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Fasig-Tipton October Brings Curtain Down on Yearling Sales Season

Fasig-Tipton, which hosted the opening event of the season with its July Selected Yearlings Sale, will bring the curtain down on the yearlings auction season with its four-day Kentucky October Yearlings Sale which begins Monday at the company's Newtown Paddocks. The sale continues through Thursday with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

The 2021 October sale was a barnburner, setting new records for gross, average and median, and consignors are hoping this year's edition continues a string of strong results this season.

“The market has been very strong throughout the year,” said Zach Madden, who will be presenting 28 yearlings in his first October consignment as sole proprietor of Buckland Sales. “[Keeneland] September was insane. And we had one in Saratoga that went over really well. I think, with the foal crop being down a tick and the purse structure up, it seems like people are just really going after it this year. I came into the business when it was really tough, so I do remember those times, but I think it's going to keep clicking along and hopefully it spills over into the breeding stock sales and the foal market. It's been good timing for a first year being out on my own, too. I definitely don't take that for granted. Hopefully it keeps humming along.”

Hunter Simms of Warrendale Sales agreed with Madden's assessment of the 2022 yearling market.

“I think it will be a good sale based off of what we had in September,” Simms said. “That was a strong market. There was a lot of demand for horses throughout, all the way from the beginning of the sale to the end. Fasig-Tipton had their New York sale last Monday and all indications coming out of that were positive with people still wanting horses. So I do think at the end, it should be a good sale overall.”

The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale, which was held in the midst of a multi-day rain storm at the beginning of the month, suffered slight declines following a strong renewal in 2021.

“I think September was incredibly strong at Keeneland with a record-breaking sale,” said Carl McEntee of Ballysax Bloodstock. “I think the wind came out of the sails a little bit–I thought the Timonium sale was an average horse sale, to be quite frank, with the median and average down. People maybe didn't travel out of town because they knew they had 1600 yearlings right here in Lexington. Maybe they liked one or two up there and didn't want to get rained on for four days and then probably get outbid on the one you liked because you valued it at $75,000 and it brought $125,000, it just didn't make sense to people. I think they just said, 'Listen the weather is bad, we will stay in Kentucky.' But the New York sale they just had looked very strong again and the median was up. I know everyone is coming into town [for the October sale] and I think it's going to be a very spirited market.”

During last year's October sale, 1,153 yearlings sold for $52,607,500. The average of $45,672 was up 33.9% from 2020 and bettered the sales previous record figure of $37,955 set in 2019. The median of $25,000 was up 66.7% from 2020 and bettered the previous record of $18,500 set in 2014. With just 205 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was a sparkling 15.1%–the lowest since 2013.

The days of October yearlings coming into the sales ring with a disadvantage are over, Simms agreed.

“I think Fasig has worked very hard to change that stigma,” Simms said. “It used to be this was your last-stop shop. It still is, but it was kind of like re-tread horses that didn't get sold or horses that people deemed weren't commercially valuable, they'd just put them in October. Now you are seeing horses bring high six figures over the years, and that's kind of gotten this sale to take off.”

Recent graduates of the October sale include 2022 Grade I winners Taiba, Goodnight Olive, and Jack Christopher. Results like those are another reason buyers have added the October sale to their calendars, according to Madden.

“I can remember a time where October was kind of the red-headed stepchild to September,” Madden said. “I think they've done a great job in compiling enough horses to make it a must-stop for the majority of buyers. It started with [Fasig president] Boyd [Browning] and the guys over there being flexible and taking later entries. That I think has really sparked the sale being so big.

“And then their results [on the racetrack] have been crazy. We were fortunate enough to sell Taiba over there two years ago. That horse just needed a little time. For a consignor, if you don't have a super precocious horse or if there is an issue that needs time to resolve, it's an awesome sale. And people work this sale hard. They have circled it on the map and the results keep coming out. Year after year, there is just horse after horse where you say, 'Man that horse came out of there, too.'”

Bloodstock agent Jacob West, bidding on behalf of the power-partnership of Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola, made the highest bid at last year's October sale, going to $925,000 to acquire a colt by Street Sense. Donato Lanni was also in action at the top of the market for the stallion-making partnership of SF/Starlight/Madaket. Those high-end buyers are joined by pinhookers and end-users to make up the traditional October buying bench.

