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Mendelssohn Colt Tops Opening Session Of Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale

The Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale kicked off Monday afternoon with significant increases in gross, average, and median over the first session of the last two editions of the sale (2019-2020) and the lowest RNA rate since 2016, compared to full sale results.

A colt from the first crop of Mendelssohn topped Monday's session, fetching a bid of $230,000 from buyer Oracle Bloodstock, agent (video).

The bay colt was offered as Hip 189 by Dreamtime Stables, agent. Out of the Malibu Moon mare Tasha's Moon, a half-sister to Grade 2 placed stakes winner Esmeraldina, the colt hails from the immediate family of Grade 1 winner Off the Tracks and Grade 2 winner and sire Concord Point. Hip 189 was bred in Kentucky by Classic Thoroughbred.

Earlier in the session, a son of Belmont Stakes winner Union Rags sold for $220,000 to Mac Robertson, agent for Novogratz Racing Stables (video).

Dark Hollow, agent, offered the colt as Hip 113. Out of the winning Flatter mare Safe Journey, the colt is a half-brother to four winners, including O Dionysus (Bodemeister) and Joy (Pure Prize), both multiple stakes winners on the mid-Atlantic racing circuit. Hip 113 was bred in Maryland by Dark Hollow Farm.

Mendelssohn was also responsible for the session's top-priced filly, which sold for $160,000 to Donato Lanni, agent for Caroline & Greg Bentley (video).

Offered as Hip 159 by Northview Stallion Station (David Wade), agent, the filly is a half-sister to a pair of winners out of the winning Curlin mare Split It. Bred in Maryland by Sycamore Hall Thoroughbreds, Hip 159 is from the immediate family of champion filly Epitome and multimillionaire War Story.

Rounding out the top five were a pair of fillies with strong pedigrees:

Hip 76, a daughter of Tiznow out of a Not For Love half-sister to four-time Grade 1 winner and two-time Maryland Horse of the Year Knicks Go, which sold for $150,000 to SBM. The filly was bred in Maryland by GreenMount Farm & Tiznow Syndicate and consigned by GreenMount Farm, agent.
Hip 11, a filly from the first crop of Preakness Stakes winner Cloud Computing, who is a three-parts sister to course record-setting stakes winner Dirty (Maclean's Music), which sold for $145,000 to Newtown Anner Stud. The Maryland-bred filly was consigned by Blake-Albina Thoroughbred Services, agent.

Over the course of the session, 149 yearlings sold for a gross of $4,577,300. The average – $30,720 – marked 25.6 percent and 16.9 percent increases over 2020 and 2019's first sessions, respectively. The median rose 33.3 percent to $20,000 from the first-session median of $15,000 achieved in both 2020 and 2019. Eight horses sold for $100,000 during the session, compared to two sold at or above that price point in 2020 and five in 2019. The RNA rate was 16.3 percent.

Results are available online. The sale resumes Tuesday, Oct. 5 at 10 a.m.

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Mendelssohn On Top In Competitive Midlantic Opener

TIMONIUM, MD – Buyers had every right to expect competitive bidding during Monday's first session of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Fall Yearlings Sale–with normal Maryland shoppers joined by bidders shut out at previous sales–and the arena did not disappoint.

By the close of business Monday, 149 yearlings grossed $4,577,300. The average was $30,720 and the median was $20,000.

During the sale's first session in 2020, 122 yearlings sold for a total of $2,983,600. The session average was $24,456, the median was $15,000, and the buy-back rate was 24.7%.

“It was a great opening session,” Fasig-Tipton president Boyd Browning said Monday evening. “The gross is up 53%, the average is up 26%, median is up 33%, and the RNA rate is a very low 16.2% today.”

While the 2020 auction was held during the uncertainty of the pre-vaccination pandemic, its figures remained fairly steady with the 2019 opening session when 102 yearlings sold for $2,680,000, an average of $26,275 and a median of $15,000.

“[Monday's results] are really more impressive when you consider this was one of the sales that, when you compare 2020 to 2019, it really didn't have a COVID drop,” Browning said. “So '20 and '19 were very similiar in terms of statistical results for this sale. Some other sales have had a little bit of an anti-COVID bump throughout the United States this year in 2021 compared to 2020. Well, this is a pretty genuine increase in terms of statistical performance. Results in '19 and '20 were basically flat, so this increase in 2021 is even more impressive than it has been for some of the other sales.”

Eight yearlings sold for six figures Monday, up from just two a year ago.

