway at Park Paddocks in Newmarket with the relocated Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale.

As has been the case so far this year with other bloodstock sales and indeed other global industries, expectations have been tempered as travel restrictions and economic woes have understandably had and will continue to have a detrimental effect on the selling of future racehorses. Participants, however, will wholeheartedly agree any trade is better than no trade and in the midst of challenges the bloodstock industry has held up remarkably well.

The team at Tattersalls Ireland have little reason to believe such resilience will desert them over the next few days as they facilitate the selling of a strong book of yearlings, many whose causes have been aided by the exploits of some high-achieving siblings and graduates of this sale, with recent G1 Matron S. winner Champers Elysees (Ire) (Elzaam {Aus}) heading that roll of honour. Simon Kerins, Tattersalls Ireland’s Marketing Director, while mindful of world events, is nevertheless positive in his outlook.

“It’s all systems go and we are very fortunate to be able to relocate the sale to Newmarket,” Kerins said. “The UK is our biggest market for this sale and while it’s disappointing to have to move from Ireland we really had no choice and vendors understand this and have been very flexible and supportive. Park Paddocks is obviously a fantastic facility and having made the decision quite early to relocate we’ve had time to re-do the stabling plan and have everything sorted,” he added.

Kerins continued, “Promoting the sale has had its challenges this year but thankfully a lot of previous graduates have done the talking for us on the track and we’re delighted that there are so many siblings to these high achievers catalogued this week. Speaking to trainers, the majority are committed to buying, some perhaps on a lesser scale but the catalogue is condensed this year so we are optimistic that trade will be at a very respectable level. We are hoping also the change in venue will see us welcoming back some UK buyers who haven’t been to our Fairyhouse complex in a while.

“We are very aware of the challenges people face currently but horse sales have stood the test of time and given the way the industry has coped so far this year, coupled with the strength of the catalogue, gives us all encouragement that we will have a solid, successful sale.”

Last year’s edition of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale has already unearthed the Group 2-winning pair of juvenile fillies Dandalla (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}) and Aloha Star (Ire) (Starspangledbanner {Aus}). Potential buyers can look forward to the chance of buying a half-sibling to each of these fillies this week though no doubt such investors will have to prepare for a larger outlay than the €22,000 and €67,000, respectively, it cost to acquire their illustrious relatives last year. Dandalla’s breeder Robert Norton will offer a Divine Prophet (Aus) half-sister (lot 83) to the G3 Albany S. and G2 Duchess Of Cambridge S. winner through Newtownbarry House Stud, while early in the session Collegelands Stud offers a half-brother to G2 Airlie Stud S. winner Aloha Star by Mastercraftsman (Ire) as lot 4. Both yearlings are out of young mares who have produced a high-class horse early in their breeding career, giving the pedigrees scope for even further improvement in the coming years.

As mentioned above, Johnny Murtagh purchased G1 Coolmore America ‘Justify’ Matron S. winner Champers Elysees (Ire) in this sale two years ago for €28,000 and her dam Le Cuvee (GB) (Mark Of Esteem {Ire}) is represented this time around by lot 222, a colt by red-hot sire Mehmas (Ire). Offered by Beechvale Stud the colt was pinhooked as a foal at Goffs for €19,000 and is likely to show a good profit for connections.

A major pedigree update is something that fuels the dreams of pinhookers and another yearling whose value has increased significantly since being purchased last year is lot 309 from Coole House Farm. The Tamayuz (GB) filly was bought by BBA Ireland for 11,000gns at Tattersalls last year but last month her year-older brother Minzaal (Ire) (Mehmas {Ire}) delivered the mother of all updates when winning the G2 Gimcrack S. at York in impressive fashion. While the breeders of Minzaal and this filly, Ringfort Stud, are missing out on selling the Tamayuz filly, can take solace from the addition of another high-class black type winner to the pedigree of their lot 230. This filly by first-crop sire Galileo Gold (GB) is a half-sister to this month’s G2 Flying Childers S. winner Ubettabelieveit (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) among three other stakes winners so lacks nothing in terms of pedigree.

York’s Ebor meeting also provided a major boost to the prospects of lot 165 from Boherguy Stud. The Jim Bolger-bred Teofilo (Ire) colt already has plenty going for him being a full-brother to G3 Eyrefield S. winner Guaranteed but his 2-year-old full-sibling Gear Up (Ire) added a further touch of class to the page when he won the G3 Acomb S. at York for trainer Mark Johnston.

The updates kept coming for Clare Manning’s Boherguy Stud when her grandfather Jim Bolger’s New Treasure (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}) landed the G3 Heider Family Stables Round Tower S. at The Curragh at odds of 66-1. Manning has the colt’s full-brother catalogued on Tuesday as lot 260.

