Tag: M V Magnier

Into Mischief Colt Tops Another Banner Day at KEESEP

By Christie DeBernardis and Jessica Martini

A $1.4-million son of super sire Into Mischief (Hip 604) led a sextet of seven-figure sellers during the opening session of Book 2 of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale Wednesday. Consigned by Summerfield on behalf of Stonestreet Stables, the colt was purchased by Larry Best of OXO Equine.

With six horses eclipsing the million-dollar mark Wednesday, the sale total now comes to 28. During the equivalent session last year, just two yearlings brought seven figures, including the $1.7-million sale topper.

“It was a great session,” said Tony Lacy, Keeneland's Vice President of Sales. “When you are seeing six million-dollar plus horses in session three, getting us up to 28 for three days, you are bringing it back to 2006, 2007 levels, which is really encouraging. The average and median have ticked up again over last year. Overall, it was a really, solid competitive session. There was diversity in the buyers. It was great to see the money spread.”

Book 2 opened Wednesday with 219 head bringing $66,695,000 with an average of $304,543 and a median of $250,000. There were 77 horses that failed to meet their reserves. During the same session in 2021, 211 horses summoned $60,996,000 with an average of $289,081 and median of $230,000. There were 72 RNAs.

Through the first three days of selling, 439 yearlings have grossed $180,355,000 with an average of $410,831 and median of $325,000. A total of 139 yearlings have been bought back. During the first three days in 2021, 419 youngsters grossed $151,618,000 with an average of $361,857 and median of $290,000. There were 180 horses led out of the ring unsold.

The top 20 yearlings were all purchased by domestic buyers. The powerhouse group led by SF/Starlight/Madaket bought three of the six seven-figure sellers. All three colts–one each by Gun Runner, Quality Road and Into Mischief–were purchased for $1.05 million.

“A lot of domestic buyers participated and we are very grateful to them,” said Cormac Breathnach, Keeneland's Director of Sales. “The current purse structure in racing and their involvement in the sale just speaks volumes. We are very excited about it. We still have international buyers here on the grounds and they aren't finding it as easy as expected to fill orders. The energy from Book 1 continued into Book 2 and we look forward to it continuing into the next nine sessions.”

Gainesway had a great day Wednesday, selling a pair of million-dollar homebreds in Hip 603, a $1.3-million Tapit filly, and Hip 740, the $1.05 million Into Mischief colt. Antony Beck's operation was the session's leading seller by gross receipts, with 27 yearlings bringing $9.78 million with an average of $362,222.

The second of two Book 2 sessions gets underway Thursday at 11 a.m.

Best on Top for Into Mischief Colt

Larry Best found a colt by Into Mischief (hip 604) who checked all the proverbial boxes and the owner outlasted a phone bidder to take the yearling home for a session-topping $1.4 million at Keeneland Wednesday. Out of stakes winner and multiple Grade I-placed Dawn the Destroyer (Speightstown), the bay was consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck's Summerfield on behalf of Barbara Banke's Stonestreet. After signing the ticket on the colt in the pavilion, Best rushed off to watch his Fortin Hill (Mucho Macho Man) win an optional claimer at Horseshoe Indianapolis.

“It's always good when the breeder, after you buy him, offers to partner with you on the horse,” Best said after speaking with Banke. “I love Into Mischief. I have all these filters that I use and rarely does a horse meet all the filters when it's a colt. That's why you don't see me buying many colts. My filter is pretty stringent. Believe it or not, this one cleared them all. And I thought, 'why am I not buying the horse when I bought all of these others Into Mischiefs and done well with most of them?' So I waited until I saw him in the ring again and I said, 'If I am going to roll the dice at a big number for a colt, I am going to stick with Into Mischief and this one looks as good as I've seen.”

Best said the odds were against him when he was looking ahead to hip 604 making it as a stallion.

“In racing, it is so hard to win one race,” Best said. “The likelihood of getting a horse that becomes a sire is remote, but this is my shot. I'll give it a shot because I love the bloodlines.

He is magnificent. He looks like Into Mischief, he is just well-balanced and a beautiful horse. But I can't emphasize enough, when you are buying colts, the risk is very high. And you almost have to be willing to lose on colts. With fillies, if you buy good fillies, you can love those horses for 10 years plus. ”

Best's broodmare band is still in its early stages, but he has already enjoyed plenty of success as a seller.

“My first horse that I ever bought was Moi (Medaglia d'Oro),” Best recalled. “I paid $750,000 and I thought I was nuts. She didn't do very well on the racetrack, but her third foal I sold for $570,000 as a weanling and Archie St. George's just sold him for $1.05 million [as hip 344 Tuesday at Keeneland]. I think maybe I'm doing something right.”

Best concluded, “So, do I need luck on this one? I need a whole lot of luck, but he's a beautiful horse.” @JessMartiniTDN

 

 

 

Stonestreet Yearlings Shine Wednesday

Barbara Banke's Stonestreet helped Book 2 get off to a strong start when selling a colt by Curlin (hip 410) for $925,000 to Don and Donna Adam's Courtlandt Farm and the operation came back later in the session to sell a colt by Into Mischief (hip 604) for a $1.4 million to Larry Best.

“We loved him,” Banke said of the Into Mischief session topper, who is the first foal out of the Stonestreet homebred and multiple Grade I-placed Dawn the Destroyer (Speightstown). “He's a great colt out of a great race mare. He was definitely one that I would love to stay in on, but I know Larry doesn't take partners. I may ask him anyway. He is a really good colt.”

Dawn the Destroyer, who finished second in the GI Ballerina S. and third in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint in 2019, was bred to Curlin this year.

Hip 410 is out of Road to Victory (Quality Road), winner of the 2017 GII Golden Rod S. Stonestreet purchased the mare, in foal to War Front, for $1.45 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

“I thought he would be very well received,” Banke said of the yearling. “He was a beautiful colt out of a good mare and by Curlin. He should be a very nice two-turn type horse.”