A colt by Mendelssohn (hip 189) brought the day's top price when selling for $230,000 to Oracle Bloodstock. Also topping the $200,000 mark was a colt by Union Rags (hip 113) who sold for $220,000 to trainer Mac Robertson. Both were consigned by locally based sellers, with Dreamtime Stables offering hip 189 and consignor/breeder Dark Hollow offering hip 113.

“One of the nice things we saw today was the support of the local breeders,” Browning said. “It was nice to see the sale topped by Dreamtime, which is Mike Palmer and his wife and their longtime association with Candyland Farm's Herb and Ellen Moelis, who have been long-time supporters of this sale and this region. And the second highest-priced horse was from David Hayden and his Dark Hollow Farm. They were both really legitimate pedigrees with Mendelssohn and Union Rags. It is really rewarding to see regional breeders who have quality product support this marketplace, which helps lure more buyers and more successful buyers to the sale this year and in future years as well.”

The day's top-priced filly was also a daughter of Mendelssohn with Donato Lanni bidding $160,000 to acquire hip 159.

Cary Frommer, traditionally an active buyer at the Midlantic Fall sale, signed for three yearlings Monday, including a Twirling Candy colt (hip 78) for $115,000. But Frommer agreed it was tough sledding.

“I feel like I am paying more than I thought I would have to,” she said. “For a nice horse, it's still very strong and I've been outbid on a bunch of very nice horses. I think the market is fair, but it's just that it's a trickle down effect from the other sale. People haven't been able to buy what they wanted. So it's strong here.”

Pinhookers, some of whom are not traditional bidders at the auction, were a dominant presence at the sale Monday.

“I knew they were coming,” Frommer said of the pinhooking buying bench. “I knew everybody was having trouble at the previous sale. So I knew they would be here and I was not happy about it.”

One of those pinhookers making an unusual appearance in Timonium was Susan Montayne, who purchased a filly by Tiznow (hip 76) for $150,000.

“We've never actually done this sale before,” Montayne, who is a regular presence as a consignor at the Midlantic May 2-Year-Olds in Training Sale, said. “I have never come up here to buy horses. We usually focus on the Kentucky sales and sales at home in Ocala, but here we are. It was very hard to buy at Keeneland. Luckily, we have clients that send us horses to go to the races, but with the pinhook side, it was a little tough.”

The Midlantic sale continues Tuesday with bidding at the Maryland State Fairgrounds beginning at 10 a.m.

Mendelssohn Colt to Handal

Conor Foley of Oracle Bloodstock struck late in Monday's first day of the Midlantic Fall Yearling Sale to secure a colt by Mendelssohn (hip 189) for a session-topping $230,000 on behalf of a partnership.

“He's going to go to [trainer] Ray Handal,” Foley said. “I bought him for a group of people.”

Of the yearling, Foley said, “He just looks a lot like Mendelssohn. He just looked like an athlete that should run next year; what surface he can run on, I don't know. I think horses like him were few and far between here and he really stood out.”

The colt was bred by Classic Thoroughbred XXIX and was consigned by Dreamtime Stables. He is out of Tasha's Moon (Malibu Moon) and is a half-brother to stakes-placed Juror Number Four (Into Mischief) and from the family of multiple graded winner Tasha's Miracle.

Hip 189 was one of two yearlings from the first crop of Grade I winner Mendelssohn to bring six figures Monday in Timonium. Earlier in the session, bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, bidding on behalf of Caroline and Greg Bentley, acquired the day's top-priced filly when going to $160,000 for a daughter of the Coolmore stallion (hip 159).

Union Rags Colt to Novogratz

Trainer Mac Robertson, bidding on behalf of owner Joe Novogratz, purchased a colt by Union Rags for $220,000 Monday in Timonium. The bay colt was bred and consigned by Dark Hollow Farm and is out of Safe Journey (Flatter), who is also the dam of multiple stakes winners O Dionysus (Bodemeister) and Joy (Pure Prize). The yearling's second dam is Safe at the Plate (Double Zeus), a half-sister to champion sprinter Safely Kept.

“Safe Journey is an awful good mare for this sale,” Robertson said after signing the ticket on hip 113. “She has four or five really good horses that can win where we want to go. And I thought, for a Union Rags, he has enough length to be a really good horse.”

Several times a leading owner at Canterbury Park, Novogratz was a linebacker for the Pitt Panthers and was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers before being traded to the Minnesota Vikings. He is the founder of IDI Distributors Inc., an insulation distribution company.