Fillies by Kingman (GB) could well become collectors’ items in years to come and there are two opportunities in the sale to acquire one. Lot 98 from The Castlebridge Consignment has a pure Juddmonte pedigree hailing from the famous family of Hasili (Ire) (Kahyasi {Ire}) and Intercontinental (GB) (Danehill) and her dam Continental Drift (Smart Strike)’s only runner from two horses of racing age is the promising Ger Lyons-trained Masen (GB) (Kingman {GB}), a debut winner at Leopardstown and group placed subsequently. The other Kingman filly is from Luke Barry’s Manister House Stud and lot 248 is a half-sister to multiple stakes winner Justineo (GB) (Oasis Dream {GB}) from the fast family of Galeota (Ire) (Mujadil).

Yearlings from first-crop stallions can often provide value, especially if the stallion boasts solid credentials. Churchill (Ire) and Caravaggio certainly fall into that category as multiple Group 1 winners with top-class pedigrees to back up their race records. Champion European 2-year-old and dual Guineas winner Churchill has a pair of colts in the sale including lot 57 from The Castlebridge Consignment. This chestnut is out of the stakes performer Blue Angel (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) and is a half-brother to Listed Dee S. winner Viren’s Army (Ire) (Twirling Candy) who topped this sale in 2014 when selling to Peter and Ross Doyle for €115,000.

Joe Hernon’s Castletown Stud offers lot 65, one of three yearlings by G1 Commonwealth Cup winner Caravaggio in the sale. The grey grandson of Scat Daddy is out of the Sadler’s Wells mare Bright Birdie (Ire) who has already produced the multiple stakes winner Flying Fairies (Ire) (Holy Roman Emperor {Ire}).

Nicky Teehan of Bluegate Stud could be in for another good payday courtesy of his former mare Bulrushes (GB). The mare, who Teehan sold privately last year to Al Wasmiyah Farm, has bred three stakes winners, the most recent being Ten Year Ticket (Ire) (Rock Of Gibraltar {Ire}) who carried Teehan’s colours to victory in a listed race at Leopardstown in June before being sold to race in Hong Kong. The mare’s latest offering, lot 72, is a colt by Red Jazz, making him a full-brother to Snazzy Jazzy (Ire), who along with a French Group 3 win also won the valuable Tattersalls Ireland Sales Race in 2017.

Selling gets underway at 11 a.m. on Monday and 10 a.m. on Tuesday with Part II of the sale commencing directly after the main sale finishes on Tuesday. As has been the case for many years all lots catalogued are eligible for the aforementioned €300,000 Tattersalls Ireland Super Auction Sale S. to be run at The Curragh in 12 months’ time.

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Selective Market Prevails as Book 3 Concludes at Keeneland

LEXINGTON, KY – Bidding continued to be solid for the prized lots, but the market was increasingly polarized as the second and final Book 3 session concluded Saturday in Lexington. Trainer Bob Baffert and Donato Lanni purchased the day’s highest-priced offering, going to $450,000 to acquire a colt from the first crop of Unified on behalf of Mike Pegram, Paul Weitman, and Karl Watson.

During Saturday’s session, 239 horses sold for $18,364,200. The average was $76,838 and the median was $52,000. With 110 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 31.52%-the lowest session buy-back rate of the sale so far.

Through the two sessions of Book 3, 439 yearlings sold for $40,167,700. The average was $91,498 and the median was $65,000. Just one horse topped the $500,000 mark–Friday’s session-topping $625,000 son of Into Mischief–during the book.

In the two-session 2019 Book 3 section, 523 yearlings grossed $56,761,500 for an average of $108,531 and a median of $80,000. Five horses sold for $500,000 or over.

“If you have the physical and the vetting and the sire, there is plenty of money here,” said Zach Madden of Buckland Sales. “But if you have one little bit of criteria that you don’t meet what the market perceives as being optimal, it’s really, really sticky. You have to be realistic on reserves and you can’t get too carried away on anything.”

While the auction market has been polarized for several years now, Madden thinks the global pandemic and uncertainty in the economy has widened the gap.

“I think the polarization is definitely accentuated because I just of how cumbersome COVID has made everything–the economy and the whole way people live. Today was a little bit of up and down, but at the end of the day, I still feel like end users are here and I feel like their may be more people in town with the shifts in books. I am still hopeful. We ended up having a pretty good day and my neighbors back at the barn seem to not be dragging their heads too much. Fingers crossed it continues.”

Bloodstock agent Deuce Greathouse signed for six yearlings during Saturday’s session.

“Everybody is getting more selective,” Greathouse said. “You hear the sellers say the middle market is weak and all the buyers say everything they follow up there to buy is hard to buy. I think the ones you like are maybe a hair more reasonable this year. It seems like we’ve got some stuff done, it’s been difficult, but we’ve got some stuff done.”

The Keeneland September sale continues through Friday with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

Unified Colt Scores for Greathouse

Trainer Bob Baffert and bloodstock agent Donato Lanni continued to pluck the top colts from the back show ring Saturday at Keeneland, going to $450,000 to acquire a colt from the first crop of multiple graded stakes winner Unified (Candy Ride {Arg}) from the Four Star Sales consignment.

“I like what I’ve seen by Unified,” Lanni said after signing the ticket on hip hip 1769 in the name of Baffert’s “Three Amigos” clients, Mike Pegram, Paul Weitman, and Karl Watson. “This colt stood out in Book 3. There is still money here for good horses, so we paid more money than we thought. But everybody is here and the good ones cost money.”

