The newcomers hail from impressive Godolphin families. Speaker's Corner, who will command an initial stud fee of $20,000, is out of a daughter of GI Breeders' Cup Distaff victress Round Pond (Awesome Again), while Mystic Guide, a 'TDN Rising Star' who will stand for $15,000, is a son of five-time Grade I winner Music Note.

“We couldn't be more excited to have Mystic Guide and Speaker's Corner join our stallion ranks,” said Darley Sales Manager Darren Fox. “Speaker's Corner is a horse that has been held in the highest esteem right from the get-go. In the mold of a lot of the Street Senses and Street Sense himself, he has a great mind. He wanted to train and was very straightforward. Mystic Guide was another one that showed a lot of talent from the start. [Trainer] Mike Stidham was high on this horse from the early days of his 2-year-old season, so it was very satisfying to see him live up to the potential and the esteem in which he was held from the early stages of his career.”

Trained by Bill Mott, Speaker's Corner broke his maiden as a juvenile at Belmont against a field of five additional future stakes winners. He made two trips to the winner's circle as a lightly-raced 3-year-old, but then blossomed at four when he cut back to a mile. The bay dominated in this year's GIII Fred W. Hopper S. and GII Gulfstream Park Mile S. before getting his signature victory in the GI Carter H., where he earned a 114 Beyer Speed Figure. Also in 2022, Speaker's Corner ran third behind Flightline (Tapit) and Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in the GI Metropolitan H. and second to Life Is Good in the GII John A. Nerud S. In 13 career starts, he collected seven triple-digit Beyers.

Out of the unraced Bernardini mare Tyburn Brook, Speaker's Corner is bred on the same cross as fellow Darley sire and Grade I winner Maxfield. The Street Sense-Bernadini mating also produced Godolphin's MGSW Shared Sense.

Fox said that the Speaker's Corner reflects the best of both sides of his pedigree.

“He has a good shoulder and good depth like we've come to know and expect from the Street Sense and Street Cry (Ire) sire line. He's a correct horse with plenty of quality to him and he has been extremely popular with breeders these past couple of months.”

Street Sense has been one of Darley America's top stallions in recent years, but from his early crops, his first five Grade I winners were all fillies. Now, the Jonabell Farm resident has the opportunity to make his mark as a sire of sires. In the past three consecutive years, he has had a new Grade I-winning son take up stud duty. Street Sense's leading earner McKinzie stands at Gainesway Farm and will be represented by his first yearlings in 2023, while Maxfield will see his first foals next year as his studmate Speaker's Corner begins his own stallion career.

Jonabell Farm's other new resident Mystic Guide has been a popular addition to Darley's roster. Fox said that much of the G1 Dubai World Cup winner's appeal is in his elite racing pedigree.

Mystic Guide's dam Music Note raced to Grade I victories in the Mother Goose S., Coaching Club American Oaks and Gazelle S. as a 3-year-old and then added the GI Ballerina S. and GI Beldame S. at four. The daughter of A.P. Indy is a half-sister to multiple Grade I winner Musical Chimes (In Excess {Ire}). Their second dam It's In The Air (Mr. Prospector) was a champion 2-year-old filly and a five-time Grade I winner.

“It is rare to have a stallion that is a direct son of an elite race mare like that,” Fox explained. “A lot of times a stallion may profile as being out of a winning or an unraced daughter of such a mare, but it is not often that you get an elite-performing stallion who is a direct son of an elite mare. This female family is so deep and there really is nothing but blacktype all the way down his pedigree page.”

On the racetrack, Mystic Guide followed in the footsteps of the many talented performers on his pedigree page. He earned 'TDN Rising Star' status in his second start as a 3-year old and later that year, scored his first stakes victory in the GII Jim Dandy. Also at three, he finished less than a length behind Happy Saver (Super Saver) in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup S. and placed in the GIII Peter Pan S. At four, he earned a 108 Beyer in the GIII Razorback H. before going on to win the G1 Dubai World Cup.

That win marked the ninth Dubai World Cup score for Godolphin, but the first one earned from their U.S.-based racing stable. It was also the first winner outside of the U.S. for trainer Michael Stidham.

“For Godolphin to win the Dubai World Cup with a homebred and with a horse shipping over from the United States was extra special,” Fox said. “It was Michael Stidham's first time with a horse for Godolphin shipping to Dubai, so that was extra special for him to come away with the big win on his first attempt. Mystic Guide has done us proud at every step of his career and the Dubai World Cup was certainly the pinnacle of that.”

