Tag: bob edwards

$1.7m Three Witches Highlights Book 2 Finale at Keeneland November

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis

LEXINGTON, KY – Three Witches (Into Mischief) provided the highlight of a workaday Book 2 section of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale when selling for $1.7 million Friday in Lexington. Book 2 opened with a uneven session Thursday at Keeneland, but activity was more consistent throughout Friday's Book 2 finale.

“It was a solid day of trade,” said Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “From start to finish, it felt a little more consistent and healthy today. Yesterday was a little bumpy, the clearance rate was a little higher than we probably would have liked, but today was a lot more consistent.”

Through the two Book 2 sessions, 444 horses sold through the ring for a total of $69,520,000. The section's average of $153,599 was down 15.1% from the 2022 Book 2 figure, while the median fell 20%.

“There is certainly a little bit of an adjustment through the marketplace, but I think everyone felt pragmatic about it,” Lacy said. “I think it was an encouraging day. The money is still here for the right horses.”

Consigned by Indian Creek on behalf of Bob Edwards's e Five Racing, Three Witches brought the section's top price when selling for $1.7 million in the name of Rifa Mustang Europe, Ltd.

“Quality mares, young mares, well bred with the right breeding and not overly exposed, were highly desirable,” said Lacy. “I think that's been the consistent theme that we've seen so far. When we saw Three Witches go through for $1.7 million going to a client that is pretty established internationally, that's really encouraging. We are seeing that international investment still here.”

Justify, who had a pair of winners on Breeders' Cup weekend, was represented by the top two weanlings during Friday's session. Paul Sharp went to $525,000 for a daughter of the Triple Crown winner and AAA Thoroughbreds acquired a colt for $425,000.

The Keeneland November sale continues through Nov. 16 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

Three Witches Stars at Keeneland Friday

Three Witches (Into Mischief) (hip 936), just a week removed from a third-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint, became the 12th seven-figure filly of the Keeneland November sale when selling for $1.7 million to the internet bid of Rifa Mustang Europe, Ltd. The 4-year-old is expected to stay in training in the U.S. next year.

“She'll stay here in America and we'll try again on the racetrack,” said Keeneland Australian representative Barry Bowditch. “For a mare that raced five days ago, in one of the strongest Breeders' Cup races of the week, she looked so well and handled the trip back so well. You just feel that the best of her racing is yet to come. It will be great to have a new investor racing horses here in America.”

Bowditch said a trainer is still being discussed for the filly's 2024 campaign.

Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan purchased Three Witches on behalf of Bob Edwards's e Five Racing for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September sale. Trained by Saffie Joseph, the dark bay earned a trip to the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita with a win in the GIII Princess Rooney S. in October.

“It's always a hard decision [to sell] when you have something special that's won a Grade III and you drop her in the Breeders' Cup and, at 30-1, she hits the board,” Edwards said. “We believed in her and Saffie did a phenomenal job suiting her up and getting that Princess Rooney win for us and getting to the Breeders' Cup. That was all Saffie.”

Of the decision to send the graded-stakes winner through the ring at Keeneland, Edwards said, “I have a fair number of mares now. I have graded-stakes-winning mares on the roster and I figured I would move some inventory and see what happens next. We need to make room for up-and-coming stars.”

Edwards admitted Three Witches' $1.7-million price tag was above expectations.

“I was super excited with that result,” he said. “We knew there would be interest, we knew she would be the big horse for today. Keeneland did a phenomenal job. Chip McGaughey and his crew did a great job recruiting her and obviously bringing in the buyers. We were super happy with the job they did and the outcome was phenomenal. I wasn't expecting $1.7 million, but I was very happy to get it.” @JessMartiniTDN

Sharp Splurges for Justify Filly

Paul and Sarah Sharp, sitting in a back row of the sales pavilion, went to $525,000 to acquire a weanling filly by Justify (hip 975) from the Elite consignment Friday at Keeneland. The filly was the day's highest-priced weanling.

“We have been trying to buy really nice horses like that from the beginning of the sale and across town [at Fasig-Tipton] as well,” Paul Sharp said. “It's been really hard.”

Paul Sharp | Keeneland

The bay filly is out of Ada Lovelace (Algorithms), a half-sister to sprint champion Mitole (Eskendereya) and to Grade I winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow).