Robertson trained the multiple stakes winner Amy's Challenge (Artie Schiller) for Novogratz. The mare, second in the GI Madison S. and third in the GI Humana Distaff S. in 2019, was purchased for $20,000 at the Fasig Midlantic Yearling sale in 2016.

“I thought he'd bring between $200,000 and $250,000 when he vetted well and scoped well,” Robertson said of the yearling's final price. “Until you get your guy to vet him, you don't really know.”

Also on behalf of Novogratz Monday, Robertson purchased a filly by Malibu Moon (hip 158) for $95,000.

The competitive market was no surprise to Robertson.

“It's really strong,” he said with a rueful smile. “But I'm not surprised. I was at Keeneland–I've never seen an 80% clearance rate in my life. There are people who didn't get what they wanted at Keeneland, so of course they came here.

Tiznow Filly Likely for 2-Year-Old Sales

A filly by Tiznow (hip 76) is likely destined for a return to the sales ring next spring after selling for $150,000 to the bid of Ocala horsewoman Susan Montanye.

“She looks like a classy, two-turn filly,” Montanye, who signed for the pinhooking partnership in the name of her SBM Training and Sales, said of the yearling's appeal. “She is a little bit of a later foal, but she had all the right angles and parts. She vetted great for me. I watched her and I loved her walk, big overreach on her. What's not to like about her?”

Of the filly's final price, Montanye said, “Listen, if you want them right now, it looks like you're going to have to pay for them. She's a Tiznow filly and she's got some pedigree, so $150,000, I feel comfortable with that.”

The yearling was consigned by Sabrina Moore's GreenMount Farm and was bred by Moore in partnership with Tiznow Syndicate. She is out of Pinkprint (Not For Love), a half-sister to GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile winner and likely GI Breeders' Cup Classic favorite Knicks Go (Paynter).

Filly Adds Up for Newtownanner

Ron Blake liked a filly by Cloud Computing when he purchased her as a short yearling for $40,000 at the Keeneland January sale earlier this year and he still liked the bay yearling (hip 11) when he sent her through the sales ring in Timonium Monday. He advised his clients, Samantha and Maurice Regan's Newtown Anner Stud, to purchase the bay for $145,000.

“We always loved her,” Blake said. “We bought her as a weanling and from the day we bought her I thought she was gorgeous. She's grown into a very pretty filly. She is a late foal and I think when you take that into account, you can see what she could become. She's by a first-year stallion and she was a late foal so she looked maybe a little small to some people. But because she is a May 20 foal, we thought she'd be a real beautiful filly. We advised our client to buy her.”

The yearling is out of Martini and is a three-quarter sister to stakes winner Dirty (Maclean's Music).

“I just think she has so much quality,” Blake said. “We think she'll be a good racehorse. She'll go back to the farm and be able to grow up a little bit. We will give her some time off before we break her and then go forward with her and see what she can do.”

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Taking Stock: City of Light Stars at Keeneland

There are folks who sound like broken records when it comes to first-crop sires, complaining that breeders who use them and buyers purchasing those yearlings at auction are about as foolish as dunk-tank clowns. However, when one of those sires succeeds with his first 2-year-olds, those same people are usually the first to wax eloquent with platitudes, forgetting what they'd said earlier. That's human nature, I suppose.

What they forget is that all sires start out with first crops, and there are people on the other end that wildcat for next big sire–the next Into Mischief, Tapit, Curlin, Uncle Mo, Quality Road, etc. It's a given that most horses that enter stud will fail, but every year a few stars will appear to justify the process. This year, for example, Three Chimneys's Gun Runner (Candy Ride {Arg}) is on a tear with his first juveniles, with five black-type winners to date, including two at the highest level. In Europe over the weekend, Coolmore America's Caravaggio (Scat Daddy) and Overbury Stud's Ardad (Ire) (Kodiac {GB}) were represented by the winners of the G1 Cheveley Park S. and the G1 Middle Park S., respectively, from their first crops. There are too many current and historical examples of first-season success to list here, but it shouldn't surprise anyone that it happens, because these horses tend to get their best books of mares in their first years at stud, their own intrinsic abilities aside.

Sometimes, yearling sales will tip off future success. Gun Runner, a Horse of the Year who entered stud in 2018 for a $70,000 stud fee, led all first-season sires at Keeneland September in 2020 with an average price of $253,750 for 32 sold, and that was during the height of COVID, which depressed prices across the board. Because of his exceptional early success on the track, Gun Runner's second crop of yearlings benefitted, averaging $325,925 for 40 sold at Keeneland this year.