“You are getting pinhookers and end-users,” Simms said of the buying bench. “I know [trainer] Kenny McPeek is a big fan of this sale, Jacob West was over there shopping a lot, St. Elias was shopping and Donato was shopping. You get a lot of these guys who are continually at the top of the sheets still shopping for horses. With the purses being good and the foal crop decreasing, the demand is still there, so there aren't that many opportunities coming. Supply and demand is going to make those prices jump. And those guys still need horses to finish out their buying for the year.”

In addition to the high-end buyers, October also attracts a strong middle market, according to McEntee.

“It's been a vibrant sale these last two or three years, big horses in there bringing $700,000 or $800,000, so I think it's a very reputable sale,” McEntee said. “We always used to say Timonium was a trainer's sale because there are so many racetracks around there. The reality is, so is the October sale. Trainers are in town, especially with the Breeders' Cup, everyone is in town. You have trainers that come in from regional markets–Canada or West Coast, East Coast or Ohio, Indiana and Illinois–all of these guys are coming in. So I do think it's a trainer's sale and I do think horses that perhaps weren't quite the Book 4 Keeneland horse, but were still a nice horse, I think there is a real strong market for them at October. Obviously, there are some top-class horses there, too, but those solid Book 4 horses who are true racehorses, with good X-rays, good scopes, good substance and size, that sort of fit pinhookers and racehorse buyers, I think those horses really have a good home in this sale.”

There are 1,594 yearlings catalogued for the four-day October sale. Hips 1-398 will go through the ring during Monday's first session of the auction and will be followed by hips 399-796 Tuesday; hips 797-1194 Wednesday; and hips 1195-1594 Thursday.

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Record-Setting Keeneland September Sale Strong to the Finish

The Keeneland September Yearling Sale, which surpassed $400-million in gross sales for the first time in its history, concluded Saturday with new records, not just for turnover, but also for average and median and with 30 seven-figure yearlings doubling the number from the 2021 auction.

Keeneland sold a total of 2,847 yearlings through the ring for $405,495,700 during the 12-day auction, surpassing the previous record of $399,791,800 set during the 2006 September sale. The cumulative average and median prices surpassed September sale records set last year, with the average price of $142,429 up 7.83% from 2021 and the median up 7.69% from $65,000 to $70,000.

“This sale went beyond our expectations and reflects the energy and excitement in racing right now,” said Keeneland President and CEO Shannon Arvin. “We are grateful to our consignors, sellers and buyers for their support of Keeneland and the September sale. And a special thanks to the breeders. We appreciate how much hard work goes into breeding and raising quality horses, and we are very happy they were rewarded for their efforts through the ring.”

The Keeneland sales team was focused on starting off the September sale with a power-packed Book 1 and the elite section delivered right from the first hip through the ring.

“The very first hip bringing $850,000 set the tone,” Keeneland Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy said. “That first day was incredible. We really leaned into getting Book 1 solidified by listening to our buyers and our clients. This was something we needed to reestablish to make sure we had the quality forward. It really worked. The buyers appreciated it. There was almost a sense of euphoria around the grounds for a number of days and it carried all the way through the sale.”

The two-day Book 1 section produced gross sales of $113,660,000–a 25.42% increase over 2021–and included 96 horses who sold for $500,000 or more, up from 43 last year. The two-day Book 1 clearance rate jumped from 65% in 2021 to 78% this year.

Keeneland Director of Sales Operations' Cormac Breathnach credited the sales strong results to a quality group of horses and a diverse buying bench.

“The catalogue is only as good as the support the breeders give you,” Breathnach said. “And there was a very good crop of yearlings that has been bred here and nationally and that's a credit to the breeders and to the sellers who have presented them so well. We were really well supported. And also by the buying base, domestically and internationally, all the way through the book. If you look at the activity of the likes of St. Elias and several of our leading trainers in the last few days, it just shows the hunger for racehorses is there and we are proud of what we were able to present and very pleased with the results and happy for all of our clients.”

The 12-day September sale attracted a deep buying bench dominated largely by domestic buyers and, by the close of business Saturday, 88 different buyers had spent $1 million or more. The 30 million-dollar yearlings were purchased by nineteen different buying entities.