“That was a legit family and a very athletic, really nice filly by one of the best sires in the world at this time,” Sharp said. “I feel like that justified the price and we are very happy to have her. It was a little higher than we wanted to go, honestly, but we are running out of bullets.”

The weanling was bred by Villa Rosa Stables, which purchased Ada Lovelace for $110,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

“Right now, the plan is to sell her back next summer,” Sharp, who signed for the filly as CSWV, said. “We're not sure where, but that's the plan.”

CSWV purchased another daughter of Justify Friday at Keeneland, going to $290,000 to acquire hip 793 from the Paramount Sales consignment. Through three sessions, the partnership has purchased five weanlings for $1,295,000. @JessMartiniTDN

Justify Colt to AAA Thoroughbreds

Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo's AAA Thoroughbreds, which has been busy buying weanlings from the Fasig-Tipton November sale Tuesday and into the first week of the Keeneland November sale, purchased a colt by Justify (hip 855) for $425,000 Friday in Lexington.

Hip 855 | Keeneland

“He's just a beautiful horse,” said Hartley. “We are big fans of Justify. When Scat Daddy passed away, we never dreamed that we would have another stallion that could replace him, let alone a Triple Crown-winning son of his. We came here in September and tried to buy every one that we could get our hands on. We bought, I think, six of them in September. We came here with the same goal in mind and the [Justify's two winners at the] Breeders' Cup just did it for us. He's the kind of stallion we haven't seen in a long time. I know Gun Runner got off to a really good start, but it looks like Justify is going to follow in the same suit.”

The chestnut colt, consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, is out of Saralin (Curlin), a half-sister to graded winners Salutos Amigos (Salute the Sarge) and Sarah's Secret (Leroidesanimuax {Brz}). He was bred by Orpendale, Chelston, Wynatt, and Kaleem Shah.

Shah and M.V. Magnier purchased Saralin for $1.3 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale. She made just one racetrack appearance and her first foal, another colt by Justify, sold for $300,000 at this year's Keeneland September sale. The mare proceeded her weanling into the ring, selling not mated to Shah for $285,000.

Through three sessions, AAA Thoroughbreds has purchased 14 weanlings for $4,370,000. A filly by Curlin (hip 151) leads the operation's acquistions with a price tag of $550,000. Earlier in Friday's session, it acquired another colt by Justify (hip 812) for $250,000.

“I just had a big order for babies–I needed about 20,” Hartley said. “I buy some for Tom Durant in Texas. He likes buying babies because he feels like he gets a little bit of a discount. This colt might have made $600,000 or $700,000 as a yearling. He feels he can save a little if he can get some nice babies. Some [that we are buying here] will be for pinhooking and some will go to him in Texas.”

Also Friday, AAA Thoroughbreds added to its collection of weanlings by first-crop sire Yaupon. With the addition of a filly (hip 733) for $300,000, the operation has now purchased three weanlings by the Spendthrift stallion for $1.15 million. @JessMartiniTDN

Colt By Nyquist Goes For $385K at KEENOV

With the market continuing to remain competitive for weanlings, a colt by Nyquist (Hip 893) reached $385,000 at Keeneland Friday. Baroda Stud's David Cox signed the ticket on behalf of Goodwill Bloodstock. Hunter Valley Farm consigned the bay colt.

The Feb. 10 foal is out of the Bernardini mare Spa Treatment, a daughter of SW and GISP Silver Knockers (Silver Deputy) and a half-sister to SW Manipulated (Malibu Moon). This is the extended family of Grade I winner Joe's Tammie (Zoning).

“He's a real athlete, a great cross,” said Cox. “Hopefully, he'll be resold [pinhooked] next year. [Nyquist] is proven, and has good runners. We tried to buy a few more, but we got beat plenty, so we're delighted to get him.”–@CbossTDN

Charlatan Colt Brings $370K Early on Day 3

A colt by Charlatan brought $370,000 from Stonestreet Stables during Friday's Book 2 finale at Keeneland. He was consigned as Hip 695 by John Stuart's Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, acting as agent for Merribelle Stable.

Charlatan | Coady

Out of Hillhouse High (Exchange Rate), the Jan. 23 foal hails from the notable Sam-Son Farm family, including Canadian champions Regal Classic, Sky Classic, Classy 'N Smart and Always a Classic.

