Dramatic Turnaround: Dubawi Filly Proves Book 2 Wildcard Star At Tattersalls

Lodge Park Stud produced one of the most unlikely of turnarounds to top Monday's Book 2 session at Tattersalls with their Dubawi (Ire) filly selling to Godolphin for 725,000gns. 

Not because the price wasn't expected as the quality of their offering was never in doubt. But when the filly gave herself a nasty cut en route to Book 1 and was forced to miss that engagement, plans B, C and D whirled through the head of her breeder Damien Burns.

To the delight of Burns, his Dubawi filly out of Galileo (Ire) mare Park Bloom (Ire) proved a model patient and made a swift enough recovery to sell as the sole wildcard on Monday and, in doing so, ended what was a tumultuous few days on a high note. 

Burns explained, “She got on the lorry and she was doing a little bit of jumping round, nothing unusual for any yearling, but the video from the next door stall and our best guess is that her headcollar got caught and she cut her jaw. This happened as they were going down the driveway! She came off the lorry and went back to her stable. She was fine but had a laceration on her jaw.

“We took her down to Fethard [equine hospital], they stitched her up, kept her overnight and she ate up fine. She got back home, and she was back out in her paddock. The Friday before Book 1 we got in touch with Tattersalls and the transporters and said, 'look we think this filly will be okay.”

He added, “The wheels were set in motion to come here for today. A lot of thanks goes to the guys at home. We were over here with Book 1 horses and they did a great job. Thanks also to Tattersalls for accommodating this. I think it helped being a week in front so we had time.

“We discussed everything and waiting for the December Sale was the original thought. It might have also meant us putting a saddle on her, but usually we don't keep them out of young mares as we are a commercial stud. We try to let them get a few foals sold–they are easier to look at when they have paid for themselves!”

Godolphin spent 2.675 million gns on four yearlings by Dubawi during Book 1 and, according to Anthony Stroud, who buys on behalf of the powerful operation among others, Monday's sale-topper stacked up with the best that was on offer here at Tattersalls last week. 

Stroud said, “She moved very well and has a good outlook. Obviously she's by Dubawi, who's an unbelievable stallion. She's bred on a good cross and comes from a very good farm, so we're very lucky to receive her. She compares very favourably with the stock on offer at Book 1, she's a lovely filly. She's very classy.”

He added, “They did very well to get her here this week–there's a scar under her jaw but the vets have clearly done a very good job. She's behaved incredibly well, especially considering she's been through a lot.”

Park Bloom boasts a Book 1 pedigree being a sister to Was, Amhran Na Bhfiann and Douglas MacArthur. She is from a deep family that goes back to Park Express (GB) and New Approach (Ire).

Burns concluded, “She is quite typical of Dubawi, but with a bit more action than some, which she gets from her dam line–that bit of quality. She vetted very well–the family does tend to vet well, I don't know why, those hidden genetics you can't see!

“The family has been very good to us. The Night Of Thunder [Lot 129 in Book 1] who sold for 400,000gns is from another branch. We have Park Bloom, Stellar Glow and a Dark Angel four-year-old filly called Express Way who won her sole start. She is in foal to Night Of Thunder. Park Bloom has a Wootton Bassett on the ground and is in foal to Baaeed.”

'We'd Be Delighted To See Her At Royal Ascot' – That Would Be Amazing

Peter and Michelle Morgan were left thanking their lucky stars for the heavy helping of good fortune involved in selling their homebred Showcasing (GB) filly to Ben McElroy on behalf of Stonestreet Stables for 325,000gns. 

It was at this sale in 2017 where Carmel Stud put So Brave (GB) (Kyllachy {GB}), the dam of the Showcasing filly, on the market. However, the sales experience proved a bit much for So Brave and, after getting herself into a bit of a tizzy, she picked up a minor injury and was led out unsold at 30,000gns. 

The husband-and-wife team at Carmel Stud may not have viewed it as such at the time, but So Brave failing to sell six years ago has worked out to be the best thing for the operation. 

Peter said after Monday's sale, “I've only just stopped shaking! This is the classic case of getting lucky as we brought the dam to the sales a few years ago but she just lost the plot and got injured so we had to withdraw her. 

“We ended up racing her and she won a couple of races. Now, she has turned out to be a beautiful broodmare. If things hadn't gone wrong on that day, and it was a complete disaster at the time, we wouldn't now be in this position. It's a great day. You need luck at times.”

So Brave has already produced the goods for Carmel Stud. Her Havana Grey (GB) filly Queen's Guard (GB) looks a high-class prospect for Michael Bell having been sourced by Joe Foley on behalf of Clipper Logistics for 125,000gns at Book 3 last year. 

Peter continued, “The mare has already produced Queen's Guard, who is in training with Michael Bell. Unfortunately she didn't run in the Lowther because of the ground but she looks a very nice filly for next year. The mare has a lovely Pinatubo (Ire) colt foal at foot and is in foal to Blue Point (Ire).”