With COVID now somewhat under control, yearling prices soared across the board at Keeneland, which concluded last Friday, and the unequivocal star of first-crop sires was Lane's End's City of Light (Quality Road), with an average price of $372,872 for 47 sold–almost an average of $50,000 more than the Gun Runners. More germane, City of Light entered stud for $35,000 in the same year that Coolmore America's powerful Scat Daddy duo of Justify, a Triple Crown winner; and Mendelssohn, a half-brother to Into Mischief and champion Beholder, started out for fees of $150,000 and $35,000, respectively.

Justify had 61 sell for an average price of $367,721, which placed him second behind City of Light. Mendelssohn, with an identical initial fee to City of Light, had 64 yearlings sell for an average of $160,078. City of Light, Justify, and Mendelssohn led all first-crop sires at Keeneland by average price, and the sales results for all of them were excellent returns on investment for breeders and consignors who'd supported them. But it's obvious that City of Light's numbers stand out.

Moreover, a $1.7-million colt by City of Light topped the sale, and for good measure, he had another colt bring $1.05 million.

City of Light

A $710,000 Keeneland September yearling bred by Ann Marie Farm, City of Light is an exceptionally attractive physical specimen, tall, athletic, and rangy, built very much like his sire, who also stands at Lane's End. When it was announced in late 2018 that City of Light would enter stud at Lane's End, the farm contacted me to write a piece about him for its website. I said this about his sire:

“The scope of Quality Road's success at stud has been astonishing, though not entirely surprising given his looks, race record, and pedigree. Bred and raced by the late Edward P. Evans, Quality Road is by Elusive Quality and is therefore a member of the Gone West branch of Mr. Prospector. On the bottom, he traces in tail-female to the highly influential mare Myrtlewood (seventh dam), from which Mr. Prospector (fourth dam) and Seattle Slew (fifth dam) also descended. Speed was the salient characteristic of these horses, and Quality Road expressed that trait by setting three track records, one at 6 1/2 furlongs and two at nine furlongs. He stayed 10 furlongs well enough when second in the GI Jockey Club Gold Cup, beaten a length. He is physically attractive, with height, length, and balance, and he was nimble, athletic, and notably fast for a 16.3-hand specimen. He reliably passes along his physical and aptitudinal traits to his offspring, who are effective from sprints to classic distances on dirt and turf at the highest levels, and as a sire, he has ascended to elite status in a short time.”

Todd Pletcher, who has had his hands on more top-class stallions than anyone else, guided the career of Quality Road after taking over from Jimmy Jerkens midway through the colt's 3-year-old season, and perhaps it's fitting that Pletcher's longtime assistant Michael McCarthy trained City of Light for owners Mr. and Mrs. William K. Warren, Jr.

City of Light was a top-class racehorse, winning six of 11 starts, and he was never off the board in his other five races, earning $5.7 million. Most notably, the colt won two Grade I sprints at Santa Anita over seven furlongs, the Malibu S. and the Triple Bend S.; the GI Breeders' Cup Dirt Mile at Churchill; and the GI Pegasus World Cup Invitational S. at Gulfstream over nine furlongs. In between, he'd also placed third in the GI Gold Cup at Santa Anita over 10 furlongs. By racing aptitude, he was also very much his father's son, and he was unlucky to never have won an Eclipse Award.

City of Light is from the Dehere mare Paris Notion and comes from a family developed by Ray Stark and Fares Farm that also includes Grade l winners Fabulous Notion (his second dam), Cacoethes, Subordination, and Careless Jewel.

With the physique, sire, race record, and female family behind him, it's no surprise he was a hit with breeders from the beginning. WTC bloodstock editor Frances J. Karon tweeted a photo of him at Lane's End in February of 2019 and wrote: “If you like Quality Road–and who doesn't?!–you will *love* his son City of Light, a real 'wow' horse.” And in another tweet on the same thread, she wrote: “City of Light won the GI Pegasus barely more than 30 days ago. Horses aren't supposed to look this phenomenal a month out of training, so that tells you a lot about this guy.”

Usually, a stallion's stud fee will decrease after his first few years at stud, but that wasn't the case with City of Light. In 2020, he went up $5,000 to $40,000–the same fee he was at this year. That's a testament to his popularity.

His first weanlings to sell confirmed this, with 20 selling in 2020 for an average price of $190,875. That was the clue that he was going to be a hit at the yearling sales this season.

So far, there haven't been too many Quality Road sons at stud, but one who is doing well this year with his first crop is Darby Dan's Klimt, a Grade l winner at two. Klimt is in a different price range–he's been at $10,000 all four years at stud–but he's sixth on TDN's first-crop list with progeny earnings of $620,916. Klimt has 12 winners, which makes him co-tied for fourth place in that category, and has three black-type-placed horses.