After a quiet Book 1, Stonestreet made its mark on the first session of Book 2, with seven yearlings sold for $3.8 million.

“We are just getting into the thick of it now,” Banke said Wednesday morning. “We sold four at Saratoga and we have six or seven to sell today and a lot more coming up.”

Through three sessions, Courtlandt Farm has purchased 11 yearlings for $8,235,000. The farm's new yearlings include three seven-figure purchases: a filly by Into Mischief (hip 359) for $1.35 million; a colt by Into Mischief (hip 344); and a son of City of Light (hip 73) for $1 million. @JessMartiniTDN

Gun Runner Colt Draws a Crowd

A trio of high-profile owners teamed up to acquire a colt by Gun Runner (hip 694) for $1.15 million late in Wednesday's third session of the Keeneland September sale. Bloodstock agent Justin Casse signed the ticket on the yearling on behalf of John Oxley, Coolmore's M.V. Magnier, and Breeze Easy.

“Everybody loves Gun Runner these days,” Casse said of the Woods Edge Farm-consignee. “They all seem to have very good walks and tremendous movement. He has a very good topline. He was a class act on the end of the shank from day one. He comes from a good nursery–they raise a good horse.”

After watching the strength of the market this week at Keeneland, Casse admitted he was not surprised by the colt's seven-figure price tag.

“If you had asked me three days ago, I probably would have said it wouldn't go that high,” Casse said. “I would have said maybe in the $600,000 range, but the way that things have headed, I have a hard time distinguishing what makes a horse like that bring over $1 million, other than the two right people are on him.”

The chestnut colt is out of multiple stakes winner and multiple graded placed Kathballu (Bluegrass Cat). He was consigned by Peter O'Callaghan's Woods Edge Farm, which purchased him for $185,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale.

“He was vetted nearly 20 times,” O'Callaghan said of the yearling's popularity at the barn. “I would say all the big money was on him. It seemed like they all followed him up here. He was just a lovely, lovely colt, very much in the mold of his sire. He was very straightforward. He was a very nice colt when we bought him and did fabulous. Wonderful temperament. Very solid.”

O'Callaghan admitted he was a big fan of exciting young stallion Gun Runner.

“All these Gun Runners are easy to train,” he said. “They take the hardships. We've never had a stallion like this guy. We've had some great sires–Tapit, Into Mischief, Uncle Mo–but Gun Runner is a little bit extra. It's incredible.”

The million-dollar transacation continued a big day for both Woods Edge's pinhooks and homebreds.

On the pinhooking front, Woods Edge sold a filly by Flatter (hip 403) for $425,000. The filly had been purchased for $190,000 from the Pin Oak Stud dispersal held at Fasig-Tipton last September. Also Wednesday, Woods Edge sold a yearling full-sister to GISW Consumer Spending (More Than Ready) (hip 434) for $650,000 to Mike Ryan. The operation had purchased the filly for $240,000 at the Keeneland November sale last fall; and a Twirling Candy colt (hip 739), acquired for $175,000 at Keeneland November, for $400,000 to M.V. Magnier.

Hip 621, a Twirling Candy filly bred by Woods Edge, sold for $925,000 to Rigney Racing, and hip 520, a homebred son of City of Light, sold for $400,000 to CRK Stable.

Woods Edge sold 11 horses Wednesday for $5,205,000.

“The market is great, but it's the same story,” O'Callaghan said. “You have to be good. It has to be the right sire and it has to vet. If you want to break out, you have to be squeaky clean.”   @JessMartiniTDN

 

 

 

Pope Returns to the Well For Tapit Filly

Mandy Pope went to $1.3 million to secure MSW & GSP Danzatrice (Dunkirk)'s Tapit colt at this auction last year and she returned to the well Wednesday, buying his full-sister (Hip 603) for $1.1 million. Trainer Chad Brown, acting on behalf of client Peter Brant, was the underbidder.

“We bought the brother [Tapit Trice] last year,” Pope said. “We have him in training. Gainesway stayed in for a little part of him. He is with Todd Pletcher right now and we have high hopes for him. We are going to make a nice family here.”

As for the filly, the Whisper Hill Farm owner said, “I thought she had a nice hip, a nice heart girth and moved really well.”

Danzatrice is a half-sister to champion juvenile filly Jaywalk (Cross Traffic). Gainesway bought the mare for $105,000 as a 2-year-old at the OBS April sale. Her first foal, a now gelding named General Strike (Union Rags), sold for $250,000 at this auction and Tapit Trice was her second foal.

“It was Antony [Beck]'s strategy” said Gainesway's Brian Graves. “He had several Tapit fillies and he wanted to split them up a little bit. I really wouldn't have been able to pick between them honestly. They both had things to like about them. I preferred this one a little bit and the price showed it at the end of the day, but they were pretty close.”

—@CDeBernardisTDN

 

 

 

SF/Starlight/Madaket Strike Early

The powerhouse colt partnership led by SF Bloodstock, Starlight and Madaket Stables made their presence felt early in Wednesday's Book 2 opener, going to $1.05 million for a colt by young sire standout Gun Runner (Hip 383). The bay was consigned by Pope McLean's Crestwood Farm on behalf of breeder Ann Fostock.

“He is a beautiful horse raised by really wonderful people,” said SF's Tom Ryan. “Gun Runner is a sensation. There is no other way to describe him. He has five Grade I winners from his first 120 runners. It is an amazing feat. Bob loved this horse. Donato loved this horse. John Moynihan is part of this horse. Everybody that saw him [liked him]. It was a consensus vote. We are happy to land him.”

Out of Perfect Flute (Pleasantly Perfect), Hip 383 hails from a deep Juddmonte family. His second dam is MGISW and Kentucky Oaks-winning millionaire Flute (Seattle Slew), who is the dam of MGSW & MGISP Filimbi (Mizzen Mast). This is also the female family of GISW Weep No More (Mineshaft) and GSW Current (Curlin).