Headed by this colt, 14 weanlings sold by the sire–with four surpassing the $200,000 mark–through three days of selling at Keeneland. The weanlings grossed $2,810,000, averaging $200,714. Charlatan stands for $50,000 LFSN at Hill 'n' Dale Farms in 2024.

Campaigned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Fred Hertrich, III, John Fielding,

and Golconda Stables, the son of Speightstown was trained by Bob Baffert. The 'TDN Rising Star' won his first four career starts, including the GI Arkansas Derby and GI Runhappy Malibu S. before finishing second in what would be his career finale in the 2021 G1 Saudi Cup.

“Barbara [Banke] owns Charlatan and we still own a good piece of him as a stallion,” said Stonestreet advisor John Moynihan. “She really wanted a nice one, so he was one of the better ones we saw. [Charlatan's] weanlings have been really well received and we're really excited. We bought him to run. Barbara saw him [Thursday] and really liked him. Hopefully, we'll get Charlatan off to a good start.”

Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services has already enjoyed a profitable run in the sales ring this week. Kicking things off with a bang, the operation sold Queen Caroline (Blame) (Hip 171), in foal to Flightline, for $3 million to John Stewart at Fasig-Tipton November Tuesday. And thus far at Keeneland, the consignment also hit a home run, selling Skims (Frankel {GB}) (Hip 125) for $1.8 million to Summer Wind Farm in Book 1. At Keeneland this week, the operation sold five head, grossing $2,437,000 with an average price of $487,400.–@CbossTDN

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$1.7-Million Three Witches Tops Keeneland Friday

Three Witches (Into Mischief) (hip 936), just a week removed from a third-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint, became the 12th seven-figure filly of the Keeneland November sale when selling for $1.7 million to the internet bid of Rifa Mustang Europe, Ltd. The 4-year-old filly is expected to stay in training in the U.S. next year.

“She'll stay here in America and we'll try again on the racetrack,” said Keeneland Australian representative Barry Bowditch. “For a mare that raced five days ago, in one of the strongest Breeders' Cup races of the week, she looked so well and handled the trip back so well. You just feel that the best of her racing is yet to come. It will be great to have a new investor racing horses here in America.”

Bowditch said a trainer is still being discussed for the filly's 2024 campaign.

Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan purchased Three Witches on behalf of Bob Edwards's e Five Racing for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September sale. Trained by Saffie Joseph, the dark bay earned a trip to the Breeders' Cup in Santa Anita with a win in the GIII Princess Rooney S. in October.

“It's always a hard decision [to sell] when you have something special that's won a Grade III and you drop her in the Breeders' Cup and at 30-1 she hits the board,” Edwards said. “We believed in her and Saffie did a phenomenal job suiting her up and getting that Princess Rooney win for us and going to the Breeders' Cup. That was all Saffie.”

Of the decision to send the graded stakes winner through the ring at Keeneland, Edwards said, “I have a fair number of mares now. I have graded-stakes winning mares on the roster and I figured I would move some inventory and see what happens next. We need to make room for up-and-coming stars.”

Of Three Witches' $1.7-million price tag Friday, Edwards said, “I was super excited with that result. We knew there would be interest, we knew she would be the big horse for today. Keeneland did a phenomenal job. Chip McGaughey and his crew did a great job recruiting her and obviously bringing in the buyers. We were super happy with the job they did and the outcome was phenomenal. I wasn't expecting $1.7 million, but I was very happy to get it.”

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Hall of Fame Stakes Part of Big Weekend at the Spa for Bob Edwards

For a man who has been in the racing business for just eight years, Bob Edwards has already enjoyed all the highs one could imagine in the sport; he has won Breeders' Cup races, campaigned champions, and–turning his attention to breeding–he has sold a million-dollar yearling at the boutique Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale. All of those successes will coalesce in the next five days in upstate New York.

At the racetrack Friday, three graduates of Edwards's Fifth Avenue Bloodstock breeding operation will be go postward in the GII National Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame S. Across the street five days later, he will send three yearlings through the ring at the Saratoga sale.

In the Hall of Fame, Bat Flip, a son of Edwards's champion Good Magic, looks for his third straight win in his first start since last November. The colt was sold for $350,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale.

General Jim (Into Mischief), an $850,000 Keeneland September yearling and already winner of the GII Pat Day Mile, returns to the turf following a well-beaten effort in the GI Woody Stephens S.