“If you look at the number of people who bought at that [million-dollar] level, the numbers are spread across quite a large number of buyers,” said Lacy. “In the past, we were very reliant on some of the bigger entities to support those million-dollar plus purchases. I think what you saw this year, and somewhat last year, was a broad buyer base that supported that level of the market. For us, that was extremely encouraging. There were some newer players, some very established people. But the diversity of the market was very encouraging.”

For the second year in a row, the partnership of Talla Racing, Woodford Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds made the biggest purchase of the September sale. The group, which purchased a $1.7-million son of City of Light to top the 2021 auction, was forced to $2.5 million to acquire a colt by that stallion's sire, Quality Road, to top the 2022 sale.

The sale-topper was consigned by Stonehaven Steadings, which sold 19 horses for $8,283,000.

“It's been a tremendous market,” Stonehaven Steading's Aidan O'Meara said. “We had a phenomenal run ourselves, but everybody across the board has had some seriously nice trading. It's a huge turnaround from a couple of years ago at the height of COVID and we were all fretting about what was going to unfold in that scenario. To see the turnaround in such a short period of time has been phenomenal.”

Repole, Viola Repeat as Leading Buyers

The partnership of Mike Repole's Repole Stable and Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable repeated as the September sale's leading buyer, with 31 yearlings purchased for $12,840,000, while Repole, who was seated in the pavilion for much of the first half of the sale, was, individually, the auction's fourth highest buyer, acquiring 27 yearlings for $7,940,000.

“With Mike Repole and Vinnie Viola, we bought a lot of horses and that was their game plan coming in,” said bloodstock agent Jacob West, who was active for the leading partnership as well as several other clients. “The plan was to really go after what we deemed quality and give ourselves a chance to win the big Saturday races. All in all, you sound like a broken record, but good horses always sell well. And that's what I saw in the market.”

Won't You Be My Partner?

Partnerships continued to play a major part in the marketplace, with the stallion-making team of SF Racing, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables purchasing 21 yearlings for $12,825,000 to be the second leading buyers for the second straight year. Also in the market for potential future stallions, the BSW/Crow Colts Group teamed with Spendthrift and Gandharvi to buy 10 colts for $4,290,000.

“It's massive,” Lacy said of the impact partnerships have had on the market. “It's obviously a huge investment for anybody and any individual, so to spread that investment over a number of horses increases your opportunity to gain and be part of a good individual or a good program. We all enjoy sharing success and I think that's where people are starting to realize this is something that is actually fun. I think coming out of the pandemic, you see a lot more people who have an appreciation of the sport and want to be involved in it. It's a great way to let people in without the high-risk investment if they were doing it alone or in a small partnership. I think this is here to stay for quite a while. I am excited about what it can do for our industry in general over the next 10-20 years.”

Other major players to team up for the top 30 lots included Winchell Thoroughbreds and Three Chimneys; Whisper Hill Farm and Three Chimneys; John Oxley, M.V. Magnier and Breeze Easy; Repole, St. Elias and West Point; and M.V. Magnier and Mike Repole.

“When you can diversify your portfolio and invest your money into multiple horses, you just give yourself a better chance to buy more quality products,” West said. “You give yourself a better chance of hitting a home run. People have realized the inherent risk that goes along with this game is very high. It's high risk, high reward, so if you can get involved in a partnership and diversify and lower your exposure, it makes all the more sense for people.”

Japanese Buyers Fight Exchange Rate

While facing a less favorable exchange rate than in previous years, Japanese buyers were still active at the Keeneland sale.

“There were 10 groups from Japan here for the sale,” Lacy said. “That's the busiest they've been at a September Sale in a long, long time.”

Hideyuki Mori led the way among Japanese buyers, joining the seven-figure parade with the $1.2-million purchase of a half-brother to Triple Crown winner Justify. Mori purchased five yearlings for a total of $2,545,000.

“We are very aware of the factors that are at play, with the currency exchanges being a major part of that,” Lacy said. “That was what was so encouraging that, even with the yen at a 35-year low against the dollar, Japanese buyers were very active. They probably couldn't swing as hard as they could have in a more favorable market for them, but they did see the value in what they were buying. And I think that's incredibly important. Our breeders here breed a high-quality horse that is very appealing to the international market. It just goes to show, when the currency exchanges start swinging back in their favor, I think the international markets will be even more prevalent.”