These are good signs for City of Light, and all eyes will be on him next year when his first runners hit the track.

Sid Fernando is president and CEO of Werk Thoroughbred Consultants, Inc., originator of the Werk Nick Rating and eNicks.

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Fireworks As Keeneland Book 2 Opens

by Jessica Martini & Christie DeBernardis

LEXINGTON, KY – Bidding was fast and frenetic when the first of two Book 2 sessions of the Keeneland September Yearling Sale opened Wednesday in Lexington, producing the auction's highest-priced offering yet when a colt by City of Light (hip 612) sold for $1.7 million to the partnership of Woodford Racing, Talla Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds.

“That was amazing,” an ebullient Keeneland vice president of sales Tony Lacy said at the close of business Wednesday. “That was one of the best sale days we've seen in a while. Every time you picked up your head, there was a horse selling for $500,000 or $600,000.”

During the session, 211 yearlings sold for $60,996,000. The session average was $289,081–up 30.88% from the corresponding 2020 session–and the median was up 27.78% to $230,000. Of the 350 catalogued lots, 283 went through the ring and, with just 72 horses reported not sold, the buy-back rate was 25.44%.

Through three sessions, 419 yearlings have sold for $151,618,000 for an average of $361,857 and a median of $290,000.

A year ago at this point in the sale, 394 yearlings had sold for $126,076,000. The cumulative average was $319,990 and the median was $250,000.

The September Sale results sheets continued to be punctuated by a diverse buying bench, with seven different buyers purchasing the day's top 10 lots from seven different consignors.

“I think the highlight for me is the depth of the market,” said Keeneland's director of sales operations Cormac Breathnach. “Aside from the million-dollar horses, we had 26 bring over half a million. They went to a very broad base of buyers, particularly domestic demand in today's case. We saw the new money go to work today. People are excited about what they are buying and are sticking around.”

The $1.7-million yearling, who could become the first from Book 2 and the first by a first-crop sire to top the September Sale in at least the last decade, was one of two to bring seven figures during the session. Mike Talla and West Point Thoroughbreds also teamed up to purchase the first North American million-dollar colt by Triple Crown winner Justify for $1.55 million. Woodford Racing and West Point had made the auction's previous top bid of $1.6 million when purchasing a son of City of Light's sire Quality Road Tuesday.

First-crop sire City of Light has been on fire at Keeneland September, accounting for a pair of million-dollar colts. Through the first three sessions, 19 yearlings by that Lane's End stallion sold for a gross of $9,315,000 and an average of $490,263. City of Light's sire and fellow Lane's End resident Quality Road was also responsible for a pair of seven-figure colts. Overall, 25 Quality Road yearlings have sold for $13.47 million with an average of $538,800.

Seven of the top 10 sellers Wednesday were from the first or second crops of their young sires and the top two lots were rewarding smaller breeders. Rosilyn Polan's Sunday Morning Farm was responsible for the $1.7-million colt and Jeff and Chiquita Reddoch's Stonehaven Steadings sold the $1.55-million colt.

“The two top prices today were homebreds from smaller breeders,” Lacy said. “That is a real score.”

While some sellers seem to be eschewing the boutique Book 1 section of the September sale for an increasingly competitive Book 2, Lacy said he thinks the reality is that Book 1 continues to attract top money. Lacy pointed out that the Book 1 median was $350,000, compared to Book 2's current median of $230,000.

“Book 1 is where the money is at,” Lacy said. “It does drop off, but you probably get more consistency through certain parts of [Book 2]. Book 1 gets a bad rap in certain ways. I thought yesterday was amazing, but today the clearance rate probably made it even better.”

Breathnach expects to see competitive bidding continue as Book 2 concludes with its second session Thursday.

“This [momentum] is hopefully going to last for a while because there are a lot of people here who haven't bought a horse yet and there is that whole second week [of buyers], who maybe haven't arrived yet. We are pretty optimistic about how this is going to see through to the end of the sale, but today was a great day for sure.”

The Keeneland September sale continues Thursday at 11 a.m. Following a dark day Friday, the auction runs through Sept. 24 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

Polan Hits One Out of the Park

Rosilyn Polan, who sold future graded stakes winner Wit (Practical Joke) for $575,000 at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale, shot past that previous personal best when a colt by City of Light brought a sale-topping final bid of $1.7 million from the partnership of Woodford Racing, West Point Thoroughbreds and Mike Talla.