“He was a special horse,” said Crestwood's Marc McLean. “He's a horse we thought could break through and it happened. It was a nice surprise. He was bred by a client, he was foaled and raised at our farm. He has always been a standout. He has such good scope and size and that's what made him special. We got lucky and got him in the right spot. We were pretty busy this morning; buyers kept coming back, which is a good thing. He was early in the session, which made us nervous, but I believe everybody had done their homework. Hopefully he was one of the standouts on the day, but you don't know until you get here.”

The SF/Starlight/Madaket team sparked fireworks late in the session, securing a son of Into Mischief (Hip 740) for the same $1.05 million.

“We love Into Mischief. We've bought seven of them now [at KEESEP],” Ryan said. “How could you not love Into Mischief? He is out of a very good racemare and is by a very good sire. He is a horse Bob Baffert loved immediately, so we are happy to own him.”

Consigned and bred by Gainesway, Hip 740 is out of GSW & MGISP More Chocolate (Malibu Moon).

“This is where I thought the horse belonged,” said Gainesway's Brian Graves. “The mare is getting a bit middle-aged. I am especially proud of that one. Antony [Beck] let me do that mating during the Covid times. We thought he was a really nice colt physically.”

In between those colts, the partnership once again paid $1.05 million for a Quality Road colt (Hip 574) who is a full-brother to the stakes-winning Stillwater Cove.

The SF/Starlight/Madaket team, guided by bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, have purchased a total of 14 yearling colts for a sale-best $9.88 million through the first three days of bidding. —@CDeBernardisTDN

 

 

 

Million-Dollar Score for Hancock

Rowland Hancock, who has been breeding Thoroughbreds for over four decades, had his first seven-figure sale when Tom Ryan signed the ticket at $1.05 million on a colt by Quality Road (hip 574) on behalf of the SF/Starlight/Madaket partnership. The dark bay colt is out of Celibataire (Broken Vow), a full-sister to graded winner Interactif and dam of stakes winner Stillwater Cove (Quality Road). Hancock purchased the mare, in foal to Union Rags, for $180,000 at the 2018 Keeneland January sale.

“I had seen her yearling the year before and I fell in love with the yearling,” Hancock said of the mare's appeal. “Anybody that could produce something that beautiful, I wanted to own.”

Of his first million-dollar yearling, who was consigned by Crestwood Farm, Hancock said, “This colt was something. He is one of the most balanced, classy horses I've ever seen. I've bred some fairly good horses, but he was just special. You always read about these classy horses who want to walk and never get mad, keep their demeanor. He exemplified that. He loved to walk. He loved to get out.”

Celibataire's first foal for Hancock was a $100,000 Keeneland September yearling in 2019. He retained the mare's Gun Runner filly, Cause Celebre, who ran at Kentucky Downs just after her half-brother lit up the board at Keeneland. Celibataire's 2-year-old daughter of Justify sold for $215,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton November sale. The mare was bred to Mendelssohn this year.

Hancock has eight mares in his broodmare band.

“I've been doing this for 47 years,” he said of his breeding operation. “This is the culmination of doing it for a long time.”

Hip 383 was the second seven-figure purchase of Wednesday's session for the SF/Starlight/Madaket partnership, which struck early in the day to acquire a Gun Runner colt, also consigned by the McLean family's Crestwood Farm, for $1.05 million.

“We love Quality Road, he's a great, proven stallion,” Ryan said of the purchase. “It's a very nice family. He's a half to a stakes-winning filly. He's a very straightforward colt.”

Of the colt's final price tag, Ryan said, “The market is very strong, it's carried through from Book 1 to Book 2 very nicely. But he's a big, strong Quality Road colt who was well-raised and with a proper pedigree. It's not that surprising.”

Enjoying the dual $1.05-million sales, Marc McLean said, “It's been a great day; unbelievable really.”

He added of the Quality Road colt, “He was not a huge colt, but just a beautiful mover. We wouldn't dream he would go that high. It was a good job by the sales team. Both of these were for clients and were raised and foaled at our farm. It is rewarding.” @JessMartiniTDN

 

 

 

Into Mischief Filly A Fitting Tribute to Late Dam

Stakes winner Steelin' (Orientate) was very good to the team at Jeff and Chiquita Reddoch's Stonehaven Steadings during her 14-year tenure with them, producing a champion in her very first foal Shanghai Bobby (Harlan's Holiday). Sadly, the Reddoch family lost Steelin' last year, but her final foal, a filly by Into Mischief (Hip 459), paid fitting tribute to her late dam Wednesday, bringing $900,000 from WinStar's Maverick Racing and Siena Farm.

“We loved her physique,” said WinStar's Elliott Walden. “She is a really strong filly. The pedigree works with Shanghai Bobby and another daughter has already had a graded stakes winner, both are by Harlan's Holiday. She is something we can put in the broodmare band as well.”

The Reddochs' daughter Leah O'Meara was first to congratulate Walden after he signed the ticket with her parents and husband Aidan O'Meara not far behind her.

“This is her last foal,” Leah O'Meara said. “We lost the mare before we weaned her. This was kind of her swan song. We didn't really want to bring her to the sale, but we have every other filly out of the mare. We still have the family and have sold well out of the family. This was a beautiful result.”

Stonehaven Steadings purchased Steelin', who was coincidentally bred by WinStar, for $155,000 at the 2009 KEENOV sale. The resulting colt sold for just $105,000 at KEESEP, but became champion and sire Shanghai Bobby. They have not offered many of Steelin's foals at auction, but her 2015 Tapit colt brought $500,000 from Winchell Thoroughbreds at this auction. The Reddochs sent Steelin' through the ring in 2015 at the Fasig-Tipton November Sale in foal to Medaglia d'Oro, but RNA'd her for $1.775 million. Her daughter Miz Kella (Harlan's Holiday) is the dam of MGSW Canoodling (Pioneerof the Nile).