West Buying And Selling

West, along with Jill Gordon, had the first September consignment of his Highgate this year, allowing the prolific buyer to appreciate the other side of the auction ledger

“With Highgate now, I can see both sides of it,” West said. “And if I am being honest, there were some surprises, both good and bad. Some horses exceeded our expectations and then some horses didn't meet our expectations, but it seemed like the ones that exceeded our expectations really over-exceeded our expectations. So it seemed like, if you were deemed by the public as having a quality product, you got rewarded. Which is always good for the breeders.”

West said the September results reflect an overall positive attitude in the industry.

“I think, quite frankly, there is confidence in our business and in our industry,” West said. “Whether you want to say that's from the purse structures that we have or even what some of these stallion prospects have been selling for once they retire, or the money some of the top horses are making, or a little bit of it may be that people have some belief that we are playing on a more level playing field with HISA coming into play.”

West continued, “The other thing, too, that I don't think a lot of people give credit for, whether FOX Sports or TVG, I think we've done an incredible job of promoting our business. During COVID, we were the only show in town and I thought a lot of people were very interested. Every year it seems the handle keeps growing. There are still some bumps in the road, but overall, I think we have a quality product that appeals to a lot of people. There are new partnerships forming–it seems like whether it's West Point or Eclipse Thoroughbred or whatever syndicate group–they always seem stronger buying at the top end because they have more people investing with them. And I think a lot of that has to do with the marketing that TVG, and especially FOX Sports, have done with NYRA and Churchill and those type of tracks that they are covering.”

Demand Continues into Week Two

Demand continued into the second week of the 12-day auction, with leading buyers like St. Elias Stable, which purchased the top lots during the sale's 10th and 11th sessions, joined by international buyers from Argentina, Azerbaijan, Chile, China, Ireland, Kazakhstan, Korea, Mexico, Panama and Saudi Arabia.

“It's an incredible market. The rate of sales is amazing,” said Pat Costello of Paramount Sales, which sold 136 horses for $20,448,500. “There is depth to the market. The top-end guys kept buying back into other books [beyond Books 1 and 2] and that has driven people back into these books [5 and 6]. One of the things driving the market is the shortage of horses.”

In Books 4-6, the clearance rate never fell below 82%. During the ninth session Wednesday, a Keeneland record 329 horses sold through the ring in a single session.

“It's been a strong sale across the board, and it's amazing it has held up so well and above last year,” said Marc McLean of Crestwood Farm, which sold seven-figure horses for the first time, a Gun Runner colt and a Quality Road colt, each for $1.05 million. “There has been a good floor, which is nice for the horses that aren't the stars. It had great depth. That's a healthy market to me. We had quite a few standouts in each session. It's nice to have horses that are the more elite of the day. It's such a great feeling for us and the owners and breeders and the whole farm staff to have something that you feel will stand out. We're in Book 6, and we're busier than we ever dreamed we'd be.”

Taylor Made on Top Again

Taylor Made Sales Agency led all consignors at the September sale for the eighth consecutive year and the 24th year since 1988. Taylor Made sold 273 yearlings for $38,969,000, including three seven-figure colts by Constitution ($1.8 million), Quality Road ($1.15 million) and Into Mischief ($1 million).

Gainesway was second in total sales, followed by Paramount Sales, Lane's End Farm, Denali Stud, Eaton Sales, Woods Edge Farm, Hill 'n' Dale Sales Agency and Machmer Hall Thoroughbreds.

Lane's End Farm's Quality Road was responsible for seven of the 30 seven-figure yearlings and he was bettered in that category only by Spendthrift Farm's Into Mischief, who had eight. Three Chimneys' Gun Runner had five million-dollar yearlings, while Curlin had three. Justify, Constitution and City of Light each had two, while Tapit had one.

For the third straight year, Into Mischief was the leading sire by gross, with 58 yearlings selling for $30,495,000. Omaha Beach was the leading first-crop sire with 59 yearlings grossing $12,667,000 for an average of $214,695. He was followed in that category by Audible, who had 66 yearlings sell for $10,609,000 for an average of $160,742.