Asked if he expected the Showcasing filly to rock into 325,000gns, he replied, “No, absolutely not. She had 15 vets and over 180 shows. She was incredibly busy. She is a lovely model and lots of people liked her but, we're a bit like trainers approaching a race, as the closer we get to a sale, the less confident we are! We thought that she'd make one hundred thousand-plus, but it was certainly a good result. 

“Plenty of really good judges liked her. Ben McElroy bought her on behalf of Stronestreet so we'd be delighted to see her run at Royal Ascot next year–that would be amazing.” 

Monday's result represented one of the biggest Carmel Stud have achieved in the ring and Peter paid special tribute to local stud director Ed Harper of Whitsbury Manor, where Showcasing is based. 

He said, “Whitsbury Manor is our local stud. They are only fifty minutes away. Ed [Harper] has been a great help to us and, without his help, this probably wouldn't have happened today.”

Talking points

  • One of the main takeaways from Book 1 was the strength of the top tier of the market and the patchiness of the middle tiers. With that in mind, there was some justifiable caution leading into the trade at Tattersalls this week but the early signs were positive. Granted the average was bolstered by the Dubawi filly who was initially placed in Book 1, but an aggregate of 18,530,500gns, average of 88,240gns and median of 69,000 bodes well for the rest of the week. A clearance rate of 84% compared to 86% on day one last year provides further encouragement for the week ahead.
  • Anthony Oppenheimer carried on the momentum of a strong Book 1 sale for his Hascombe & Valiant Stud Ltd operation by accounting for the second-highest lot of the day, a Too Darn Hot (GB) colt, who sold to Stroud Coleman Bloodstock 350,000gns. Hascombe & Valiant Stud Ltd sold four horses on Monday for 830,000gns.
  • There is no stopping Alex Elliott. The bloodstock agent spent more than 6 million gns on behalf of some of the biggest names in the game during Book 1. Elliott was busy again on Monday when signing for seven yearlings to the tune of 895,000gns and ended the day as the second busiest buyer.
  • Pinatubo continues to impress. Once again, his yearlings were very well received by the market with Justin Casse, Najd Stud, Ed Sackville, Robson Aguiar and Ben McElroy some of the notable names on the list of buyers of the stallion's progeny. All told, Pinatubo averaged 186,333gns for six yearlings sold on Monday.
  • Book 2 may have been billed as something of 'a bread and butter sale' by Tattersalls' Jason Singh when interviewed on Racing TV over the weekend and, while that is true, there was still plenty of international interest on day one. Along with Najd Stud and Ben McElroy getting in on the action, Nicolas De Watrigant of Mandore International Agency was another interesting buyer. The French-based De Watrigant spent 385,000gns on three yearlings headed by a No Nay Never filly from Watership Down Stud for 260,000gns.

'It's Fun For Sheikha Hissa' – Shadwell Spends Over 500k At Book 2

Shadwell's Angus Gold hinted after signing for a 1.6 million gns Frankel (GB) filly at Book 1 that Sheika Hissa may continue her shopping into this week. 

Well, we didn't have to wait long to find out whether that would come to fruition or not, with Shadwell signing for four yearlings for 665,000gns on day one of Book 2.

The haul was headed by a 230,000gns Night Of Thunder colt who, interestingly, is out of a mare that was dispersed by Shadwell in 2021 for 135,000gns to Blandford Bloodstock. 

“We bought three today, which is great,” Gold said. “We bought an elegant Mohaather (GB) colt for 75,000gns early in the day. Obviously, nobody knows yet about the stallion but I just thought this was a very elegant horse with a lot of scope to him. I don't think he'll be terribly early but I like the look of him.”

He added, “We bought a very nice Galiway (GB) filly that Sheikha Hissa liked very much. We haven't had one of those before but she seemed to have a great attitude. The Night Of Thunder colt is out of Ridaa (Ire) (New Approach {Ire}), who we sold during our dispersal. He's a nice solid horse and looks like a runner.”

It was well-bred fillies that were placed at the top of Shadwell's wish list for Book 1 but the modus operandi on Monday was a simple one; buy racehorses, be that colts or fillies. 

Explaining the brief, Gold continued, “We're mainly buying fillies but, for interest, as Sheikha Hissa is here, we have been showing her a few colts. We bought one colt here last year. He hasn't run yet but Sheikha Hissa said that she'd like to come and look at a few colts this year as well as the fillies. We'll try to cherry pick a few for her to see and she likes to see what the offspring of particular stallions look like. It's fun for her.”

Gold added, “We've had plenty of success from Book 2 and found plenty of good racehorses here. It's not the sort of thing where one can say, 'we'll only buy in Book 1 and leave Book 2 and 3,' because an awful amount of good horses have come out of here. There's a thousand-odd horses so I think this week is much more of a buyers' market. You get to see a good cross-section. It's a good sale to work.”

The Night Of Thunder was consigned by Greyridge Bloodstock, who were getting off to a dream start at Tattersalls. The new consignment is run from Denis and Clare Barry's Wiltshire-based Glebe Farm Stud and is managed by Carwyn Johns. 

“It has gone full circle and this colt has gone home,” Johns said. “He was the big one for us for the year. We bought the mare with Tom Biggs of Blandford Bloodstock.”