Stonehaven Steadings has been having a strong Keeneland September Sale thus far, selling seven yearlings for $6.975 million with an average of $996,429, including the current sale topper, a $2.5-million colt by Quality Road (Hip 97). The nursery also produced recently retired champion and OBS April sale topper 'TDN Rising Star' Corniche (Quality Road).

“It's been unbelievable,” O'Meara said. “This is the perfect storm. This is the best crop we have ever brought to a sale and to be this well received in a market so strong is just unreal. There are no words. I am thankful. Everyone will benefit. It will trickle down to everybody.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Coolmore & Breeze Easy Team Up on Gun Runner Colt

Coolmore's M.V. Magnier teamed up with Mike Hall of Breeze Easy to acquire a son of the red-hot Gun Runner (Hip 640) for $825,000 Wednesday.

“Gun Runner is obviously doing very well as a stallion,” said Magnier. “Three Chimneys is a very good breeder and all the guys really liked the horse. Hopefully he is good.”

He added, “We are partnering with Breeze Easy. They are very nice people and we enjoy doing business with them.”

Consigned by Taylor Made Sales, Hip 640 was bred by the Torrealba family's Three Chimneys Farm, which stands Gun Runner. The operation purchased the colt's GSP dam Flatter Up (Flatter) for $300,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November Sale in foal to the late Arrogate. She hails from the family of MGISW and stallion Midnight Storm (Pioneerof the Nile).  —@CDeBernardisTDN

 

 

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Camelot’s Alexandroupolis Earns TDN Rising Star Tag On Debut

Coolmore and Westerberg's 2-year-old colt Alexandroupolis (Ire) (Camelot {GB}–Jazz Cat {Ire}, by Tamayuz {GB}), who is a 240,000gns Tattersalls October Book 2 graduate loaded with Group 1 entries, was let go at odds of 17-2 for Tuesday's Irish Stallion Farms EBF Maiden over an extended mile at Galway and displayed a rare turn of foot in the closing stages to outclass overmatched opposition for a 'TDN Rising Star'. The eventual winner settled in a midfield seventh through the early fractions of this debut. Taking closer order rounding the home turn, he quickened in impressive fashion to launch his challenge between rivals passing the furlong marker and opened up stylishly in the closing stages to easily deny stablemate Espionage (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) by 1 3/4 lengths.

“He's a nice colt, he's been showing a bit at home and Wayne [Lordan] gave him a lovely ride,” commented Ballydoyle's Chris Armstrong. “It can be tricky here first time out, but Wayne was patient on him. He found the gaps at the end and hit the line well. He should have no problem stepping up to stakes company at the back end of this year and hopefully will be a nice middle-distance horse for next year. He has a very good staying pedigree and Galway is a lovely place to start them at this time of year.”

Alexandroupolis–whose catalogue of entries include the G1 Dewhurst S., G1 Futurity Trophy and next year's G1 Derby–is the third of five foals and second scorer produced by a full-sister to G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis victrix and G1 Prix Maurice de Gheest runner-up Thawaany (Ire) (Tamayuz {GB}). His dam Jazz Cat (Ire), herself a daughter of G1 Moyglare Stud S. heroine Chelsea Rose (Ire) (Desert King {Ire}), is also a half-sister to G1 Grand Prix de Paris and G1 St Leger hero Kew Gardens (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), G3 Munster Oaks victrix Snow (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}), G1 Grand Prix de Paris second and G1 Irish Derby third Wordsworth (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) and Listed International Trial S. runner-up Hamlool (Ire) (Red Ransom). The February-foaled bay is full to a yearling filly, who is slated to sell as Lot 553 at next month's Tattersalls October Book 2 sale, and half to a weanling colt by Churchill (Ire).

1st-Galway, €16,000, Mdn, 9-6, 2yo, 8f 123yT, 1:54.85, sf.
ALEXANDROUPOLIS (IRE), c, 2, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Jazz Cat (Ire), by Tamayuz (GB)
2nd Dam: Chelsea Rose (Ire), by Desert King (Ire)
3rd Dam: Cinnamon Rose, by Trempolino
1ST-TIME STARTER. (240,000gns Ylg '21 TATOCT). O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Mrs Fitri Hay (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $9,534. Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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Luxembourg Back On Top In Curragh Comeback

It may not have been the wide-margin success prohibitive odds of 2-9 might have implied beforehand, but Westerberg and Coolmore's G1 Futurity Trophy hero and G1 2000 Guineas third Luxembourg (Ire) (Camelot {GB}–Attire {Ire}, by Danehill Dancer {Ire}) was on the comeback trail from his storied muscular woes in Saturday's G3 Fitzdares Royal Whip S. at the Curragh and not only proved his wellbeing, but much, much more with an impressively game performance in the card's 10-furlong feature. The day's star attraction was allowed find his own rhythm and stalked the leading trio within comfortable range from the outset. Inching forward into third approaching the quarter-mile pole, he quickened in style to seize control with 1 1/2 furlongs remaining and rallied gamely under drive when joined by Insinuendo (Ire) (Gleneagles {Ire}) in the latter stages, regaining a neck advantage from that older rival in the dying strides. Insinuendo, in turn, finished 4 1/4 lengths clear of the winner's stablemate Realism (Ire) (Galileo {Ire}) in third.

“We didn't think he'd ever get here, so we're very relieved,” admitted Aidan O'Brien after registering an 11th triumph in the contest. “We thought that he had no chance of running after what happened to him. Everyone did a great job to get him over his first mishap and he was off for a long time. It wasn't smooth with him when he came back and Jamie, who looks after him, did an incredible job. Our eye was on the [G1] Irish Champion and you couldn't go to there without a run and this was the only place we could run. The track was beautiful, it's very difficult to have ground the way it is in this heat, so hats off to the Curragh. First time back we didn't want a grueller because he was only ready to start. It was brilliant really because they didn't go too fast and he had to quicken and run hard for the last two [furlongs], which he'd want to do before going into a big championship race. He's a horse that can go a very high tempo and quicken off it. He quickened today off a slow pace and we know a strong tempo brings out the best in him. Ryan [Moore] said he moved up, got there and just shut down. He's used to doing that in his work, just getting there and coming with horses. We were only going to have one race to sharpen him and then we could take him home and get the rest. I can't tell you how delighted we are with him. Ryan was very good on him. He had to wake him up, make him get down and do it without being too serious on him. He was brilliant at that and he found when he had to find. Going to the line he was coasting again. I thought he would improve 20 to 30 percent from today and, hopefully, now he comes out of it okay.”