Fox added that he believes that Mystic Guide has all the qualifications to reproduce his own success on the racetrack with his future progeny.

“It's fair to say that Mystic Guide was bred for the dirt, being by Ghostzapper out of an A.P. Indy mare, and it was certainly very pleasing to watch him on the track. He had a very efficient way of going, a real daisy cutter action. He's a big, flashy chestnut with a good length of body and a good hip to him. He certainly looks like he has all the attributes to be a top dirt sire.”

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Darley has also added two new stallions to the now-11 horse roster, including G1SW Mystic Guide (Ghostzapper) and GISW Speaker's Corner (Street Sense). Mystic Guide, who won the 2021 G1 Dubai World Cup, was retired earlier this year. He will stand for a fee of $15,000 in his initial season at stud.

Speaker's Corner, a Godolphin homebred out of Tyburn Brook (Bernardini) who is bred on the same cross as fellow Darley stallion Maxfield, won the GI Carter H. in April with a dominating performance and a 114 Beyer Speed Figure. He also won this year's GII Gulfstream Park Mile S. and GIII Fred W. Hooper S. before finishing behind Flightline (Tapit) and Life Is Good (Into Mischief) in the GI Metropolitan H. and GII John A. Nerud S., respectively. He retires with a record of 13-6-2-2 and earnings of $739,963. Speaker's Corner will enter his first season at a fee of $20,000.

“We've been very fortunate in the last two years to have produced five high-level performers [Mystic Guide, Speaker's Corner, Essential Quality, Maxfield, and Cody's Wish] and it's even more gratifying that they are all homebreds,” said Darley Sales Manager Darren Fox. “Following last year's retirement of Essential Quality and Maxfield, to again be able to add more top-caliber horses is very, very exciting.”

Essential Quality and Maxfield, who both await their first foals in the spring, will remain at $75,000 and $40,000, respectively. Both had full books for 2022 in their first seasons. Street Sense will also remain at his 2022 fee of $75,000, while Midshipman will see a fee increase to $20,000.

“Optimism abounds currently in the Thoroughbred industry,” said Fox. “The sales are strong, purses are strong, and close to home, we experienced unprecedented demand during the 2022 booking season. With all these positives, only one of our stallions will see a fee increase for 2023 and that's Midshipman, who continues to go from strength to strength in his stud career.”

The Darley roster is rounded out by Nyquist at $55,000, Hard Spun at $35,000, Frosted at $10,000, and Enticed at $5,000.

Retirement plans for GI Forego S. winner and future Darley stallion Cody's Wish (Curlin) will be made after the Breeders' Cup.

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The 2020 champion 2-year-old colt and GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner continued to add to his loaded resume at three, capturing the GI Belmont S. and GI Runhappy Travers S. He concluded his career with a third-place finish against his elders in the GI Breeders' Cup Classic.

The Godolphin homebred stands his first season at stud for $75,000.

“We are delighted with Essential Quality's first book,” said Darren Fox, Sales Manager, Darley Stallions. “He has amassed a very strong group of mares as you might expect from the highest-priced freshman of his year. This positions him extremely well for his second career and we hope he is equally adept as he was at his first career.”

Essential Quality's first book of approximately 160 mares includes standouts such as:

• American Story (Ghostzapper), GSP; half-sister to MGISW Seventh Street (Street Cry {Ire}) and G1SW Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown); $2.2 million FTKNOV purchase in 2017; dam of MGISW American Gal (Concord Point) and SW & GSP Americanize (Concord Point).
• Artemis Agrotera (Roman Ruler), MGISW; dam of SW and $2-million OBS March topper Chestertown (Tapit).
• Baffled (Distorted Humor), GSP; half-sister to GISW Emcee (Unbridled's Song); $1.8 million FTKNOV purchase in 2019; dam of MGISW Constitution (Tapit), GSW Jacaranda (Congrats) and GSW Boynton (More Than Ready).
• Bashful Bertie (Quiet American), full-sister to MGSW & GISP Allamerican Bertie and half-sister to MGSW & GISP Hurricane Bertie (Storm Boot); dam of MGISW Beach Patrol (Lemon Drop Kid).
• Believe You Can (Proud Citizen), winner of the 2012 GI Kentucky Oaks; dam of SW & GSP Believe In Royalty (Tapit).
• Candy Fortune (Candy Ride {Arg}), dam of GISW Hog Creek Hustle (Overanalyze) and GSW Majestic Dunhill (Majesticperfection).
• Centre Court (Smart Strike), GISW; half-sister to GSW Ravel (Fusaichi Pegasus); dam of GSW Navratilova (Medaglia d'Oro).
• Comedy (Theatrical {Ire}), $1.5 million KEENOV purchase in 2015; dam of GISW Taris (Flatter), SW & MGSP Theatre Star (War Front); and SW Stoweshoe (Flatter).
• Concrete Rose (Twirling Candy), GISW; $1.95 million KEENOV purchase in 2020.
• Crosswinds (Storm Cat), half-sister to GSW & MGISP Filimbi (Mizzen Mast); dam of GISW Weep No More (Mineshaft) and GSW Current (Curlin).
• It Tiz (Tiznow), MSW; dam of GISW It Tiz Well (Arch).
• Lady Shipman (Midshipman), GSW & GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint runner-up; dam of GI Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner and GII Breeders' Cup Turf Sprint winner Golden Pal (Uncle Mo).
• No Questions Asked (Awesome Again), $300,000 KEENOV purchase in 2021; full-sister to GISW Paynter and half-sister to GSW Tiz West (Gone West).
• Panty Raid (Include), MGISW; $2.5 million FTKNOV purchase in 2008; full-sister to GSW & GISP St. John's River; dam of GSW & GISP Micheline (Bernardini) and MGSP Proxy (Tapit).
• Red Lark (Ire) (Epaulette {Aus}), GISW; half-sister to GSP All Set To Go (Ire) (Verglas {Ire}).
• Romantic Vision (Lemon Drop Kid), GISW; half-sister to SP Hard Attack (Hard Spun).
• Seventh Street (Street Cry {Ire}), MGISW; $1 million Fasig-Tipton Florida 2-year-old purchase in 2007; half-sister to G1SW Reynaldothewizard (Speightstown) and GSP American Story (Ghostzapper); dam of GSW & GISP Lake Avenue (Tapit) and GISP Marking (Bernardini).
• Wedding Toast (Street Sense), MGISW; dam of SW Ya Hayati (Dubawi {Ire}).

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Three weeks ago, the Godolphin homebred ended his career on a high note with a final victory in the GI Clark S. at Churchill Downs. Walsh, who had hopped  on a plane shortly after the win to visit his Florida division, had not seen Maxfield since that night. So when he dropped in at Jonabell Farm this week to see his former pupil it was, as he said, like visiting his kid in college.

“We were all very fond of him and we're kind of missing him,” the Irishman admitted. “It's good to be able to come see him and he'll make a great stallion. Hopefully we can look forward to training his babies in the years to come.”

Maxfield had clearly not forgotten his old friend as he accepted Walsh's carrots and pats and looked on quietly as a crowd of breeders gathered.

“He was so talented from day one and he has such a great character,” Walsh said. “He was so calm with everything. With some horses you're concerned about them at the races if they're going to act right, but he just filled you with confidence because he had such a good temperament and there was never a worry about if he was going to put his best foot forward.”

For everyone at Jonabell, Maxfield's return marked a celebratory homecoming.

“To have Maxfield do what he did on the racetrack and then come back to his birthplace to take up residence in the stallion barn, it's unbelievably special,” said Darley's Darren Fox. “It's really what we're trying to achieve here and we couldn't be happier to have a horse of his caliber, pedigree, physique and race record fly the flag forward for us here at Jonabell.”

Maxfield's retirement for 2022 was announced in October this year and the new addition, who will stand for a fee of $40,000, was booked full before he entered the stud barn at the end of November.

“Demand was strong for him from the get-go,” Fox said. “We emailed our clients to let them know when he would be arriving at the farm and before we started showing him, he was essentially full. For a stallion to be full before he does his first stallion show says it all. The wave of interest was incredible and he has certainly amassed a stellar first book of mares.”

Maxfield races to a 5 1/2-length victory in the 2019 GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity | Coady

Joining his sire Street Sense on Darley's stud roster, Maxfield is out of the winning Godolphin homebred Velvety, a daughter of red-hot broodmare sire Bernardini, who passed away at Jonabell earlier this year.

