Mandy Pope's Whisper Hill Farm was active, per usual, at the top of the market at Fasig-Tipton November Sunday evening, and Pope picked up right where she left off Monday across town at Keeneland. She went to $2.3 million to pick up 5-year-old racing or broodmare prospect Four Graces (Majesticperfection), a MGSW/GISP half-sister to MGSW young sire McCraken from a deep Whitham family. The near $500,000 earner was consigned by Denali Stud has hip 192.
Whisper Hill Farm's Mandy Pope had already signed the $5-million ticket for GI Kentucky Oaks heroine Shedaresthedevil (Daredevil) during Fasig-Tipton's Night of the Stars, and she made another high-dollar addition to her world-class broodmare band when spending $2.9 million to secure 2019 GI Frizette S. heroine Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map). Barren to Uncle Mo in her first mating, the half-sister to GSW/MGISP Point of Honor (Curlin) was carrying a first foal by that one's top sire. The Steve Asmussen-trained Wicked Whisper was a $500,000 KEESEP yearling purchase by Alex and JoAnn Lieblong. She was consigned here by Denali Stud, Agent II.
Wicked Whisper (Liam's Map – Zayanna, by Bernardini) made quite an impression in Saratoga during the summer of 2019 when she cruised to a 6 1/4-length juvenile maiden win and earned 'TDN Rising Star' status. That victory was just the beginning for the striking chestnut, who went on to become a Grade I winner at two and a graded winner at three. Now, she prepares to go through the ring at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale carrying her first foal by Curlin.
“Wicked Whisper has every ingredient to be a foundation mare for somebody,” said Conrad Bandoroff, whose Denali Stud will consign the 5-year-old. “There are no limits to what her offspring could achieve. She has so many traits that we feel not only American buyers, but also an international audience, will appreciate.”
A $500,000 yearling purchase for Alex and JoAnn Lieblong, Wicked Whisper was the priciest yearling to sell from the first crop of Liam's Map. Bandoroff said her physical is just as stunning today.
“Wicked Whisper is drop dead gorgeous,” he said. “She's big, she's pretty and she has an unbelievable shoulder and a great hind leg. Alex buys tremendous physicals and this has been a special filly for them.”
The Steve Asmussen trainee followed her Rising Star-worthy debut with a win in the GI Frizette S., where she established control early and made easy work of the one-mile contest to win by almost three lengths over future MGSW Frank's Rockette (Into Mischief).
“It was a commanding performance,” Bandoroff said. “I think that 2-year-old form and that level of precocity is rare and it's a great quality when you're looking at a broodmare prospect. So many good mares showed ability and precocity at two. She looked like a winner throughout that race and she carried that confidence into a lot of her races.”
Wicked Whisper continued to excel at three, taking the GIII Miss Preakness S. and running second in the GIII Charles Town Oaks.
Meanwhile her half-sister Point of Honor (Curlin) was building up her own resume, winning the 2019 GII Black-Eyed Susan S. at three and placing in a trio of Grade I starts in 2020.
Their dam Zayanna, a daughter of successful broodmare sire Bernardini, is a half-sister to three graded stakes winners. Zayanna has produced four stakes performers in total including Velvet Mood (Lonhro {Aus}), who was a stakes winner at two, sold for $1 million in 2020 and now has two foals on her own produce record.
Fasig-Tipton's Boyd Browning said he believes that Wicked Whisper's young family has all the potential to become even more active.
“The depth of her pedigree is sensational,” Browning said. “She has some high-quality sisters that are producing and will be producing for many, many years. So you have this pedigree that is really strong and really deep, but it has the opportunity to explode and expand exponentially over the next decade as well.”
Bandoroff explained that after Wicked Whisper retired from racing last year, the Denali team put their heads together with the Lieblongs to decide on her first mating. It was an easy consensuses when they landed on Curlin. The mating replicates the cross that produced Wicked Whisper's Curlin sister Point of Honor.
“We thought it was a perfect mating to get a Grade I-winning mare like Wicked Whisper started,” he said. “Curlin is having arguably his best year ever with the likes of Clairiere, Nest and Malathaat. The cross that we've replicated with Wicked Whisper and Curlin is a similar cross to GISW Clairiere (Curlin), who is out of the Bernardini mare Cavorting. Not only has this cross worked directly in the family with Point of Honor, but it's a cross that has proven to be gold time and time again.”
Wicked Whisper will sells as Hip 253 at the Fasig-Tipton Night of the Stars Sale. Bandoroff said he expects the young mare to be popular as buyers are scouting out broodmare prospects.
“I think Wicked Whisper has a very wide and varying appeal,” he noted. “If you're shopping for top-quality, high-end mares, she has to be on your list.”
“To me it's the complete package,” added Browning. “She's a young, Grade I winner in foal to the leading sire of Grade I stakes winners this year in Curlin, plus she's a beautiful physical and has an unbelievable pedigree. I think she gives you the opportunity, based on her 2-year-old ability, to dream early. But also based on her pedigree and the way she is bred, she gives you the opportunity to dream big in terms of being able to compete successfully at Classic-type distances. She has all the attributes to be a game changer from a broodmare perspective.”
The topper of Wednesday's opening session of Book 5 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale came in the last few hips as Hip 3181, a son of Violence, summoned $220,000 from James Zahler. The bay was picked up by Bolter Bloodstock for $20,000 and consigned by Peter O'Callaghan's Woods Edge Farm.
A colt by Army Mule brought the second-highest price of $200,000 from Manfred and Penny Conrad, the owners of champion female sprinter Shamrock Rose (First Dude). Hip 3152 was consigned by Denali stud on behalf of Ontario breeder Yvonne Schwabe.
“This colt was a very nice profiled horse and good mover,” said Denali's Conrad Bandoroff. “He came in and showed himself well. He is owned by a dear friend and client in Yvonne Schwabe and we are thrilled for her to get this kind of result. It's always great to have a session topper and even better when you can do it for a really nice person”
The session totals remained on par with last year with 329 head bringing $12,969,000 Wednesday with an average of $39,419 and median of $30,000. The median is equal to the same session last year and average less than 1% higher than the 2021 average of $39,783. During last term's Book 5 opener 325 yearlings grossed $12,929,500. The RNA rates were also pretty equal at 9.2% last year and 9.8% this term.
The cumulative numbers were up with 2180 yearlings selling thus far for $389,605,000 compared to last year when 2125 youngsters brought $339,691,500. Average increased 11.8% from $159,855 to $178,718 and median was up 11.1% from $90,000 to $100,000. The RNA rate was down slightly from 21.2% to 20.18%.
“I think the trade today still remains competitive,” Bandoroff said. “If you came in here with realistic expectations and a willingness to set a reasonable reserve and put your horse on the market, there was a lot of turnover. We had a very good clearance rate today. It is great to see the back ring full and people having an appetite to try and buy horses.”
Gainesway was Wednesday's leading seller by gross with 23 yearlings bringing $1.166 million. Grassroots Training & Sales led all buyers, taking home 10 head for $375,000. Meanwhile, Kantharos led all sires for the session with 11 of his offspring summoning $472,500.