English Channel Filly Tops Keeneland Finale

A filly by English Channel (hip 4108) brought a final bid of $115,000 from Tracy Farmer to top the final session of the September sale Saturday. Bred by Calumet Farm and consigned by Buckland Sales, the yearling is out of In Dy Ritz (A.P. Indy) and is a full-sister to stakes winner and multiple graded placed Ritzy A. P.

In all, 184 yearlings sold Saturday for a gross of $2,518,000. The session average was $13,685 and the median was $8,000.

There was no corresponding session a year ago.

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Keeneland Book 2 Strong to the Finish With Pair of $1M Yearlings

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis

LEXINGTON, KY – The Keeneland September Yearling Sale continued to churn out strong results straight through to the conclusion of its Book 2 section Thursday night in Lexington with an additional two yearlings selling for seven figures, led by a $1.7-million son of Quality Road, bringing the four-day total for the auction to 30 seven-figure yearlings. Fifteen reached that mark last year.

“It was an incredible week,” said Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy.

Over the two Book 2 sessions, Keeneland sold 449 horses in the ring for a gross of $123,330,000. The book average was $274,677–up 6% from the 2021 Book 2 average and the median of $225,000 was up 12.5% from a year ago.

The Book 2 section produced the auction's highest-priced yearling in 2021 when a colt by City of Light sold for $1.7 million. The yearling was one of four million-dollar yearlings in the section. Eight reached that mark in the 2022 Book 2 section.

“This session last year was extremely strong and was up quite a bit from the previous year,” Lacy said at the close of business Thursday. “So, the fact that we are just ticked up slightly over last year is really encouraging. I think it is holding steady. The clearance rate is ticked up a little bit as well, but again, it is probably a little higher than we'd like. We are up to 30 million-dollar plus yearlings over the four days and that is, in any metrics, really strong. That is a lot of different sellers, different breeders, large to small. I think the competitiveness among the buyers was really energetic. We were pleased overall. It is never perfect and we are trying to analyze carefully how it can be better going forward.”

Mike Repole, part of last year's leading buyer partnership with Vinnie Viola's St. Elias Stable, remained front and center in the pavilion through the first week of the auction. Repole and Viola were the leading buyers through four sessions of the 12-day sale with 30 yearlings purchased for $12.54 million. In his own name, Repole is the fourth-leading buyer with 23 head purchased for $6.765 million. And in total, Repole, with various partners and by himself, purchased 60 yearlings for a total of $23.49 million.

“Having Mike Repole and his team here in person has really given the sale a lift,” said Keeneland's Director of Sales Operations Cormac Breathnach. “Todd Pletcher has been here and I think they have spent 90% of their time in their seats in the pavilion and buying so much quality. With Mick Wallace and Rory Babich working so hard on behalf of Vinnie Viola as well, both in partnership and individually, it is creating the energy around the sale we really strive for.”

The SF/Starlight/Madaket partnership was the second leading buyer through four sessions, with 15 yearlings purchased for $10.58 million. Don Adam's Courtlandt was the third-leading buyer with 11 purchased for $8.235 million.

Through four sessions, 898 yearlings have grossed $236,990,000. The average is up 9.59% to $354,245 and the median is up 10% to $275,000. The buy-back rate is 25.50%. It was 30.18% at this point a year ago.

The strength of the market this week at Keeneland is no surprise to Chris Baker of Three Chimneys Farm, which sold Thursday's second million-dollar yearling, a colt by Gun Runner, for $1.2 million.

“I'm not surprised because of the way [Fasig-Tipton] Saratoga was and the way things have been recently,” Baker said. “I anticipated it being very strong. There are a lot of good things happening. Even though racing is smaller and a little more concentrated, there are a handful of tracks that you can run a maiden for $100,000 and maybe win a race and pay your training bills for a year. There are just so many positives going on in racing in general and in Kentucky in particular. It's an exciting time and the principals are excited and optimistic.”

The Keeneland September sale will have an off-day Friday and the action will resume with the first of two Book 3 sessions Saturday with bidding beginning at 10 a.m. The auction continues through Sept. 24.

Lanni Wins Out On Quality Road Colt

A colt by Quality Road (Hip 886) shook things up about halfway through Thursday's session, igniting a spirited bidding war that came down to Mike Repole, bidding from the left side of the pavilion besides trainer Todd Pletcher, and Donato Lanni, who was bidding over the phone. Repole was in up until $1.65 million, but gave an emphatic no after Lanni upped his bid to $1.7 million and the hammer fell. Lanni did not disclose his client when signing the ticket, but Amr Zedan's Zedan Racing Stable announced on Twitter that the session topper had been purchased on Zedan's behalf.