“He is absolutely, stunningly gorgeous,” Fox said. “He looks like a Street Sense on first impression with that same size and physique, but he's a smoother, better-looking version of Street Sense. We see shades of Bernardini through his head. For a good-sized horse, he is so light on his feet. He has that jaw-dropping commercial walk that every weanling and yearling purchaser looks for. Then when you add in his pedigree, it's one of the best female families in the stud book.”

Maxfield's second dam MGSW Caress (Storm Cat) was purchased by Sheikh Mohammed's operation for $3.1 million in 2000. The mare is responsible for Grade I winner and sire Sky Mesa (Pulpit) as well as MGSW and GISP Golden Velvet (Seeking the Gold).

Despite a physique that suggested that the colt would excel going two turns, Maxfield was one to watch from the start of his juvenile season.

Breaking his maiden on debut going a mile at Churchill Downs, Maxfield was a dominant winner of his next start in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity.

“The 2-year-old form is almost the cherry on top that you wouldn't expect for a horse of his profile,” Fox said. “His Breeders' Futurity at Keeneland was jaw-dropping. A lot of shrewd people called it the most impressive performance by a 2-year-old that year.”

An ankle chip forced Maxfield to scratch from the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile, but the colt returned a winner as a sophomore in the GIII Matt Winn S. An injury forced him to the sidelines once more and he skipped a September Kentucky Derby in 2020, but came back to remain undefeated in the Tenacious S. in December and then the GIII Mineshaft S. to begin his 4-year-old campaign.

Although Maxfield's 2020 season was a test in patience for his trainer, Walsh said he never lost faith that his pupil was destined to remain at the top of his game.

“Everyone always says, 'Oh, you had so many highs and lows with him,' but it was never really a low because we always knew he had the talent to come back and we always knew that as he got older, he might get better,” Walsh explained. “He was actually very consistent through his whole career to win a Grade I at two and then he went on to become a fantastic 4-year-old.”

Maxfield wraps up his career in style with a win in the 2021 GI Clark S. | Coady

Maxfield ran in the money in each of his seven starts at four, claiming the GII Alysheba S. and GII Stepehen Foster S. each by over three lengths, then running second in the GI Whitney S. and GI Woodward S. and finally capping off his career by winning the GI Clark S.

“Maxfield is the first horse in history to win the Alysheba, Stephen Foster and the Clark,” Fox said. “There was no doubt that he had an affinity for Churchill. He was in his absolute element, circling the field on more than one occasion and having so much in the tank on a lot of those performances.”

Maxfield retires with earnings of over $2 million and was never off the board, running in nine graded stakes, including five Grade I races, over his three-year career.

Fox said one of his favorite memories of Maxfield's racing career was watching him in the paddock before each race, particularly on busy race days ahead of the GI Whitney at Saratoga and the GII Alysheba on the Kentucky Oaks undercard.

“The class that this horse demonstrated made the hairs on the back of your neck stand by watching him in action,” he said. “I've watched him in some absolutely-mobbed paddocks and he was as cool as could be. He never turned a hair and the confidence he exuded was inspiring to watch. I see a lot of the class coming from his sire and broodmare sire and while obviously he's his own horse, he certainly inherited their composure.”

“It's just that X-factor that you look for,” he continued. “He is such a smart, intelligent and unbelievably-classy horse. Whatever ability this horse passes on to his progeny, if they inherit his class and composure, they'll certainly be able to demonstrate the full extent of their ability in the afternoons.”

To catch up on all TDN features for new stallions for 2022, click here.

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“I think what has been evident about Essential Quality from the get-go has been his class and his mind,” said Darley's Sales Manager Darren Fox. “He rolled off the van like a pro and he came out and stood up for his first show like a star who had done it 500 times. His intelligence is certainly one of his strengths and one that I think he's going to pass on to his progeny.”

It was a celebratory homecoming for the Godolphin homebred, who was foaled at Jonabell Farm in 2018.

“It's unbelievably special,” Fox said. “There's an immense sense of pride with breeding a horse of this caliber and it's such an endorsement for the home team. To have him go on to achieve what he has done, to become the only horse in American racing history to have won the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile and the GI Belmont S., it's a huge statement. Now to watch it come full circle back to where it all began here at Jonabell Farm, it's hugely gratifying and in one horse epitomizes what we are trying to do here.”