Golden touch 

By Georgia Cox

Lot  541

Earthlight (Ire) colt out of One Spirit (Ire) 

Consigned by Ballyhimikin Stud 

Purchased by Qatar Racing, China Horse Club and David Howden 

Out of the Listed winner and Group 3-placed One Spirit (Ire) (Invincible Spirit {Ire}), who is already the dam of Group 3 winner One For Bobby (Ire) Frankel {GB}), this Earthlight colt proved to be well-bought as a foal by Johnny McKeever and Ballyhimikin Stud at the Goffs November Foal Sale. 

The pair turned their initial outlay of €90,000 into 200,000gns on Monday with David Redvers, the China Horse Club and David Howden the winning bidders. 

These same connections have been busy snapping up well-bred colts at the premier yearling sales this year. After a strong Orby Sale, where Redvers revealed that the group were on the hunt for well-bred colts that could one day go to stud depending on what they achieved on the race track, they went on to spend over 1.1 million on three colts at Book 1. 

From the same family as Diktat (GB) and Cape Cross (Ire), the Earthlight colt fits that sort of criteria and was clearly well bought by McKeever and Ballyhimikin Stud as a foal given they more than doubled their money here. 

Buy of the day

Mark and Charlie Johnston are famous for bagging bargains at the yearling sales and they may well have found one in the shape of lot 584, a Saxon Warrior (Jpn) colt out of champion older mare in France, Pride (Fr) (Peintre Celebre). 

Consigned by Ballyhimikin Stud, the Saxon Warrior is a half-brother to six winners, including the smart One Foot In Heaven and Queen.

He looks the type that could develop into a nice three-year-old and has plenty of scope. 

Older mares are not for everyone, and the fact that Pride was 22 when she produced this colt may have resulted in him being a bit of value in the ring. He looks well bought at 100,000gns.

Thought for the day

How early is too early to start blowing up a first season sire? Darley knocked it out of the park with Blue Point this season and the early signs are that Pinatubo is cut from the same cloth. An outstanding racehorse, Pinatubo seems to have really stamped his stock and a lot of the top judges have declared themselves a fan. He could be the real deal.

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Blue Point Breeding Right to be Auctioned by Darley

With Dubawi as its lynchpin, there have of course been plenty of red-letter days for Darley in recent years, but the results from the Arc meeting at Longchamp on Sunday can nevertheless be deemed to be extra special.

Best of all was the victory in the Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe for the unbeaten Ace Impact (Ire), a member of the first crop of Cracksman (GB). That stellar performance was backed up by a first-crop Group 1 winner for Blue Point (Ire), who is leading the first-season sires' table and supplied the Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere winner, Rosallion (Ire), a homebred for Sheikh Mohammed Obaid. Furthermore, the hugely likeable Highfield Princess (Fr) gained yet another Group 1 success in the Prix de l'Abbaye, and the daughter of Night Of Thunder (Ire) could head next to the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita.

“To have three Group 1 winners by the stallions without Dubawi being one of them was new territory for us,” admits Sam Bullard, Darley's director of stallions.

“Ace Impact has been a high-profile 3-year-old through the whole summer. Obviously we were rooting for him and, by God, he was good. I watched it with [Cracksman's breeders] the Oppenheimers and they were so thrilled. It was lovely to see.

“Cracksman was obviously very good, and is the highest-rated son of Frankel, and he has had four 2-year-old winners since Sept. 16, so that is important too. One swallow doesn't make a summer, but there is plenty to back it up. Definitely his best book of mares was in 2023, too.”

With Blue Point out in front on 39 individual winners, he looks unlikely to be caught in the freshman championship, but Darley's Too Darn Hot (GB) has also made an eye-catching start with his first runners, and now has four group winners to his name.

“Too Darn Hot's runners were never going to be precocious but sure enough, once he got to August and September, away he went,” Bullard adds.

“It's been a long time coming but we are so lucky to see this success for sons of Dubawi and Shamardal. Earthlight's yearlings sold well last week in Goffs and we have Pinatubo's first yearlings here as well, and Ghaiyyath.

“It's been great to see both Dubawi and Shamardal do well for other studs too, with Lope De Vega, and Zarak for the Aga Khan. There are plenty of them and I think that's what really excites our principal, the idea that he's got horses who really are breed-shaping, who are making a difference to the long term of the breed. That really gives him a buzz.”

On the back of Blue Point's success this year, Darley will soon launch a “ground-breaking” feature on its website which will facilitate the sale of select breeding rights in its stallions. The project will launch on the weekend of the Darley Dewhurst S., with a breeding right in Blue Point the first to come onto the market.

“We have an auction site on the MyDarley website for any breeders who want to register,” Bullard explains.

“There are no breeding rights in Blue Point at the moment. There will never be more than 30, but we're going to sell one, and if there's a demand, we'll sell more.”

Darley will release further details on this unique feature in the coming weeks.

 

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Mickey Cleere: ‘I Was Never As Nervous – Big Evs Is The Fastest I’ve Ridden’

Top breeze-up handler Mickey Cleere has shared how he breathed a huge sigh of relief after Big Evs (Ire) (Blue Point {Ire}), a horse he describes as the fastest he has ridden, bounced right back to form to run away with the G2 Flying Childers S. at Doncaster. 