“Bob [Baffert] Loved him,” Lanni said. “We all loved him. Everybody loved him it looks like. Everybody was waiting for him. All of the usual suspects were visible.”

Lanni continued, “He is a beautiful horse. He is just super athletic, a really laid back, good-looking Quality Road. He is made really well. He is the right kind.”

Consigned by Nardelli Sales, Hip 886 was bred by Kim and Rodney Nardelli, William Werner and W.S. Farish. Werner purchased the colt's dam Act Now (Street Sense) for $150,000 at the 2020 KEEJAN sale carrying a foal by Kitten's Joy. The resulting foal brought just $70,000 last year. Hip 886 hails from the femail family of MGSW & MGISP Fed Biz and GISW Joking.

“He's a lovely horse we bred and raised,” said Rodney Nardelli. “He's got everything. He's beautiful, he's correct, he vets. He's been nice all his life. We're appreciative of Keeneland's format and the support of the buyers.”

Quality Road has had a sensational September Sale so far. He is responsible for the current $2.5-million topper and seven of his foals have brought seven figures through the first four days. The Lane's End stalwart has had 29 yearlings sell so far for a total of $18.75 million and average of $646,552. —@CDeBernardisTDN

Late Fireworks for Gun Runner Colt

A colt by Gun Runner (hip 1086) set off late fireworks as the fourth session of the Keeneland September sale began to wind down Thursday night, ultimately selling for $1.2 million to bloodstock agent Mike Ryan. The yearling is out of Grade I winner Malibu Prayer (Malibu Moon) and was consigned by Four Star Sales, as agent for her breeder, Three Chimneys Farm.

“Obviously, he's a Gun Runner,” Ryan, who did his bidding out back alongside trainer Chad Brown, said of the yearling's appeal. “He reminded me quite a bit of Early Voting. He's from one of Ned Evans's best pedigrees. He was a big, impressive, imposing horse that moved like a cheetah. I said to Chad, 'Can you imagine Flavien Prat or Irad Ortiz on his back right now?' He was a magnificent horse with a lot of class and quality. He's bred to get 1 1/8 miles, 1 1/4 miles.”

Early Voting (Gun Runner), a $200,000 Keeneland September yearling, won this year's GI Preakness S. for Klaravich Stables and Brown.

“He's been bought for a partnership–he'll got to Chad and hopefully we can win a Preakness with him,” Ryan said of the yearling.

Three Chimneys Farm's Chris Baker said the million-dollar sale exceeded expectations.

“It was outstanding,” Baker said of the result. “Gun Runner will do that for you. And the female family didn't hurt any either.”

Baker, who served as racing manager to the late Ned Evans, is plenty familiar with the yearling's female family.

Malibu Prayer sold for $2 million out of the Evans dispersal at the 2011 Keeneland November sale, a year after she had won the GI Ruffian Invitational S. The mare is a daughter of Grand Prayer (Grand Slam).

“I'm always partial to ones we bred and raised,” Baker said. “That's a family I've known generations back to when I was in Virginia. It's always hard to part with them. But the colt will have a great opportunity and we are excited to see what he does. We were well paid for our efforts.”

Three Chimneys stallion Gun Runner, who continues to produce on the racetrack, has been represented by five seven-figure yearlings during the first four days of the Keeneland September sale.

“I don't remember a stallion like him,” Baker said. “I am a little close to the fire, so it's easy for me to be biased. But it's just remarkable what his offspring are doing on the racetrack and what he's doing at the sale with a wide variety of mares, physically and on pedigree. He just suits so many. It's great. We are just very fortunate to be a part of it.”

Asked what he is seeing in the young stallion's offspring, Baker said, “Mentally it's the train ability and willingness. And physically, it's athleticism and movement and just how they carry themselves. To get the two of those together like he had, and he conveys to so much of his offspring, is why we are getting the exceptional results we are.” @JessMartiniTDN

Gun Runner Filly Continues Big Week for Stoneway

Jim Stone's Stoneway Farm, which had its first million-dollar sale during the first session of the Keeneland September sale, just missed having a second seven-figure yearling when a filly by Gun Runner (hip 833) sold for $925,000 Thursday in Lexington. Bloodstock agent David Ingordo, standing alongside CRK Stables' Lee Searing, made the winning bid on the filly who was consigned by Paramount Sales.