Luxembourg, who went perfect through a three-race juvenile campaign which included a win in the G2 Beresford S., is one of his sire's 10 elite-level winners and the leading performer for Attire (Ire) (Danehill Dancer {Ire}). The March-foaled bay is kin to G2 Mooresbridge S. victor Leo De Fury (Ire) (Australia {GB}) and dual Group 3 third Sense Of Style (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}). Attire is a full-sister to G3 Glorious S. victor Forgotten Voice (Ire) and also kin to G3 Prix de Flore winner Australie (Ire) (Sadler's Wells), herself the dam of stakes-winning G3 Diamond S. third Hawke (Ire) (Oratorio {Ire}) and Listed Prix de Saint-Cyr victrix Mireille (Ire) (Dalakhani {Ire}). Attire is also the second dam of this year's Listed Churchill S. winner and G3 Tyros S. runner-up Hellsing (Ire) (Dandy Man {Ire}). Her unraced half-sister Norwegian Princess (Ire) (Fairy King) is the dam of stakes-winning G3 Prix Thomas Bryon second Private Jet (Fr) (Aussie Rules) and stakes-winning G3 Prix de Ris-Orangis runner-up Princedargent (Fr) (Kendargent {Fr}). From the family of GI Breeders' Cup Classic hero Arcangues (Sagace {Fr}) and G1 Prix de Diane heroine Aquarelliste (Fr) (Danehill), Luxembourg is a full-brother to the twice-placed 2-year-old colt Hiawatha (Ire), a yearling filly and a weanling filly.

Saturday, Curragh, Ireland
FITZDARES ROYAL WHIP S.-G3, €55,000, Curragh, 8-13, 3yo/up, 10fT, 2:10.94, gd.
1–LUXEMBOURG (IRE), 126, c, 3, by Camelot (GB)
1st Dam: Attire (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire)
2nd Dam: Asnieres, by Spend A Buck
3rd Dam: Albertine (Fr), by Irish River (Fr)
(150,000gns Ylg '20 TATOCT). O-Westerberg, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Derrick Smith; B-B V Sangster (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien; J-Ryan Moore. €33,000. Lifetime Record: G1SW-Eng, 5-4-0-1, $354,443. *1/2 to Leo De Fury (Ire) (Australia {GB}), GSW-Ire, $156,911; and Sense Of Style (Ire) (Zoffany {Ire}), MGSP-Ire. Werk Nick Rating: A+. Click for the eNicks report & 5-cross pedigree.
2–Insinuendo (Ire), 131, m, 5, Gleneagles (Ire)–Obama Rule (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). (€110,000 Ylg '18 GOFOR). O-Deegan Racing Syndicate; B-Mount Armstrong Stud (IRE); T-Willie McCreery. €11,000.
3–Realism (Ire), 126, c, 3, Galileo (Ire)–Where (Ire), by Danehill Dancer (Ire). 1ST BLACK TYPE; 1ST GROUP BLACK TYPE. O-Derrick Smith, Susan Magnier, Michael Tabor & Westerberg; B-Coolmore (IRE); T-Aidan O'Brien. €5,500.
Margins: NK, 4 1/4, SHD. Odds: 0.22, 7.50, 66.00.
Also Ran: Georgeville (GB), Anchorage (Ire), Point Gellibrand (Ire). Click for the free Equineline.com catalogue-style pedigree.

 

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$1.5 Million Uncle Mo Colt Tops Electric Saratoga Opening Night

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis

SARATOGA SPRINGS, NY – The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Selected Yearlings Sale opened with a lively session of trade punctuated by four seven-figure yearlings Monday evening in upstate New York. A colt by Uncle Mo, consigned by Lane's End as agent for his breeder, Summer Wind Farm, attracted the session's highest bid when selling for $1.5 million to the partnership of West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing.

In all, 69 yearlings sold at the Humphrey S. Finney Pavilion Monday for a total of $28,930,000. The average was $419,275 and the median was $350,000.

During last year's opening session of the two-day boutique auction, 70 yearlings sold for $25,280,000, for an average of $361,143 and a median of $300,000.

“We're very, very pleased with the opening session of the 2022 Saratoga Yearling Sale,” Fasig-Tipton President Boyd Browning said at the close of business Monday. “There were significant improvements in all the statistical categories. We hit the superfecta–average up 15%, median up 16%, gross up 17% and RNA right under 20%. In a highly selective sale, that is a tremendous accomplishment. We're thrilled with those numbers, but you could feel the excitement in the air tonight. The atmosphere was electric. The quality of horses was tremendous. The quality of people that were here to buy those horses was tremendous. It was just a really, really great environment to have an auction and the results were very, very, very strong.”

With 17 yearlings reported not sold, the buy-back rate for Monday's session was 19.8%. It was 27.1% during last year's opening session.

“The most encouraging thing continues to be the breadth of buyers when you go through the results,” Browning said. “It was a very diverse buying group. And as I say, to have an RNA rate under 20% for one of the most selective sales in the world is remarkable. And we know that there's already some competition starting for post-sale private sales. That's a really, really important thing to be able to have a clearance rate that's that high.”

Hot freshman sire Justify was represented by the evening's second highest-priced yearling, with Coolmore's M.V. Magnier going to $1.1 million to acquire a colt by the Triple Crown winner from the Warrendale Sales consignment. Spendthrift's super sire Into Mischief rounded out the seven-figure parade with a pair of $1-million colts.