“I can't even imagine how much money that is,” said Polan as she was bombarded by well wishers while walking back to her Barn 37. Larry Best, smiling broadly, bound over to congratulate the petite consignor, while consignor Chris Baccari shouted over, “You're the woman.”

The seven-figure yearling is out of Anchorage (Tapit), a mare Polan purchased privately four years ago.

“She is my favorite,” Polan admitted of Anchorage. “I know I have the dam of Wit, but I love her. And I have always had a lot of confidence in this colt. He was the first foal born on my farm last year and from that minute, I knew he was special.”

Anchorage has a weanling filly by Omaha Beach and was bred back to Game Winner.

Of the decision to send the multiple-stakes placed mare to City of Light, Polan explained, “It was a no-brainer. I booked sight unseen because he wasn't at the farm when I was there. He was at the racetrack. One of the guys said, 'I have a picture of him on the racetrack.' So he showed me on his phone and when I saw that beautiful big rear end, I said that was enough. I actually bred the dam of Wit [Numero d'Oro] back to City of Light.”

Polan has eight mares at her Sunday Morning Farm and credited her two-person team on the farm with preparing the colt for his sales success Wednesday.

Asked how she would celebrate the milestone sale, Polan said, “Clean stalls, turn out yearlings, clip ears, go to bed early and get up and ship tomorrow. I never have a bad day. I don't. My horses… you know there's always challenges. There's always death or sickness … but I'm always looking forward. They just fill me up. I'm still having fun. So now I'm going to have more fun.” @JessMartiniTDN

Talla, West Point Make a Statement

Mike Talla and West Point Thoroughbreds' Terry Finley, bidding out back, created the first fireworks of Wednesday's third session of the Keeneland September sale when going to $1.55 million to secure a son of Justify (hip 580), but the two men were far from done. Joined by Woodford Racing's Bill Farish just about a half-hour later, the duo went to a sale-topping $1.7 million to acquire a colt by City of Light (hip 612). Both colts will be heading west to the barn of John Sadler, who trains GI Santa Anita Derby winner Rock Your World (Candy Ride {Arg}) for Talla and Hronis Racing and undefeated 'TDN Rising Star' Flightline (Tapit) for West Point, Hronis Racing, Summer Wind Equine and Siena Farm.

“It was a full price but I knew we were going to have to stretch to get him,” Farish, whose family's Lane's End stands City of Light, said of the colt. “This horse could have been in Book 1 as easily as he is in Book 2. You can't let that cloud your judgment. He was a Book 1 type, no question about it. One horse doesn't determine the whole market, but he was exceptional.”

Woodford Racing and West Point teamed up to purchase a $1.6-million Quality Road colt during Tuesday's second session of the Keeneland sale.

“There aren't that many horses who give you that truly good feel that you're looking at an extremely good prospect,” said Finley. “There were a couple today that we bought that gave us that feel. It's good to have partners and to be in a position where we could take some swings at really good prospects like this.”

Of the increasing presence of partnerships at the top of the results sheets, Finley said, “These horses are very hard to buy, and I just couldn't do it without an immense amount of support and people who are in a position to take chunks. I don't necessarily abide by the notion that these partnerships are bad for the sellers, because oftentimes, you might get two of these groups [that bid against each other]. So everything evens out. You can't mess with the market. The market is what the market is.”

Talla, who made it to this year's GI Kentucky Derby with Rock Your World, is the co-founder of The Sports Club Company.

“We have a team together, John Sadler, David Ingordo and West Point Thoroughbreds,” Talla said after signing the ticket on the Justify colt. “We had our eye on two or three of them and we kept getting outbid. We had to make a stand somewhere and we really liked this one, so we went in for it. We will know next year if we made a mistake or not. Let's talk next summer and see if we are glad if we bought him or not.”

Talla also teamed with West Point to purchase a City of Light filly (hip 451) for $500,000.

Looking ahead, Finley said, “You just start dreaming with these kind of horses, and just hope you get lucky.” @JessMartiniTDN

Stonehaven Steadings Flexes Its Muscles

Jeff and Chiquita Reddoch's Stonehaven Steadings had its first million-dollar sale when, in partnership with de Meric Sales, it sold a Quality Road filly for a sale-topping $1.5 million at this year's OBS April sale. The operation enjoyed a second million-dollar transaction Wednesday at Keeneland when its homebred colt by Justify (hip 580) sold for $1.55 million to Talla Racing and West Point Thoroughbreds.