That win provided Cleere with an added pep to his step ahead of the Tattersalls Ireland September Yearling Sale, where he picked up the similarly smart juvenile Ballymount Boy (Ire) (Camacho {GB}) for just €8,000, before turning him into a €110,000 breezer some eight months later.

But the Mick Appleby-trained Big Evs is something out of the ordinary in the eyes of Cleere. And that is saying something given the talented operator prepared 2019 G2 Norfolk S. winner A'Ali (Ire) (Society Rock {Ire}) for the breeze-ups on behalf of Star Bloodstock. 

“I've never been as nervous,” an ecstatic Cleere admitted after the race on Friday. “It was such a bad run in the Nunthorpe, I was only hoping that he could bounce back to what I thought he could do, and it's just great that he showed people what he's made of.”

He added, “Big Evs is the fastest horse I have ever been associated with and I breezed A'Ali for Star Bloodstock. It's fantastic to have been involved with a horse as good as him. It's the best feeling in the world. I can't even describe how good it is to have been involved with a two-year-old as good as Big Evs. 

“Everyone is after a Royal Ascot two-year-old these days and it's a dream to have found one. It makes you trust your own judgment. Hopefully it will be good for business as well. We'll find out next year I suppose.”

Cleere's judgment was bang on the money about Ballymount Boy as well. Despite being light on pedigree, the colt was judged to have been such a looker by Cleere that he rolled the dice on him at Tattersalls Ireland almost a year to the day, and it is a decision that has paid off in spades. 

“We're all basically like sheep in the breeze-up game and are following the fashion. At the same time, you are kind of forced to, aren't you? The day you buy is the day you sell,” – Mickey Cleere

From a humble price tag of just €8,000 from Ridge Manor Stud, Ballymount Boy then fetched €110,000 at the Tattersalls Ireland Goresbridge Breeze-Up Sale in the spring to Danny Hussy on behalf of trainer Adrian Keatley. 

The colt was snapped up on the private market by the emerging force of Wathnan Racing in between runner-up efforts in the G2 Richmond S. and the G3 Acomb S. and will bid to further illustrate Cleere's talents at spotting top-class runners when lining out for the G1 Prix Jean-Luc Lagardere at ParisLongchamp.

“I didn't even have Ballymount Boy on the list of horses I wanted to see at the sale last year,” Cleere recalled. “I'd binned him, to be honest, purely because he was by Camacho. They can be hard horses to re-sell in my game. 

“It's completely the wrong way of doing things and I know that. We're all basically like sheep in the breeze-up game and are following the fashion. At the same time, you are kind of forced to, aren't you? The day you buy is the day you sell and you have to be guided by fashion somewhat.”

Cleere added, “One thing I will say about Ballymount Boy is that I went down to look at another horse who was stabled beside him but, when I saw this Camacho colt out showing for a different person, he just caught my eye. I followed him over to his stable door and he was a cracking yearling. 

“I thought he was as good as I saw on the day–a man among boys, really. His pedigree was okay without being savage but I was prepared to go to around €25,000 for him because I liked him so much.”

In many ways, horses like Ballymount Boy capture the philosophy of what Cleere's business model is all about; finding race horses, first and foremost. He has tried following fashion in the past, but to his detriment, and says he is happy to continue to ply his trade as he feels best.”

He explained, “I started out on my own under MC Thoroughbreds in 2019 and I'm trying to go the opposite way to most people by just buying a nice horse, rather than the horses by the nice stallions. 

“I've bought the Kingmans and the ones by fashionable sires and you're just never getting a good enough horse for the money that I want to spend so that's why I am going the other direction now. I'd prefer to forgive the pedigrees a small bit and buy the nicer physicals.”

In Big Evs, Cleere managed to secure a horse by one of the hottest young sires in the business in Blue Point, but the Killenaule man reveals that the speedster required some outside-the-box-thinking at 50,00gns from Houghton Bloodstock at the Tattersalls Book 2 Sale.

Cleere said, “I'd say if Big Evs was a couple of inches bigger I wouldn't have gotten near him. When I bought him, he was handy enough but he was very strong with a good enough walk. For a small horse, he walked like a big horse. He'd have made somewhere between seventy and a hundred grand if he was a bit bigger.”

He added, “I was never so sure about a horse than Big Evs, though, and we got him sold privately without going to any sale. For me, he was quicker than A'Ali, and I was confident of that. I'm just glad he's proving us right.”

With Big Evs and Ballymount Boy among last year's graduates, Cleere could have been forgiven for hitting this year's yearling sales hard. However, he revealed that he has not started shopping yet, and that he plans on adding the first of next year's two-year-olds to the team at Tattersalls Ireland next week. 

He said, “I haven't started shopping yet. I always let them power away early on before jumping in a bit later. I just find it is harder to buy at the earlier sales. There's plenty of early and speedy horses at Fairyhouse and even Book 2 at Tattersalls, so there's no real panic. 