Four yearlings topped the seven-figure mark during the entire 2021 Saratoga sale.

“You know, you're always thrilled when you have four horses in a session like this go for over $1 million,” Browning said. “I think we had four last year the entire sale sell for seven figures. So we've already matched that number. I've got a sneaking suspicion that we're going to eclipse that tomorrow night.”

The Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale concludes with a final session Tuesday. Bidding will begin at 6:30 p.m.

Summer Wind Blows Through Saratoga Once Again

When Jane Lyon named her Uncle Mo colt out of Secret Sigh (Tapit) (hip 68) Stop the Press, she did not know just how fitting a name it would be. It was a bit of deja vu for the Summer Wind Farm owner Monday night when the bay colt was the first to reach seven figures, hammering for a session-topping $1.5 million to West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing with Lyon staying in for a piece.

“I was certainly hopeful that we would have this kind of response,” Lyon said. “We had a lot of people who vetted him and came back numerous times. We knew that there were a lot of important buyers who seemed to like him a lot, so we were optimistic.”

The last time Lyon sold a seven-figure colt at Saratoga was in 2019 when the now unbeaten MGISW Flightline (Tapit) summoned $1-million from the West Point team. Woodford and Summer Wind are among the partners on that 'TDN Rising Star' as well. Flightline's success inspired a changed in Lyon's business model.

“I was very hopeful and let it be known that, if possible, I would like to stay in on him,” Lyon said of Stop the Press, who was consigned by Lane's End. “It's kind of a new plan for me. If I have a colt I feel extremely strong about, if I can stay in on him, I'd like to do so. It seems to be working out extremely well with Flightline. I thought, 'well, there are some I might try that again with.' Apparently, the buyers wanted to try it again too, which is very flattering.”

While Lyon is known for her deep love for all of her horses, she admitted that Stop the Press showed he was special as he developed at her Georgetown nursery.

“He has been special,” Lyon said. “I think [Summer Wind Farm manager] Bobby [Spalding] probably spotted it before I did, because I am barn blind. I think they are all special. But, that being said, he began to really take shape and we knew he would be one of our good ones to take to the sale. It is a good way to start the sales season.”

Stop the Press comes from a family near and dear to Lyon's heart. Her late husband Frank Lyon gifted her Stop the Press's third dam Misty Hour (Miswaki) as a 2-year-old. She went on to be a stakes winner and graded stakes-placed and is the matriarch of Summer Wind.

Misty Hour is the dam of stakes winner Pilfer, who is responsible Grade I winners Angela Renee and To Honor and Serve. Prior to that, she produced Stop the Press's MGSW second dam India (Hennessy), whose offspring includes MG1SW Mozu Ascot (Frankel {GB}) and SW 'TDN Rising Star' Kareena (Medaglia d'Oro).

“The thing I am really excited about with this particular colt is he is a homebred out of a homebred out of a homebred,” said Lyon. “It is a very important family to me and to our farm. The fact that this second foal, and the first one offered at auction, was this popular is very exciting.”

Unfortunately, Stop the Press's dam Secret Sigh never had a chance to show her true potential on the racetrack. She was injured during training and retired to Summer Wind's star-studded broodmare band, which features the likes of Littleprincessemma, dam of American Pharoah.

“She got injured before she could really run,” Lyon said. “I had her with Billy Mott and he felt that she had a lot of talent. When she got injured and came home, I sent her to Europe and bred her to Frankel because her mother had been successful when bred to Frankel. I did keep that filly [Pippi Longstocking] and she is in training now. I think this could be the making of a very, very exciting addition to that family.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

 

 

West Point, Woodford Return to the Well

At the 2019 renewal of this auction, West Point Thoroughbreds and Woodford Racing were among the partners on a $1-million Tapit colt bred by Jane Lyon's Summer Wind Farm. That colt turned out to be unbeaten MGISW Flightline, so when Lyon returned to Saratoga with another well-bred colt, he quickly caught the powerhouse duo's attention.

West Point and Woodford had to go a bit higher this time around, but, after an intense round of bidding from all over the pavilion as well as out back, they were left holding the $1.5-million ticket on a Summer Wind-bred Uncle Mo colt. Lyon stayed in as a partner on Flightline and will do so once again on the colt she named Stop the Press.

“We changed our luck about three years ago. We started bidding here and it's going well,” West Point's Terry Finley said after signing the ticket on the right side of the auction's outside bidding area. “It's is our spot for buying horses like good colts bred by Jane Lyon. She is going to stay in. He came from the same land [as Flightline]. We are really excited. Obviously, we have had a lot of good luck and have been on an exciting ride with Jane and Woodford. We are going to try and recreate that magic.”

Like many partnerships these days, West Point and Woodford have become increasingly focused on buying colts with two-turn potential in hopes of making the Triple Crown races. This colt fit that bill on both pedigree and conformation, according to Finley.

“He is a beautiful horse,” Finley said. “Uncle Mo throws a big, stout horse. He looks like the kind of horse all of us see on the Triple Crown trail. You can't get enough of these types because you know the trials and tribulations we all face. This horse really, really stuck out. We are pumped to get him. He will go to Shug McGaughey. I don't think anyone has told him yet, but I am sure he will have a smile on his face.”

As for the price, Finley said he was not surprised given the atmosphere at Saratoga Monday and the state of the market.