“I am pretty dang excited,” Stone's racing manager and partner Terri Burch said after watching the filly sell Thursday. “I am thrilled and over the moon.”

Hip 833 is a chestnut filly out of Stonetastic (Mizzen Mast), a mare purchased by the Stoneway team for $77,000 as a Keeneland September yearling in 2012 who went on to win the 2014 GII Prioress S. and 2016 GII Inside Information S.

“We were expecting about what she brought,” Burch said of the filly. “She was very popular here. We loved her and she looked so much like Gun Runner with the pretty head of Stonetastic.”

During Monday's first session of the Keeneland sale, Stoneway sold a filly by Into Mischief for $1.25 million (hip 52) to Frank Fletcher. The yearling is out of Song of Spring (Spring at Last), who was purchased by Stoneway for $80,000 as a yearling at the 2015 Fasig-Tipton October sale. She won the 2018 GIII Allaire du Pont Distaff S.

“She looks so much like Malathaat,” Burch said of the yearling who is from the family of the GI Kentucky Oaks winner's dam Dreaming of Julia (A.P. Indy). “I had the pleasure to see Malathaat over at Churchill. And that family sells really well. And again that was one that we would have raced, but again too expensive for our farm to leave that money on the table.”

“It is bittersweet,” Burch admitted of the decision to sell the prized fillies. “We love them. I am a horseperson and I see them born and I see them develop, but I also know that the farm has to have an income so that I can breed again to Into Mischief and Gun Runner. If I don't sell, then we are not going to breed up there.”

Stoneway has about 20 broodmares and the group includes Stonetastic's unraced first foal Stonetonic (Candy Ride {Arg}).

“We actually have another daughter of Stonetastic who wasn't able to race and she is in the November sale and she looks dead on like Stonetastic,” Burch said. “She is a Candy Ride and is just gorgeous.”

Both Stoneway fillies were out of mares who were acquired inexpensively before going on to graded stakes-winning careers. Now the challenge for the team is to reinvest in fillies who will carry on that tradition.

“$77,000 and $80,000, you can't do better than that,” Burch said of the two purchases.

Burch continued, “This is our best crop of babies from top to bottom that we have ever raised. We had a good July sale with the three horses that we sold there, as well.”

Later in Thursday's session, Stoneway sold a Vino Rosso half-sister to multiple graded winner Ahh Chocolate (Candy Ride {Arg}) (hip 891) for $235,000 and a Liam's Map half-brother to Instagrand (hip 902) for $200,000. @JessMartiniTDN

SF/Starlight/Madaket Still Going Strong

The powerhouse colt-buying partnership lead by SF, Starlight and Madaket Stables did not slow during Thursday's session, buying a $700,000 Uncle Mo colt (Hip 832) early in the day. He was consigned by Taylor Made Sales.

“Uncle Mo is a proven stallion,” said SF's Tom Ryan. “The colt is a beautiful horse out of a good racemare with a deep family. Donato [Lanni] and Bob [Baffert] really love this horse. We are happy to land him. He will make his way to Eddie Woods for the winter and hopefully find his way to California next spring.”

Breeder PTK purchased Hip 832's dam Still There (Union Rags) for $160,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale in 2015. She went on to win a stake at Laurel and finish second in Saratoga's GI Ballerina S. This is her first foal.

The SF, Starlight and Madaket-led group purchased X more colts Thursday, adding to the 14 they acquired during the first three sessions. —@CDeBernardisTDN

West Signs for New Partnership

Bloodstock agent Jacob West left his seat in the pavilion next to owner Mike Repole to head out back where he went to $600,000 to acquire a colt by Uncle Mo (hip 828) for $600,000 from the St George Sales consignment. The yearling, who is out of stakes-placed Spring Eclipse (Unbridled's Song) and is a half-brother to stakes winner Bet She Wins (First Samurai), was purchased for new clients.