“We hope to get 20 yearlings over the next few weeks and I'm looking forward to Tattersalls Ireland. The place has been very lucky for me. I've bought plenty of winners there and hopefully that continues next week.”

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Two More Million-Dollar Yearlings As Competitive Book 2 Concludes

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued to match the figures from its blockbuster 2022 renewal with colts by Curlin and Not This Time bringing seven figures during a competitive concluding Book 2 section Thursday.

“Today was a very steady, good healthy market,” said Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “We were tracking the median all through the day and it never moved at all. It was very, very steady. Overall, I think people were very happy. I think there was a confidence that, if you brought a product that people really liked, you were going to get well rewarded. There was definitely a lot of trade going on and there was good energy. It wraps up the first week that equates almost identically to last year, which was incredible.”

The two sessions of Book 2 saw 416 head gross $117,375,000 for an average of $282,151 and a median of $225,000.

During the 2022 Book 2 section, 449 yearlings sold for $123,330,000. The book average was $274,677 and the median was $225,000. Eight million-dollar yearlings, including a $1.7-million son of Quality Road, sold during the section.

Through four sessions, 637 horses have sold for $234,300,000. The average is $367,818–up 3.83% from the corresponding 2022 figure–and the median was up 9.09% to $300,000.

Thursday's buy-back rate was 30.77%, up from the 2022 fourth session figure of 28.13%, while the cumulative buy-back rate stands at 28.67%. It was 25.50% at this same point a year ago.

“I think today there was a great energy for the preferred offerings,” said Keeneland Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “The RNAs were a little higher, there is selectivity creeping into the market, but it's still a very healthy robust market with a lot of good trade, a lot of domestic interest.”

Seven horses sold for $1 million or more during Book 2, bringing the total for the four-day auction to 30. That matches the figure from the 2022 and is the most at a September sale since 32 sold for seven figures in 2007.

Bloodstock agent Lauren Carlisle made the highest bid of Thursday's session, going to $1.1 million to acquire a colt by Curlin from the Taylor Made Sales Agency consignment. Earlier in the session, West Point Thoroughbreds and Mike Talla paid $1.05 million from the St George Sales consignment.

Despite the strength at the top of the market, sellers were casting a wary eye at both the buy-back rate and the number of late outs as the September sale marches into its second week.

“I think the market is very good on the top end, you know for very, very top offerings, the market is outstanding,” said Taylor Made's Mark Taylor. “I think in the middle market, we're finding more polarization and the buyers are a little finicky. If there's any vet stuff, that's even a miss at all, people are taking a wait-and-see cautious approach. And that's why I think the buy-back rate is trending a little bit higher throughout the sale. It will be interesting to see what happens in Book 3. Keeneland has done a nice job at pushing better physicals forward into Book 1, and I think in some ways that might have weakened Book 2 physicals a little bit. There might have been some well-pedigreed horses that were average physicals that used to go into Book 1, but now are in Book 2 and I think that Book 3 is going to be really strong physicals at the heart of the middle market and there's going to be more buyers that we haven't even seen. So I expect things to keep kind of just the domino effect going forward with some strength in the market. We'll see, we're not even to half time yet. We still have to see what the market will do the rest of the way.”

Lincoln Collins oversaw a contingent of Woodford Thoroughbred offerings, with the operation selling five of six yearlings during the first four September sessions.

“This is a funny market here,” Collins said. “We've been fortunate so far. That's something of an exception the way it is going at the moment. When you look at the number of horses that aren't selling–when you calculate the buy-backs and the late outs–it's slightly nerve-wracking. It's very much all or nothing. Sometimes even if you have the right horse, it doesn't come out to your expectations.”

With a dark day Friday, the Keeneland September sale continues through Sept. 23 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

$1.1M Curlin Colt Tops Thursday Action

Half way through Thursday's action, Hip 977, a colt by Curlin, reeled in $1.1 million final bid from agent Lauren Carlisle on behalf of an undisclosed client.

“He looks really fast and, hopefully, he proves that,” said Carlisle. “He has a really good walk and looks very athletic. We're looking for a nice two-turn colt. Hopefully, he can be that horse.”

Weighing in on the price, she said, “I was worried that the price would be that high. I did not want it to be but that is how it is right now.”

The Mar. 3 foal is out of GII Lexus Raven Run S. scorer Miss Sunset (Into Mischief), who also finished runner up in the GI Madison S. This family also represents dual graded stakes winner Prayer for Relief.

The colt was bred by Breeze Easy, who purchased the mare for $825,000 at Fasig-Tipton November Sale in 2018.

“He is a very just well balanced colt, and the main thing about him was he was very athletic–he has good angles and is well put together,” said Mark Taylor of Taylor Made Sales, who consigned the colt. “When you see him walk, he just barely hits the ground. He just kind of floated.”