“Unreal. Just completely unreal,” Stonehaven Steadings' Leah O'Meara said after the colt left the sales ring. “The de Merics sold that horse down in Florida. While we still owned a large piece of him, they did that. This one was ours. It was really nice for our team. I can't wait to go back to the barn and celebrate with them.”

The bay yearling is out of graded-placed True Feelings (Latent Heat), a mare the Reddochs purchased for $210,000 at the 2012 Keeneland November sale. The mare is the dam of multiple stakes winner Feeling Mischief (Into Mischief) and graded-placed Royal Act (American Pharoah). She produced a Quality Road colt this year.

“We had two Justifys and we decided to split them up and put one in Book 1 and one in Book 2,” O'Meara said. “They were different types, both nice stretchy colts, but two different types. We thought highly of both of them, but you never know when you come out here who is going to be received the best. [Hip 580] was an absolute monster at the farm and he showed like a complete professional through every show. He never got tired. The colt we had in Book 1 [hip 224 who sold for $600,000] was lovely, but there were a lot of big-priced Justifys, so maybe it helped to be in Book 2. But I think this colt would have stood out anyway.”

The OBS April topper, now named Corniche, was tabbed a 'TDN Rising Star' following a debut victory at Del Mar for Speedway Stables and trainer Bob Baffert. Ten hips after selling the $1.55-million son of Justify, Stonehaven Steadings sold that filly's half-sister by Mendelssohn (hip 590) for $750,000 to her co-breeder Bart Evans.

“It was probably the most exciting thing I have experienced in this business,” Stonehaven Steadings' Aidan O'Meara said after watching the two yearlings go through the ring. “We are excited for everybody on the [farm and sales] team. It is a credit to them and their horsemanship. It might be one of the best crews in Kentucky for a farm of our size.”

Of the yearlings, O'Meara said, “We were high on them all along. There was a huge update for the filly. The colt has been one of our top two colts all along, but he really blossomed in the last two months. When you get here to the sale, some horses go in the opposite direction and some of them bloom and thrive and change. He is a big magnificent-striding horse. He was a class act all the way through. He improved every day and you could feel the momentum building with the serious players and the [veterinarians] getting involved.”

Stonehaven Steadings completed a highly profitable day at Keeneland Wednesday with a filly by City of Light (hip 645) who sold for $500,000 to West Point Thoroughbreds, Robert Masiello and Scarlet Oak Racing. The bay yearling is out of Canny (Big Brown), who was claimed for $15,000 at Fair Grounds in 2019. @JessMartiniTDN

Gun Runner, the Gift That Keeps on Giving for Winchell

Gun Runner carried the Winchell Thoroughbred colors to 12 victories and just shy of $16 million in earnings and has proven equally talented in the breeding shed. The chestnut shot to the top of the freshman sire rankings with a pair of Grade I winners at Saratoga, both of whom are owned and bred or co-owned by Winchell.

The Three Chimneys stallion provided his part-owner with another success Wednesday when a Winchell-bred son of Gun Runner (hip 574) summoned $975,000 from Jacob West, acting on behalf of Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable.

“He was a really nice colt,” said Winchell. “I wanted to stay in on him. That probably won't happen at this point. I like to support our horses.”

Winchell was quick to thank West, who pointed to trainer Todd Pletcher and said, “You need to thank that guy right there.”

“You probably can't name a hotter stallion or a stallion that has gotten off to a hotter start than him,” West said of Gun Runner. “The colt looks like his dad. The whole team loved him. He is by Gun Runner and out of a Tapit mare and that is a pretty good combo, we hope. You can't get any hotter with the stallion or the broodmare sire. We are excited to get him.”

As for the price, West said, “He was kind of the talking horse around. So, we knew he'd bring good money. That was right about what we thought he would bring. We knew we were going to have to fight off some pretty serious competition.”

Hip 574 is out of the unraced Time to Tap (Tapit), who is a full-sister to Winchell's champion filly and GI Kentucky Oaks winner Untapable. A half to Grade I-winning stallion Paddy O'Prado (El Prado {Ire}), Untapable is a daughter of GSW Fun House (Prized).

Fourteen Gun Runners yearlings have sold through the first three days for a total of $5.845 million and average of $417,500.

—@CDeBernardisTDN

Mendelssohn Filly to LNJ Foxwoods

A filly from the first crop of Grade I winner Mendelssohn (hip 603) will be joining the roster of the Roth family's LNJ Foxwoods after selling for $900,000 to the bid of bloodstock agents Jason Litt and Alex Solis Wednesday at Keeneland.