Of the trio, homebred Carl Spackler (Ire) (Lope de Vega {Ire}) is the only one of the group who will be carrying the colors of Edwards's e Five Racing Thoroughbreds.

“It's pretty impressive, isn't it,” Edwards said of the trio. “It's one thing when you are first starting out and people want to know why somebody who races is selling horses. Obviously, we are selling good horses because we have three in a stakes race. But the breeding pays bills.”

The three graded starters reflect the solid foundation Edwards created along with bloodstock advisor Mike Ryan when he first started buying horses in 2015.

“Mike Ryan picked me out really nice pedigrees,” Edwards said. “So if they didn't run, the idea was always to breed them. That was always Plan B. If they weren't fast horses, they would be great moms. As I had fillies come off the track and turn into mares and then broodmares, we want to keep those bloodlines.”

Edwards points to Krazy Kathy (Harlan's Holiday), the dam of Bat Flip, as a perfect example. The mare, who RNA'd for $345,000 at the 2015 Keeneland September sale, raced 10 times in the e Five colors and earned just over $40,000.

“Krazy Kathy is a horse that I ran up here in Saratoga,” Edwards said. “She didn't do well. She was a serviceable horse, but she's turned out to be a great mare. She has unbelievable babies on the ground. I think I am going to keep one this year out of her and then the one we just had, we will figure out what we will do with that one when it comes around the corner.”

Carl Spackler, a dominant maiden winner at Gulfstream in February, will be looking to rebound from a tough-luck trip as the favorite in the May 6 GII American Turf S. last time out. The chestnut is out of Zindaya (More Than Ready), a mare who holds a special spot in Edwards's heart.

“Zindaya was my first winner, my first win was the Intercontinental at Belmont,” Edwards said. “I sold the first two babies out of her and Sheikh Mohammed bought them both. I switched back between Frankel (GB) and Lopa de Vega. I brought her home this year and sent her to Uncle Mo to change things up.”

Asked how he would like to see the one-mile race develop, Edwards said, “I hope it stays dry. And I hope Tyler Gaffalione comes out of the gate and controls the pace and gets us home with a win with Bat Flip and General Jim right behind him.”

Win, lose or draw, Edwards will move on to the sales arena next week when he offers three horses through the Indian Creek consignment at the Saratoga sale.

“I went at looked at them yesterday and I think these are the three nicest horses I've ever bred,” Edwards said.

Leading off the trio is hip 128, a filly by Good Magic out of Pinch of Grace (GB) (Pivotal).

“She is by Good Magic out of a Pivotal mare, which is kind of an odd cross,” Edwards said of the yearling. “But the Pivotal mare had a lot of leg and it added a lot of leg to this Good Magic and it's one of the nicest Good Magics I've bred.”

Hip 154 is a colt by Into Mischief out of graded stakes winner Seek and Destroy (Verrazano), a half-sister to multiple graded winner Tammy the Torpedo (More Than Ready).

“Seek and Destroy was probably the best Verrazano and she's out of that same family of Search and Seizure (War Chant), which was Tammy Torpedo,” Edwards said. “It's a really strong family. I had a War Front out of her [at the Saratoga sale] last year. I own half of him with Sheikh Fahad with Joseph O'Brien. He's another gorgeous horse.”

Rounding out the group is hip 230, a daughter of Speightstown out of the unraced Antilla (Bernardini). The yearling is from the family of Grade I winner Wickedly Perfect.

“Hip 230 may be my favorite,” Edwards admitted. “I know the Good Magic is everybody's favorite so far, but she's a Speightstown filly out of a Bernardini mare and she's an absolutely stunning horse. She checks all of the boxes for me as a buyer. She wasn't a great race mare, but with the Bernardini bloodlines–they make good moms that was part of the whole package.”

The decision on what to potentially keep and what to sell starts early on with mating discussions, according to Edwards.

“We sit down around the table and talk and figure out how we want to breed the horse,” Edwards said. “What's sexy for us. What is commercial. And we kind of go from there. I will breed to race, knowing I am going to keep the horse. And then I will breed commercial, hoping I sell the horses. Sometimes, it doesn't work out either way. The commercial horse is too nice to sell or something is up on the radiograph and I keep it. Sometimes the breed-to-race is the same way. It's really nice, it's a perfect horse, it might be an opportunity to take some money off the table.”