Taylor added, “He is a very nice horse bred by Breeze Easy, which is Mike Hall and his late partner Sam Ross. Sam passed away, so it was a nice tribute to their program. He was well prepped coming into the sale, looked great and really we had the easy part. We just had to show him for a couple days and let him do his thing, and we're very happy with the result.” —@CbossTDN

West Point, Talla Team for Not This Time Colt

Mike Talla and West Point Thoroughbreds partnered up to acquire a Not This Time colt (hip 879) for $1.05 million at Keeneland Thursday. The bay, who was the sixth seven-figure yearling of the auction's Book 2 section, was consigned by St George Sales. He is out of Foreign Affair (Exchange Rate), a half-sister to multiple group winner So Perfect (Scat Daddy), and was bred in Virginia by Audley Farm.

“He's just a beautiful horse,” said West Point's Terry Finley. “[Trainer] John Sadler loved him. John just got here a day and a half ago and this is one of the horses that he put at the top of his list.”

The yearling was the fourth seven-figure purchase of the four-day auction for West Point, which teamed with Chuck Sonson and Woodford on the $3-million sale topper.

“Power of the partnership–it's great to join forces with someone like Mike,” Finley said. “John [Sadler] will train the horse on the West Coast and we think he's a really, really good prospect.”

Hip 879 was the second seven-figure pinhook for Archie and Michelle St George, who teamed with Roger and Tony O'Callaghan to purchase the colt for $375,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale.

“It's a big thrill when it all works out,” Archie St. George said. “It's a big team effort with Roger and Michelle and everyone at the farm. He's just a nice horse. Not This Time continues to go from step to step and he was raised a very nice farm.”

St George continued, “Most importantly, I'd like to thank the buyers, David Ingordo, Terry Finley, John Sadler, and Mike Talla. I hope he goes on and he's a runner.”

During Tuesday's second session of the Keeneland sale, St George sold a colt by Into Mischief (hip 283) for $1.8 million to M V Magnier. That yearling had been purchased for $550,000 at Keeneland last November.

Asked if he came into the auction thinking he might have two seven-figure sales, St George said, “Certainly not. We just got lucky. These yearlings, they have to vet and do all of that. And some years it's good and some years it's not. We are just very fortunate to have a horse like him.” –@JessMartiniTDN

Hip 920 | Keeneland Photo

Omaha Beach Colt brings $950K Day 4

Continuing the successful run for Spendthrift's freshman sire Omaha Beach, Hip 920 went to Jim and Dana Bernhard's Pin Oak Stud for $950,000 during the second day of selling in Book 2.

“Obviously, Omaha Beach is off to a great start at stud with his first crop. I thought he was a beautiful colt,” said Equine Analysis Systems' Matt Weinmann, advisor to the Bernhards. “Every colt that we buy is really nice and well balanced, physically. If he's the real deal, he'll be a nice stallion prospect.”

He continued, “I know being at the 2-year-old sales this year, we saw a lot of Omaha Beaches that we liked, so you know by seeing a lot of good ones out on the sales grounds. It's a little early, but he's had a lot of winners and impressive horses on the track.”

Consigned by Burleson Farms, the Apr. 9 foal is out of the unraced Infraction (Tapit), a daughter of GSW and MGISP Andujar (Quiet American). The 8-year-old mare is a half-sister to SW Marion Ravenwood (A.P. Indy), the dam of champion 3-year-old filly Nest (Curlin) and GI Santa Anita H. winner Idol (Curlin). She is also responsible for stakes winner Lost Ark (Violence).

Weinmann added, “We kind of let our testing procedures do the judging most of the time, but traditionally judging the horse, he had a beautiful great walk and was an outstanding individual.” —@CbossTDN

Nice Guys' Colt Makes Most of Delay

When Lyn Burleson sent a colt by Omaha Beach (hip 920) through the sales ring at Keeneland last November on behalf of Steve Spielman's Nice Guys Stables, the weanling was led out unsold at $175,000. The colt's next trip through the ring, again with Burleson Farms, proved more profitable when he sold for $950,000 to Pin Oak Stud Thursday.

“Before the sale, I didn't expect that, but I knew when he was pretty active today that it was going to be good,” Burleson said of expectations Thursday. “I just didn't know how good. But all of the right people were on him.”

Last November, the colt followed his dam, the unraced Infraction (Tapit), into the ring at Keeneland. The mare, a half-sister to the dam of champion Nest, sold for $600,000 to Steve Young as agent for Ramona Bass.

“We had him in November with the mare and we thought we would sell the foal, but we used the foal to help showcase the mare a little bit,” Burleson said. “We sold the mare and we ended up RNA'ing the colt as a baby.”

“All of the foals that I have seen out of the mare have been late-maturing and that was the case with this foal,” Burleson continued. “Sixty days ago, he was nothing like the horse that he was today. And the 2-year-old was the same. The more time these babies have the better. It just worked out that he peaked at the right time to come to this sale.”

Nice Guys Stables purchased Infraction for $120,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November sale. Her 2-year-old filly Shore War (Omaha Beach) sold for $350,000 at this year's OBS April sale.

“Nice Guy Stables are very loyal clients and very good to deal with and he gets all of the credit,” Burleson said. @JessMartiniTDN

Big Day for Woodslane Led by $700K Curlin

Lauren and Rene Woolcott's Woodslane Farm enjoyed a banner day at Keeneland Thursday, led by Hip 1020, a filly by Curlin that brought $700,000 from Green Lantern Stables and Patrick Masson. The chestnut was consigned by Hidden Brook.