“It was right about the spot,” he said. “There is plenty of money here. Obviously, there are a lot of things going on in the world, but I think people who are buying at this level aren't impacted that much. There were more than just two of us past $1 million. You pay what the market tells you to pay. You saw good colts without as much pedigree going for $700,000 and $800,000, so add this pedigree to the physical and you are looking at at least $1.2 million. I was glad when the announcer said, 'That's all they brought.' It was getting up there. We have a lot of work to do to get out on this horse, but it is exciting for the partners to play a part in a good colt like this.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Mori Gets on the Board at Saratoga

Japanese trainer Hideyuki Mori, making his first trip to the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale, was quick to get into the seven-figure fray when going to an even $1 million to acquire a colt by Into Mischief (hip 74) from the Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services consignment. The bay, who was bred by Maurice and Samantha Regan's Newtown Anner Stud, is out of Shopit (Yes It's True) and is a full-brother to stakes winner and multiple Grade I-placed 'TDN Rising Star' Shoplifted, who was second in the 2019 GI Runhappy Hopeful S. and third in the 2020 GI H. Allen Jerkens S. and GI Woody Stephens S.

Agents Nick Sallusto and Hanzly Albina purchased Shopit, in foal to Fast Anna, on behalf of the Regans for $65,000 at the 2019 Keeneland November sale.

“We knew this was the best horse we bred this year,” Albina said of the yearling. “He's always been good. You are defying the odds when you become a Saratoga yearling, you defy the odds when you get up here and ring the bell like that. It's just lucky. My team at the farm is very good and they work hard. Ron Blake works hard. Nick Sallusto works hard. We are just fortunate to work for such great people as the Regans who allow us to do what we need to do.”

All of Newtown Anner's yearlings are offered at market, according to Albina.

“We always bring all our yearlings to market to keep ourselves honed and to make good decisions and not to just keep a lot of horses and have big training bills for no reason,” Albina said.

 

 

Justify Colt Gives Black His First Million-Dollar Sale

Christian Black's Blackstone Farm had a banner sale in Saratoga last year when selling a Gun Runner colt for $550,000. The Pennsylvania-based operation managed to double that number this year when a son of undefeated Triple Crown hero Justify (hip 78) hammered for $1.1 million to Coolmore's M.V. Magnier. It was the first million-dollar sale for Blackstone Farm.

“He has just been a good horse from the beginning and he just kept getting better and better,” Black said. “The good thing about Coolmore and M.V. is, if you have a nice horse, they are always there to support their stallions. Fortunately enough, this horse just jumped through all the hoops for them.”

As for the price, Black said, “I don't think you expect $1.1 million on a horse, but we had a lot of people on him that, in the past, showed they were willing to spend that kind of money. We were hopeful.”

Justify, who stands at Coolmore's Ashford Stud, has been off to a fast start at stud with a graded winner in America and group winner in Europe already in his first crop.

“Justify is going really, really well at the moment,” Magnier said. “It has been incredible, since we have been here the last few days, the amount of people that have come up and said how well he is doing. He couldn't be going any better than he is going.”

Consigned by Warrendale Sales, hip 78 is out of Slews Golden Rule (Langfuhr), who is also responsible for SW Ledecka (Tiznow). Black purchased the half-sister to GSW & GISP Globetrotter (Street Cry {Ire}) for $80,000 in foal to Lonhro (Aus) at the 2014 KEENOV sale.

“He is a very nice horse,” Magnier said of hip 78. “He's very sound. He's a big colt. The boys liked him, so hopefully he is a good horse. We will bring him back to Ashford.”

—@CDeBernardisTDN

 

 

Spendthrift Strikes Early for Curlin Colt

It didn't take long for things to heat up in the Humphrey S. Finney pavilion Monday night with the Spendthrift Farm team going to $950,000 to secure a colt by Curlin (hip 9).

Spendthrift started buying with BSW/Crow Bloodstock team during last fall's yearling sales for a new partnership focused on two-turn colts for the major Classics. The colts from the new group are set to go to Brad Cox. Spendthrift's Ned Toffey signed the ticket under the name of Spendthrift, BSW/Crow Colts Group/Schwartz/Gandharvi.

“He will likely be a part of the colts group, but we signed the ticket and will sort the details out later,” Toffey said, after signing the ticket while seated alongside Liz Crow, Brad Weisbord and Paul Sharp with Cox behind them.

Consigned by Eaton Sales, hip 9 was bred by Barronstown Stud, who bought his staked-winning and GISP dam Light the City (Street Sense) for $625,000 with this colt in utero at the 2020 FTKNOV sale. Light the City is also the dam of GISP Illumination (Medaglia d'Oro), a $900,000 graduate of this auction in 2019, who brought $875,000 from Don Alberto at last year's Fasig November Sale.

“What's not to like?” Toffey said. “He is a beautiful Curlin. We thought he was one of the best individuals in the sale. He had a lot of quality about him, a lot of bone, a lot of substance. He has a great walk, moved around beautifully. We are really happy to have him.”

Spendthrift struck again near the end of Monday's session, going to a cool $1 million for a son of their super sire Into Mischief (hip 102). Breeder St. Elias Stables stayed in for a piece and they also partnered with Cypress Creek Stables on the Lane's End-consigned colt.

Hip 102 is the first foal out of Vinnie and Teresa Viola's MGSW Teresa Z (Smart Strike). His third dam is MGISW My Flag, dam of champion Storm Flag Flying.

“We are partnering with Mike Moreno, Cypress Creek and St Elias, who was selling the horse is going to stay in for a piece,” Toffey said. “They are people we have partnered with before and we're really happy to partner with again. Obviously it gives you a lot of confidence that the breeder wants to stay in. They are a class act. And Mike, we've had a really great partnership with Keepmeinmind (Laoban). We are happy to team up again. We think this is a really nice horse. We are kind of fond of the sire. That's just a remarkable female family. He has everything it takes, we just hope he can run.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

 

 

SF/Starlight/Madaket Partnership Back in Action

The stallion-making partnership of SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables, whose 2-year-olds are heating up on the racetrack with the likes of recent 'TDN Rising Star' Newgate (Into Mischief), got back in action at the yearling sales when going to $950,000 to acquire a colt by Speightstown (hip 56) Monday night in Saratoga.