Essential Quality's graded stakes-placed dam Delightful Quality (Elusive Quality) is out of Contrive (Storm Cat), who was purchased by Godolphin for $3 million at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale days after her first foal Folklore (Tiznow) won the 2005 GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. Since then, Folklore has become the second dam of Japanese Triple Crown winner Contrail (Jpn) (Deep Impact {Jpn}).

Delightful Quality, who this year is again in foal to Tapit, has now produced five foals. Her unraced daughter Indelible, a 5-year-old Tiznow mare, brought $1.6 million at last year's Fasig-Tipton November Sale in foal to Nyquist while her most recent foal, a 2-year-old filly named Famed (Uncle Mo), joined her champion half-brother in becoming a 'TDN Rising Star' after a near eight-length win on closing day of this year's Keeneland fall meet. The Brad Cox trainee put in her most recent work at Churchill Downs on Nov. 14 and, according to Godolphin's Michael Banahan, is expected to make her next start in the Nov. 27 GII Golden Rod S.

Essential Quality caps off an undefeated juvenile season in the GI Breeders' Cup Juvenile | Horsephotos

“It's an exception female family and Essential Quality represents some of the best sires lines that we've had here in North America,” Fox noted.

Essential Quality's physical, Fox said, also reflects the best of his pedigree.

“He has plenty of size and is a very clean-limbed horse who tracks well. I would say he has a real two-turn length of body and he has a very intelligent, attractive head to him. Obviously he's straight off the track now, but I can just see when he fills into his frame that he's going to be an absolute stunner.”

Fox can remember when he first dared to imagine the son of Tapit joining the Darley stud roster. The Godolphin team had been hearing positive comments from Brad Cox as 'EQ' put in works at Churchill Downs throughout the summer last year. But in his six-furlong debut on the GI Kentucky Derby undercard last September, the colt was much the best when he defeated a well-regarded field by four lengths.

“Going into the final sixteenth, it was like he was on a travelator and all the other horses were standing still,” Fox recalled. “It was a sight to behold. I had one client text me after the race saying he wanted to book a season to him when he retires to stud. I joked that I hoped he was right, but all eyes have been on him since that maiden win and he certainly hasn't disappointed.”

Essential Quality's undefeated juvenile campaign continued with wins in the GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity and GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile.

“He showed that he was quite versatile,” Fox explained of the colt's 2-year-old season. “He was more on the pace in the Breeders' Futurity and then it was a hotter pace in the Juvenile so he was back a little more and came with a devastating run. By the end of his 2-year-old year, we thought we had a horse who was still putting it together, but had immense talent and no bottom to him.”

After earning championship honors as the top 2-year-old colt of 2020, Essential Quality returned at three with back-to-back wins in the GIII Southwest S. and GII Toyota Blue Grass S. He suffered his first defeat in the GI Kentucky Derby, but came back with a vengeance in the GI Belmont S. to give his sire a record fourth winner in the Test of the Champion and become the first horse in history to win both the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Belmont S.

Essential Quality fends off Midnight Bourbon (Tiznow) in the GI Runhappy Travers S., where he earned a 107 Beyer Speed Figure | Sarah Andrew

“It was a very difficult achievement and it just epitomizes Essential Quality,” Fox said. “He had the speed and precocity to win two Grade I races at a mile and a sixteenth as a 2-year-old, but the stamina to win the Belmont over an enduring mile and a half. It didn't matter what trip he had; he would find a way to win.”

In his next two starts in the GII Jim Dandy S. and GI Runhappy Travers S., Essential Quality gave similar performances where he saved his best work for late and fended off rivals in the final strides of the contest.

“You always knew with Essential Quality that he was going to be gaining with every yard to the wire,” Fox said. “He had a sixth sense for where the wire was and he would just do enough. It made for a number of thrilling finishes and it certainly gave us heart palpitations to watch some of his races, but that was just him. That's what champions do.”

After capping off his career with a third-place finish in the GI Longines Breeders' Cup Classic, Essential Quality retired as a four-time Grade I winner with earnings of over $4.7 million.

Entering stud with a $75,000 stud fee, Essential Quality is currently the most expensive stallion of the incoming 2022 crop.

“He's going to one of the most sought-after– if not the most sought-after– freshman sire this year and his book will certainly reflect that status,” Fox said. “It's not easy to get a horse to amass his race record, present his physical and bring the female family. Being by Tapit out of an Elusive Quality mare who is out of a Storm Cat mare, he embodies some of the most important sire lines that we've had. We are very excited and we think he has all the ingredients to make a successful stallion.”