The Mar. 1 foal is out of Prospector's Moon (Malibu Moon), the dam of a pair of winners, including GSP Malibu Curl (Curlin). The 11-year-old mare is a half-sister to Florida Oaks winner Ender's Sister (A.P. Indy), herself the dam of GISW A.P. Indian (Indian Charlie), GSW Tiz Shea D (Tiznow) and GSP Its All Relevant (Hard Spun). Prospector's Moon was a $350,000 purchase by the Woolcotts at this venue in 2013.

Earlier in the session, the couple sold Hip 856, a filly by Ghostzapper, for $550,000. On the day, the Woolcott's sold the pair for gross receipts of $1,250,000 for an average of $625,000.

Legacy Runs Deep $550K Ghostzapper Filly

To say that the Woolcott's have a deep connection with family of Hip 856 would be an understatement. Having already campaigned a Grade I winner out of the mare Dynaire (Dynaformer), Lauren and Rene Woolcott watched as their homebred filly by Ghostzapper realized $550,000 in the ring Thursday. Consigned by agent Hidden Brook, the Apr. 28 foal was purchased by Texan Doug Scharbauer.

“I like this filly a lot,” said Scharbauer, who purchased four yearlings in Book 1, highlighted by a $900,000 Uncle Mo filly. “I thought she might bring closer to $1 million. From now to the end, it's going to get better [for buyers].

Through Book 1 and 2, Scharbauer, whose family is best known for campaigning dual Classic winner and Horse of the Year Alysheba, purchased seven head for $4.3 million, including a grey colt by Tapit (Hip 348, post sale $525,000).

“I really like [the colt],” he affirmed. “This is the most I've ever bought in my life.”

Now 15 years old, Dynaire has already shown she can produce runners with both ability and longevity, as is the case with GI Sword Dancer S. winner Sadler's Joy (Kitten's Joy), who started in 37 starts over six seasons, amassing over $2.6 million in earnings for trainer Tom Albertrani. Coupled with four victories at the graded level, the chestnut also hit the board in an additional five Grade Is.

“He was just a fantastic horse,” said Lauren Woolcott. “He gave 100% every time. If he wasn't getting black-type in a graded race, that was unusual. Unfortunately, distance and turf didn't make him appeal to American farms, so a stud in Turkey was interested in him so he went there.”

For the Woolcotts, Dynaire–a $360,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase in 2009–also produced this season's Kentucky Cup Classic winner Wolfie's Dynaghost (Ghostzapper), an earner of $596,805.

“We bought the mare here as a yearling and put her in pre-training. Since we couldn't race her [because of injury], we sent her to the breeding shed,” she explained.

In his latest start at Kentucky Downs, the 6-year-old won a valuable money allowance Aug. 31. Dynaire is also responsible for the stakes-placed pair of Lunaire (Malibu Moon) and Dyna Passer (Lemon Drop Kid).

“With Wolfie, we tried to develop a more versatile horse. He's not Sadler's Joy but he just delivers,” Woolcott explained.

Currently residing at Hidden Brook, Dynaire has a Munnings colt by her side and is back in foal to Not This Time. Her daughter, Dyna Passer, has a yearling filly by Speightstown (Hip 1685) slated to sell in Book 3 Sunday, also under the Hidden Brook banner. She currently has a filly foal by Munnings in tow.

“It's a business, and we have to generate revenue,” said Woolcott. “It was a hard decision to sell this filly today. We really liked this filly. She obviously has a great pedigree. But we needed to put her out there and see what would happen. We're thrilled because somebody gave a fair price for her. I had a figure in my mind and the buyer agreed. We're very happy.”–@CbossTDN

Steve Young Gets the (Blue) Point

Amongst a sea of Into Mischiefs and Uncle Mos, a filly by Blue Point (GB) (hip 800) was always going to stand out as the only yearling by the European first-crop sire sensation catalogued for the  12-day Keeneland September sale. Consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency as agent for breeder WinStar Farm, the dark bay yearling sold for $400,000 Thursday to the bid of bloodstock agent Steve Young.

Through Howson & Houldsorth Bloodstock, WinStar Farm purchased the unraced Birdwatcher (Uncle Mo), in foal to Blue Point, from the Godolphin draft for 160,000gns ($231,835) at the 2021 Tattersalls July sale.

“We asked Matt Houldsworth to look at Tattersalls for anything of interest with an American slant and he came back with her,” explained WinStar's Elliott Walden.

The mare is out of multiple graded stakes winner Bizzy Caroline (Afleet Alex), a half-sister to champion Lady Eli.

Blue Point, a four-time Group 1 winner, recorded a memorable double at Royal Ascot in 2019 when he won his second G1 King's Stand and returned five days later to win the G1 Diamond Jubilee S.

“Blue Point was an interesting horse because we were at Royal Ascot with Yoshida when he won twice in five days,” Walden said. “So we did have some respect for him. But being his second crop, we didn't know how it would turn out.”