The bay colt is out of Fay Na Na (Majestic Warrior), a half-sister to graded placed The Truth and K G (Successful Appeal). He was bred by John Greathouse’s Greathouse Equine and his family’s Glencrest Farm.

“Everything about him is special: his demeanor, the way he looks and the way he walks, his mind,” Greathouse said. “He’s done everything right since he got here. He showed non-stop and has not slowed down or turned a hair. He’s been an absolute champion.”

The Greathouse family’s association with Fay Na Na traces back to the 2012 Keeneland September sale, where she was purchased by David Greathouse and his son Deuce for $90,000. The mare never raced and sold for $1,200 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale.

“My uncle and cousin actually bought the mare as a yearling and I bought her privately off a friend a little bit later on,” Greathouse said. “She’s been nothing but good to me. She’s lived on the farm, my wife and I foaled this colt out. And here we are. This is really special.”

Among those celebrating the outstanding result was the senior John Greathouse, who said he came out to the sale Saturday after his son told him he was expecting big things from the yearling. But, given the uncertain market conditions, the younger Greathouse admitted the colt had exceeded expectations.

“To say I expected that for him would be ridiculous,” he said. “I am thrilled. I am thrilled he’s going to good hands and I am grateful to all the people who liked him.”

Fay Na Na produced a colt by Violence this year.

Maverick Strikes for Violence Colt

WinStar Farm’s Elliott Walden, bidding from the back row of the sales pavilion, went to $410,000 to acquire a colt by Violence for the farm’s Maverick Racing division to lead early returns at Saturday’s sixth session of the Keeneland September sale.

“He’s a beautiful colt,” Walden said after signing the ticket on hip 1694. “He was our favorite horse of the day.”

Violence is having a standout year and added a third 2020 Grade I winner to his resume with recent GI Del Mar Futurity winner Dr. Schivel.

“Wouldn’t be buying him last year, but you’ve got to look at them this year,” Walden said of the stallion.

As the September sale marched into its second week, Walden said, “There are some really good physicals still coming and I’m encouraged with what is in Books 3 and 4.”

Hip 1694, consigned by Hidden Brook, is out of stakes-placed Brinkley (City Zip), a half-sister to graded stakes winner Bound for Nowhere (The Factor). The yearling’s third dam produced sprint champion Midnight Lute. He was bred by Douglas Scharbauer, who purchased Brinkley for $170,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale.

Dobson Over the Moon

Everett Dobson, whose Candy Meadows Sales sold a $775,000 Quality Road colt earlier in the sale, went to $400,000 to acquire a filly by Malibu Moon (hip 1934) from the Warrendale Sales consignment Saturday at Keeneland.

“Everything,” Dobson said with a laugh when asked what he liked about the yearling. “She is just the type that will ultimately hopefully come home to join the broodmare band and make really nice babies. That’s the plan anyway.”

The chestnut filly is out of Rosy Humor (Distorted Humor) and is a full-sister to multiple graded stakes winner Stanford and a half to multiple graded placed Hedge Fund (Super Saver). She was bred by Ron Stolich, who purchased the mare in foal to Orb for $225,000 at the 2017 Keeneland November sale.

Dobson said he is seeing new faces on the grounds as the September sales heads into Book 4.

“There are a fair number of people here today,” he said. “There looks like there is some new money in the house, which is always encouraging in Book 3. You want the new players to come in and it looks like that’s the case. Hopefully it will continue for the next week or so.”

More Candy for The Avengers

The partnership of SF/Starlight/Madaket, nicknamed The Avengers by trainer Bob Baffert, added a third colt by Twirling Candy to its haul at Keeneland September when SF’s Tom Ryan bid $385,000 to acquire hip 1878 from the Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services consignment Saturday.

“He is a lovely colt,” Ryan said. “He could have been in Book 2. He’s a beautiful physical and he’s by a very good stallion. We are excited about this horse.”

Ryan added that he was still finding plenty of competition for the top lots as the Keeneland sale reached its one-week mark.

“I thought that was a strong price for that horse, but he’s a beautiful colt and we are big fans of Twirling Candy,” he said.

The partnership’s other sons of Twirling Candy purchased this week at Keeneland were hip 1878, also purchased for $385,000, and hip 1175, acquired for $130,000.

The yearling, bred by Jeffrey Amling and Merriefield Farm, is out of My Own Story. Campaigned by Diane Perkins’s Wimborne Farm, she is the dam of graded stakes winner Real Story (Fast Bullet) and stakes winner My Afleet (Afleet Alex).

“We had 11 scopes on the horse, so we knew he was really popular, but you never know what they are going to bring. We didn’t think he’d bring that much,” admitted John Stuart of Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services. “You never know until you lead them in there.”

Of the yearling’s placement in Book 3, Stuart added, “He could have been a Book 2, but I’ve taken several out of that mare to the sales before and I’ve never been able to sell one. But now that she’s had two really good horses, it makes a difference. I bought that mare off Mrs. Perkins for about $60,000 off the racetrack. Boy, what a good producer she’s been.”

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