The Fifth Avenue Bloodstock broodmare band currently has about 25 members, including multiple Grade I winner New Money Honey (Medaglia d'Oro), who has an Into Mischief yearling colt and a weanling colt by War Front.

“I have kept five yearlings that I bred for myself, one of them is an Into Mischief out of New Money Honey,” Edwards said. “It's a really nice horse, a really nice cross and that horse checks all of the boxes, with an A+ airway, super correct body, really nice-looking conformation. He could have brought a lot of money here, but that's what I am keeping. You kind of pick and choose. I am not a big colt purchaser. We buy a lot more fillies than we do colts. We partner up on colts, so to have a homebred colt is something special for us.”

Fifth Avenue Bloodstock had its first seven-figure sale when a daughter of Veracity sold for $1 million at the 2018 Saratoga sale. The operation sold another daughter out of the mare for $900,000 at Saratoga the following year.

Despite the sales success, it's obvious that Edwards's true passion is in racing.

“The money is awesome and it's a lot of fun to sell a horse like that,” he said. “But then I've got to wait a year or a year and a half win for somebody else to win with him–which is equally exciting. But this weekend, my wife's family is all in town. We have two runners this weekend. We are doing a memorial race for my wife's aunt on Saturday, which is really special for us as a family. So, it's a big weekend for us. I would love to see Carl Spackler take it home.”

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Multiple Grade 1 Winner Rushing Fall To Be Offered At Fasig-Tipton November Sale

Female turf division leader Rushing Fall, a Breeders' Cup champion and multiple Grade 1 winner, will be offered at this year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale.

The 5-year-old mare will be consigned by Indian Creek, agent, on behalf of the Edwards family's e Five Racing Thoroughbreds.

Trained throughout her career by four-time Eclipse champion trainer Chad Brown, Rushing Fall is a six-time Grade 1 winner of $2,553,000. She is one of just three females in the modern era to win Grade 1 races at two, three, four, and five, alongside Beholder and Lady Eli.

Since winning her career debut at Belmont in September of her 2-year-old year, Rushing Fall has competed exclusively in graded stakes company, amassing 10 career graded stakes wins at five different tracks from coast-to-coast. Her impeccable record counts 11 wins and two seconds from 14 career starts.

At two, Rushing Fall won the Grade 3 Jessamine Stakes by more than three lengths in her second career start. In her next start, she captured the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies Turf on her way to being named a finalist for Eclipse champion 2-year-old filly.

At three, she notched wins in the G2 Appalachian Stakes and G2 Lake Placid Stakes, followed by a gate-to-wire win in the prestigious G1 Queen Elizabeth II Stakes.

She began her 4-year-old campaign with another scintillating front-running win in the G1 Jenny Wiley Stakes. She followed that win up with a victory in the prestigious G1 Just a Game Stakes in near-course record time.

This year, at five, Rushing Fall is in arguably the best form of her career. She began her 2020 campaign with another brilliant wire-to-wire victory in the G3 Beaugay Stakes, and then successfully defended her title in the G1 Jenny Wiley Stakes, setting a new course record for 1 1/16 miles in 1:39.02. Most recently, she captured Saratoga's prestigious G1 Diana Stakes in near-course record time on Aug. 23.

Rushing Fall is now pointing toward a return to the Breeders' Cup, prior to the Fasig-Tipton November Sale on Sunday, Nov. 8 in Lexington, Ky.

Purchased as a yearling at Fasig-Tipton's Saratoga Selected Yearling Sale by agent Mike Ryan on behalf of the Edwards family, Rushing Fall is by leading international sire More Than Ready. He is the sire of the dams of more than 90 black-type winners worldwide.

Rushing Fall is out of the Forestry mare Autumnal, a 100-percent winner-producer.  She is a half-sister to stakes winner and multiple graded stakes placed Milam, as well as stakes placed Autumn Song. Rushing Fall is also a half-sister to Homecoming Dance, the dam of stakes winner Empire Line, as well as Hang a Star, a graded stakes placed performer this year. Her immediate family includes G1 winners Albert the Great and Trumpet's Blare.

“Rushing Fall is one of the more brilliant turf females we have seen in some time, compiling a near perfect record in capturing her division's most prestigious and competitive races,” said Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning.  “She is a true collector's item, and we are honored that the Edwards Family has entrusted her sale to Fasig-Tipton.”

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