“He was a beautiful horse,” SF Bloodstock's Tom Ryan said of the yearling. “He really reminded me of a horse on the same cross, Rock Fall, who won two Grade Is. Bob [Baffert], Donato [Lanni], the whole team liked him. We all know what Speightstown can do. He can provide brilliance to any pedigree, especially a pedigree with a cross that's already worked on multiple occasions, Speightstown over Medaglia d'Oro. We are very excited about him.”

The cross is also responsible for GI American Oaks winner Competitionofideas, as well as four-time graded winner Olympiad and MGSW Souper Stonehenge.

The yearling was consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck's Summerfield on behalf of his breeder, Stonestreet. He is out of the unraced Rainier (Medaglia d'Oro), a half-sister to multiple takes winenr Laurie's Rocket (Bluegrass Cat).

“Everybody loved the colt,” said Francis Vanlangendonck. “He came out and showed his class the whole time. As soon as he walked up there, people loved him. People from other barns would walk over to look at him. Mentally, he was a colt that people wanted to be around. You get a lot of athletes who are capable, but their minds take them away. This colt handled it well–he got better every day.”

Barbara Banke's Stonestreet purchased the yearling's second dam, Clay's Rocket (American Chance), for $350,000 at the 2010 Keeneland November sale.

“They are the best,” Vanlangendonck said of Stonestreet. “They give me great horses to sell. They give you a product that's easy to sell.”

In addition to its lone purchase of the evening, SF Bloodstock was in action as sellers just a few hips later. The operation sold a filly by War Front out of Grade I winner Rosalind (Broken Vow) (hip 61) for $675,000 to Robert and Lawana Low. The bay filly was consigned by Bedouin Bloodstock.

“We're really happy with that result,” Ryan said. “We're proud of the filly. She's a homebred, born and raised at Atlas Farm and sold by Bedouin. Neal [Clarke] and Conor [Doyle] do a tremendous job.”

SF Bloodstock purchased Rosalind, winner of the 2014 GI Ashland S., for $1 million at that year's Fasig-Tipton November sale.

“Rosalind has been a wonderful mare to own, she's been part of our band for quite a while now,” Ryan said. “She is in foal to Tapit and she has a beautiful Twirling Candy on the ground.”

Of the market Monday in Saratoga, Ryan said, “It feels vibrant. We will see how the results tally up at the end of the night, but based on the looks on the consignors faces, things are going pretty well around here.” @JessMartiniTDN

Tapit Filly Jump Starts Speedway Breeding Program

Bloodstock agent Marette Farrell has spent the last several years acquiring future broodmares for Peter Fluor and K.C. Weiner's Speedway Stables and her efforts began to bear fruit when a filly by Tapit (hip 72) sold for $750,000 to Muir Hut Stables.

“It's the beginning of the process,” Farrell said. “We sold one last year, but this is the start. Peter Fluor has always wanted to run it as a business, so sadly we had to let her go because we thought a lot of her.”

The yearling, who was consigned by Taylor Made Sales Agency, is out of stakes winner and multiple graded placed Shayjolie (Indian Charlie), a mare who was purchased by Speedway for $400,000 at the 2015 Keeneland November sale.

“That mare seems to be the atom bomb as far as producing nice racehorses,” Farrell said. “She has a beautiful Constitution filly weanling behind her and we are planning to continue breeding her to good stallions. So hopefully there is more in the works and they can keep a daughter out of her at some point.”

The Speedway broodmare band is currently home to fewer than 10 head and the plan will be to offer all the resulting foals.

“They are offering everything,” Farrell confirmed. “Peter and K.C. felt that was the fairest thing to do for the buyers. If they offer everything, then everyone knows this is legitimate, rather than holding something back.”

The yearling will join the Southern California stable of trainer Mark Glatt, who also trains Muir Hut's recent maiden winner Agency (Bolt d'Oro) and stakes placed Affable (Flatter). @JessMartiniTDN

Constitution Colt Scores for Don Alberto

Jim and Dana Bernhard's Lynnhaven Racing purchased a colt by Constitution (hip 66) for $700,000 during Monday's first session of the Fasig-Tipton Saratoga sale. The yearling was consigned by Gainesway on behalf of his breeder, Don Alberto Corporation.

“They are just getting into the game,” Matt Weinmann, CEO of Equine Analysis Systems said after signing the ticket on behalf of the Bernhards. “They started getting horses last year and they are coming back and buying the next crop.”

Hip 66 is out of multiple group winner Sand Puce (Arg) (Footstepsinthesand {GB}) and is a half-brother to the 2-year-old filly Scarpia (Union Rags), who ran second against a group of males in a maiden special weight sprinting on the turf at the nearby racetrack Sunday afternoon.

“He is beautiful,” Weinmann said of the colt. “Like we always do with Equine Analysis, we are just using data and statistics to narrow it down and find horses that give us the highest likelihood of success, and this colt fits that bill.”

Gainesway's Brian Graves had a more visceral reaction to the colt.

“I don't have a lot of data and analysis, but I will say when I saw that colt at Don Alberto, I rated him as one of their highest physicals,” Graves said. “He was a beautiful colt with a long neck and a big walk. Constitution is on the rise. I thought he was a really nice horse the whole time. You always get a little nervous at the sale because you're not sure what they are going to bring and there were a couple seconds where I thought I might be wrong, but then he kind of did what I thought he'd do. We are grateful to Don Alberto for the horse and grateful to the buyers. We wish them a lot of luck.”

Graves perennially has pinhooking success in Saratoga and the horseman kept his streak intact Monday with a filly by Not This Time (hip 24) who sold for $375,000 to Centennial Farms. Graves's Fish Stable pinhooking partnership had acquired the youngster for $120,000 at last year's Keeneland November sale.

“I think that she was by Not This Time, that was the formula there. He had a great year,” Graves said.

Of horses he targets to the Saratoga sale, Graves added, “You just have to pick a good physical with some sire power. That's what you bring here. I think people will forgive a little on the dam's side if you have a good physical and sire power.” @JessMartiniTDN

 

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