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“His body of work is just tremendous: an Eclipse champion at two, a Classic winner at three, a son of Tapit with a fantastic female family,” said Darley Sales Manager Darren Fox. “He's already generated quite a lot of interest and we couldn't be more excited about him retiring to Jonabell Farm.”

Essential Quality won eight of 10 starts, including last year's GI TVG Breeders' Cup Juvenile and GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, as well as this year's GII Jim Dandy S. and GII Toyota Blue Grass S. He retires with earnings of $4,755,144.

Also retiring to Jonabell in 2022 is Grade I winner Maxfield (Street Sense–Velvety, by Bernardini), who will stand for $40,000. The 4-year-old is expected to make his final career start in the Nov. 26 GI Clark H. at Churchill Downs.

Winner of the 2019 GI Claiborne Breeders' Futurity, Maxfield has won this year's GII Alysheba S. and GII Stephen Foster S. and is coming off runner-up efforts in the GI Whitney S. and GI Woodward S.

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Following a third in his final career start, the G1 Breeders' Cup Classic, Darley Sales Manager Darren Fox said of the Belmont and Travers Stakes winner, “His body of work is just tremendous: an Eclipse Champion at two, a Classic winner at three, a son of Tapit with a fantastic female family. He's already generated quite a lot of interest and we couldn't be more excited about him retiring to Jonabell Farm.”

Maxfield, a son of Darley stallion Street Sense, will make his final appearance on the track in the G1 Clark at Churchill Downs on November 26th, and will then head to Jonabell to begin his next career.

For more information please call our nominations team on (859) 255-8537.

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Darley Sales Manager, Darren Fox, said, “To have both Essential Quality and Maxfield coming to Jonabell is as exciting as it gets. And to have accomplished what they did as homebreds in the colors of Godolphin makes it even that much more meaningful.

“They consistently performed at the highest level and if you add in their outstanding pedigrees and conformation, we feel very confident that their legacy will continue to grow through their future offspring.”

Essential Quality is a son of Tapit out of a G3-placed half-sister to champion and Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies winner Folklore. He has won eight of nine career starts – four at Grade1 level – and was named 2-year-old Eclipse Champion of 2020 following Grade 1 victories in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile and Breeders' Futurity. While winning the Juvenile, he recorded the highest Beyer of any two-year-old beyond a mile last year.

In 2021, his victories include the Belmont Stakes in which he recorded a 109 Beyer, becoming the first Breeders' Cup Juvenile winner ever to capture the Belmont. He went on to win the G1 Travers at Saratoga, joining Street Sense as the only champion 2-year-olds in the past 30 years to take the “midsummer Derby.” A Grade 1 winner at 8 1/2 furlongs, 10 furlongs and 12 furlongs, Essential Quality also lists three other graded victories to his credit. He was also beaten only a length when fourth in this year's Kentucky Derby. His fee will be set following the Breeders' Cup Classic on Saturday, Nov. 6.

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Books 1 and 2 are where the elite of the breed further cement their spots on the list, but it is also an indicator of which stallions' stocks are rising in the eyes of buyers. A stallion who sees a significant jump in average sale price when the industry's deepest pockets are in the building has likely done so because their commercial reputation and racetrack performance have solidified to the point where buyers are landing on several foals and battling for them.

In those terms, the two stallions who made up the most ground in Keeneland September's elite sessions were Hill 'n' Dale Farms' Violence and Darley's Street Sense.

In both 2020 and 2021, Books 1 and 2 consisted of four combined sessions with a similar number of horses cataloged, meaning the comparison between editions is about as apples-to-apples as the Keeneland September sale tends to get.

Violence saw the greatest year-to-year jump in average, improving by $245,000.

The son of Medaglia d'Oro saw five yearlings change hands during the first two books of both sales, and moved up from $160,000 last year to $414,000 in 2021.

That figure was helped greatly on Thursday by the sale of Hip 1057, a half-brother to multiple Grade 1-placed Standard Deviation from the KatieRich Farms consignment who sold to Repole Stable and St. Elias for $950,000. It was the most ever paid for a Violence yearling at public auction.