“He's for a new partnership, some new guys who are getting into the business,” West said. “And like everyone else in this game, they want to win the Kentucky Derby. We just figured a son of Uncle Mo, with his physique and pedigree, he might be a horse for the future. We will keep our fingers crossed.”

While declining to name the new clients, West said, “There are two guys from the East Coast and two guys from the West Coast, so it's four guys all together. We've been trying to spot some horses and it's been tough. They've actually gotten outbid on three or four other horses earlier in Book 1 and one earlier today. I think they are going to be guys that are going to stick around for a long time.”

West said the colt could be trained by Todd Pletcher on the East Coast or Michael McCarthy if he heads west. @JessMartiniTDN

Rigney Secures Pair of Pricey Fillies

Richard Rigney's Rigney Racing came to Keeneland looking for fillies that would one day join their broodmare band. With trainer Phil Bauer signing the tickets, the operation acquired a pair of pricey fillies during Book 2, going to $925,000 for a Twirling Candy filly (Hip 621) Wednesday and taking home a daughter of the late Arrogate Thursday (Hip 805) for $590,000.

Bred and consigned by Peter O'Callaghan's Woods Edge Farm, Hip 621 is out of the Distorted Humor mare Double Sharp, who is a daughter of MGSW & MGISP Bsharpsonata (Pulpit).

“She was a standout for us,” said Bauer. “We stretched further than we anticipated, but we are thrilled we got her. Hopefully, we can get some black-type. Everything is geared towards the long term with the broodmare program. We will race them first and hopefully turn out some blue hen mares.”

Hip 805 was bred and consigned by the Bell family's Mill Ridge Farm. They acquired her dam Scarlet Love (Not For Love), who hails from an accomplished Stonestreet family, for $130,000 in foal to Indian Charlie at the 2011 Keeneland November Sale. Already the dam of SP Cursor (Quality Road), Scarlet Love is a half-sister to Grade I winners Tara's Tango (Unbridled's Song) and Visionaire (Grand Slam), as well as GSW & GISP Scarlet Strike (Smart Strike) and GSW Madison's Luna (Tapit).

“She's got all the right parts,” said Bauer. “She has a nice physical. We know the family. We've had two out of the second dam, so we are really big fans. There is enough page there that she can be a nice broodmare for us and, hopefully, a nice racehorse before. She looks early. Hopefully, she will be a good one.”

“That was well beyond our hopes and dreams,” said Price Bell Jr., General Manager of Mill Ridge Farm “She was a very special filly and was a standout on the day. She is lovely. Some very good judges were all around her. The dam has one ovary. We bought her from our friends at Airdrie Stud and she has been really good to us. The buyers Richard Rigney and Phil Bauer bought a filly from us several years ago named Mariah's Princess that turned out well. They are good people and take good care of their horses. When Arrogate went to $50,000 we felt like it was good value and the mare deserved a shot.”

Champion Arrogate passed away in 2021 after producing only three crops. A filly from his first crop, Secret Oath, took the GI Kentucky Oaks this year and he had a phenomenal weekend at Del Mar with And Tell Me Nolies winning the GI Del Mar Debutante Saturday and 'TDN Rising Star' Cave Rock capturing the GI Del Mar Futurity Sunday.

“It is a shame we lost him,” Bauer said. We have a nice 3-year-old filly by him, so we are a fan of the stallion.”

Arrogate had 22 yearlings sell during the first two books for a gross of $6.17 million and average of $280,455.

—@CDeBernardisTDN

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Quality Road Colt Brings $1.7 Million at Keeneland Thursday

The Keeneland September sale continued to churn out million-dollar results into its fourth session Thursday when bloodstock agent Donato Lanni signed the ticket at $1.7 million to acquire a colt by Quality Road from the Nardelli Sales consignment on behalf of an undisclosed client. Mike Repole, sitting alongside bloodstock agent Jacob West and trainer Todd Pletcher, was underbidder on the yearling. Repole made a final bid of $1.65 million, but dramatically drew his hand across his neck after Lanni's $1.7-million bid, prompting Keeneland announcer Ryan Mahan to say, 'I think that's a no.' The bay, who is out of Act Now (Street Sense), was bred by Kim and Rodney Nardelli and William Werner and W.S. Farish. The mare was purchased by Springwood/Bill Werner for $150,000 at the 2020 Keeneland January sale.

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