Blue Point, who stands at Kildangan Stud, has gotten off to a flyer with his first crop to hit the track this year. The stallion has already been represented by over 30 winners and four stakes winners.

“We brought the mare back [to the U.S.], we foaled her out here and, since we sell most of them, she was always going to come here [to Keeneland],” said Walden. “It's nice that the stallion has gotten off to such a great start. When you buy those type of mares, you weigh that in on the front end. You're not sure how it's going to work out. We just got lucky that Blue Point is a good stallion.”

Of the yearling, Walden said, “She's always been a really nice filly. She's been one of the best fillies that we had on the farm physically for a long time. She had such a great walk. I was kidding with Steve Young and Ramona Bass that we almost just walked her over from WinStar Farm to Keeneland. She would have done it in four jumps. She has a big, loose walk.”

Young said the sire was just one part of the equation in his decision to bid on the filly.

“He was obviously a tremendous talent for Sheikh Mohammed and I have great respect for Blue Point, but I wouldn't have bought her just on that one piece of the puzzle,” Young said. “I don't think one part of the equation is worth more than any other. I think she was the total package.”

Young continued, “I think some people pigeon hole horses for where they are from as to what they want to do. And that can be right, but it doesn't have to be. If you look at all of those horses that Bull Hancock went and brought to America, they were good horses. They weren't dirt horses when he brought them here, but it worked out that they were.”

Walden said there was plenty of interest in the filly from European buyers at Keeneland before she sold to a domestic buyer.

“I think it's nice that the market is so interwoven and you have European buyers appreciating the American bloodstock and now you have Americans appreciating the European bloodstock,” Walden said. –@JessMartiniTDN

Simple Math With Complexity

In a sale where several of the industry's marquee stallions were firing off cannons balls with a bevy of seven-figure yearlings, others struck a lower key while still offering big rewards for breeders who jumped in to support them early in their stallion career. In that group, Airdrie Stud's Complexity (Maclean's Music), who is represented by his first crop of yearlings in 2023, made a good showing with four yearlings selling through the first two books.

“He was a fast and early horse, and everything you see from the yearlings leads you to believe that the babies will fit that same pattern.” said Airdrie's Bret Jones. “We are thrilled and have been thrilled since the babies have started hitting the ground. He's always been a very popular stallion and we've put a great group together to support him. Those breeders are enjoying the same success we are. These are exciting times.”

Leading the small but select group, Hip 1042, a filly out of Rushin No Blushin (Half Hours), reeled in a $400,000 final bid from Arnmore Thoroughbreds Thursday. Consigned by Paramount Sales, the Feb. 16 foal is a half-sister to GI Champagne S. and GI Allen Jerkens Memorial scorer Jack Christopher (Munnings). Airdrie also sold a pair of fillies by the GI Champagne S. winner–Hip 356 and Hip 951–both for $375,000. The former was secured by Mike Ryan, while the latter was purchased by Thomas Bachman/Fairview LLC.

“The two fillies we sold are as good as anything we have had in the barn,” Jones said. “Both are exceptionally nice. They give you a lot of reason to get excited about next racing season.”

Rounding out the early-book quartet, Hip 769, a half-brother to GI Santa Anita Derby scorer Practical Move (Practical Joke), realized $300,000 straight out of the box Thursday morning.

The foursome generated $1,450,000 in gross receipts, averaging $362,500.

While those numbers are impressive for most stallions, they offer a little extra glitter for a sire that stood for a bargain $12,500 fee in 2023. With a total of 63 still slated to sell as of Thursday afternoon, it appears there are many more bullets left in Complexity's holster at Keeneland.

Jones said, “You love it when your breeders get rewarded and the momentum we have going right now, the breeders with the Complexity's in Book 3 and 4 will get rewarded as well.”–@CbossTDN

Woodford Downsizes

John Sykes's Woodford Thoroughbreds, which closed its Kentucky branch to consolidate operations at its Florida farm in 2018, will now be shutting the Ocala farm and downsizing its commercial broodmare band.

“The farm in Florida is closing down–if anyone wants to buy it, get in touch,” said Woodford advisor Lincoln Collins said with a laugh Thursday at Keeneland. “We are selling 18 mares in November. Not especially because we don't like the mares, but because we've decided we want to keep a band of 20 really nice mares here in Kentucky. We're just downsizing and reorganzing. The mares are boarded at Town and Country, they will be sold probably with similar consignors that we are using now and we will continue with the operation just at a smaller and hopefully at a tighter level.”

Of the decision to downsize, Collins said, “John has been in this a long time. Obviously, he is getting on, but he's still very active. He decided he wanted to continue in the business because he likes it, but on a smaller and on a more selective scale.”

It was recently announced that Woodford trainer and general manager John Gleason would be joining Margaux Farm as farm trainer. Woodford director of sales Beth Bayer has joined Elite Sales, while the farm's director of client relations Shannon Castagnola has been named Airdrie's new director of sales.

“John Gleason, Shannon Castagnola and Beth Bayer have all got new jobs,” Collins said. “They are great people and we are very happy that they are well-settled.” @JessMartiniTDN

The post Two More Million-Dollar Yearlings As Competitive Book 2 Concludes appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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