Though reaching an all-time high certainly helps an average sale price a great deal, the colt was far from an outlier in terms of serious prices. Four of the five Violence yearlings sold through the first two books hammered for $200,000 or more, also including Hip 919, who brought $550,000.

John G. Sikura of Hill 'n' Dale Farms said Violence's breakout year in 2020 likely helped shape opinions of the stallion heading into this year's sale. He was led last year by Grade 1 winners Volatile and No Parole.

“Violence has always been a horse that's had great commercial appeal,” Sikura said. “Last year, we were very bullish. He had two Grade 1 winners who looked like the fastest horses in the country. They were both injured and on the shelf, then Dr. Schivel won the Grade 1 (Bing Crosby Stakes at Del Mar on Aug. 31), and it got exciting again. Now, we're waiting for the new crop of 2-year-olds. It's great to see the resilient market that has confidence in the horse. He's had several fantastic results in the sale ring, and it's very rewarding. I hope he continues to climb the ladder and get more buyer confidence and great success on the racetrack.”

Violence's expensive colt late in Thursday's session put him up in the final strides over Street Sense, whose average price grew by $198,000 during the first two books.

The 2007 Kentucky Derby winner jumped up from an average of $117,938 from 16 sold last year to $316,071 from 14 sold during the first two books of 2021.

Street Sense's Keeneland September haul was led by Hip 1022, a half-brother to Grade 1-placed Bajan from the family of champion Forever Unbridled who sold to BSW/Crow Colts Group for $1 million. Offered as property of Farfellow Farms, the colt was the first seven-figure yearling for Street Sense since 2013.

Beneath the top horse, he had four horses that sold for $300,000 or more through the first two books.

Darley's Darren Fox said Street Sense really started to hit his stride at stud after returning from his one-year stint at Darley Japan in 2013. The shape of the stallion's resume shifted dramatically in the years that followed, and Street Sense developed into a sire whose demand has risen just as dramatically. This week's performance just solidified that notion.

“His first five Grade 1 winners were fillies, and when his foals started going to the track after his Japan break, McKinzie set alight a great run of colts for him,” Fox said. “We have Maxfield, who will be a stallion for us at some point, and a colt a little under the radar in Speaker's Corner. When a horse like that puts some sons in the stallion barn, and has some other high-profile ones on the track, it certainly moves him and his progeny up into that next tier.”

Looking at some of the newer faces picking up traction this year, Three Chimneys Farm's Gun Runner, who currently leads the freshman sire race, saw the sixth-largest year-to-year gain in average, rising $108,622 to finish at $397,222. Repole and St. Elias led the way for his yearlings with Hip 574, who was secured for $975,000.

Gun Runner's closest rival, the Ashford Stud resident Practical Joke, saw a gain of $59,980 to finish at $274,091. Talia Racing bought the most expensive one of the sale's first week, going to $750,000 for Hip 1079.

Darley's Nyquist, the leading freshman sire of 2020, also continued to climb, rising $19,417 to $275,667, led by Hip 825, who sold to Dr. Ed Allred and Liebau for $700,000.

The post Violence, Street Sense See Average Prices Soar In Keeneland September’s Early Books appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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Nomination manager Darren Fox said, “Hallie possesses a great deal of knowledge about the Thoroughbred industry, and we couldn't be more pleased to bring her on board with the sales team. Her past experience reflects both a global and domestic view of our business which positions her very well to succeed in her new role.”

Hardy graduated from the University of Kentucky with a degree in Equine Science and Management. Upon graduation, she joined The Jockey Club's America's Best Racing bus tour as a Brand Ambassador, traveling to all the major U.S. racing jurisdictions and promoting the sport.

Following a year as a brand ambassador, Hardy traveled overseas first as a student in the Irish National Stud Breeding Course and then as a Godolphin Flying Start trainee. After completing Flying Start in 2016, Hardy worked for Godolphin's marketing department helping with the inaugural year of the Thoroughbred Industry Employee Awards before spending a winter working for trainer Graham Motion.

In 2017, she was hired by WinStar Farm as their client relations liaison. In 2018, Hardy came back to Godolphin where she has worked for the marketing team, focusing on client marketing as well as assisting with other important initiatives.

“I am delighted to take on this new responsibility with the nominations team and look forward to continuing to meet our clients across the industry,” Hardy said. “I have been so very fortunate throughout my career and it's an incredible time to be a part of this organization. I am excited to see what the future holds.”

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