The filly is out of the unraced Acrobatique (Discreet Cat), who is a half-sister to LNJ Foxwoods' champion Covfefe (Into Mischief). She was consigned by Gainesway on behalf of breeder Alexander-Groves Thoroughreds.

“Of course the pedigree is there, but the physical is there too and she was awesome the whole time,” Solis said. “She stands up conformationally. She has a great walk on her and a lot of body. She looks fast.”

Of the power-packed opening session of Book 2, Solis said, “It's been really strong. We loved the Quality Road filly that Donato bought earlier in the day and when she brought $850,000, I knew this was probably going to be more.” @JessMartiniTDN

Courtlandt Strikes for Gun Runner

Don and Donna Adam's Courtlandt Farm was very active in Book 1 and made their presence known late in the opening session of Book 2 when going to $875,000 for a colt by leading freshman sire Gun Runner (hip 679). Lane's End consigned the filly for Jon Clay's Alpha Delta Stables.

“We liked everything about that colt,” said Courtlandt Farm manager Ernie Retamoza, while seated alongside former Lane's End farm manager Mike Cline, who was also sporting a Courtlandt Farm hat. “He was a great physical. The way the Gun Runners are coming out running, they are tough to buy. You saw what we had to give for him, but we are glad we got it done.”

Reynolds Bell went to $2.15 million to secure hip 679's second dam, MGSW & GISP Broadway's Alibi (Vindication), on Clay's behalf, carrying a foal by Smart Strike at the 2013 Keeneland November Sale. The resulting foal was the colt's dam, the unraced Distorted Lies (Smart Strike). Broadway's Alibi is a half-sister to MGSW Golden Lad (Medaglia d'Oro) and MSW & GISP R Gypsy Gold (Bernardini). This is also the family of GISW sire Dialed In.

Courtlandt Farm has purchased a total of 10 yearlings through the first three sessions for $6.175 million. —@CDeBernardisTDN

SF/Starlight/Madaket Partners Stay Busy

The stallion-making partnership of SF Bloodstock, Starlight Racing and Madaket Stables continued its busy buying pace during Wednesday's third session of the Keeneland September sale, going to $850,000 to acquire a colt by Curlin (hip 466). The yearling was consigned by Francis and Barbara Vanlangendonck's Summerfield on behalf of breeder Stonestreet.

“He's a very well-bred horse. He's by Curlin, a stallion we really admire and out of a mare that looks like she has the potential to be a very good mare at this point,” said SF's Tom Ryan.

The chestnut colt is out of graded stakes winner My Wandy's Girl (Flower Alley), who won the GII Barbara Fritchie H. before being purchased by Stonestreet for $700,000 at the 2014 Keeneland November sale.

Her 2-year-old colt My Prankster (Into Mischief), who sold for $600,000 at last year's Fasig-Tipton Selected Yearlings Showcase, romped home a 10-length debut winner at Saratoga Aug. 21 for Robert and Lawana Low and was named a 'TDN Rising Star'.

“My Prankster looks like a good colt,” Ryan said. “We definitely noticed the 2-year-old winning as well as he did and we admired him last year at the yearling sale. This colt looks like a very nice two-turn colt. He'll go to California to Bob Baffert.”

The partnership's four purchases Wednesday also included a $775,000 colt by Good Magic (hip 607), a $675,000 son of Uncle Mo (hip 573), and a $440,000 colt by Twirling Candy (hip 560).

Through three days, the group has purchased 10 yearlings for $6,265,000.

Another emerging partnership making a big impact at the September sale is the BSW/Crow Colts Group, which purchased 10 lots Wednesday for $2,605,000. Through three sessions, bloodstock agents Liz Crow and Brad Weisbord, bidding alongside trainer Brad Cox, have purchased 13 yearlings for the partnership for a total of $3,955,000. @JessMartiniTDN

Quality Sale For Town & Country Farms

Town & Country Farms had a strong showing in Book 1 of Keeneland September, selling an $850,000 Into Mischief colt (hip 53) and a $350,000 Quality Road (hip 113), and Louise Courtelis's operation sparked the first fireworks of Book 2 when their homebred filly by Quality Road (Hip 465) summoned $825,000 from Donato Lanni, acting on behalf of Susan and Charlie Chu's Baoma Corp. The filly was consigned by Taylor Made.

“She has been very lucky with fillies,” said Lanni of Susan Chu, who has campaigned Grade I-winning fillies Bast (Uncle Mo) and Varda (Distorted Humor). “She is a very fun owner. She and Charlie are very game. Hopefully she is like the other good fillies that we have had for her. They are really good people to work for.”

He continued, “[Hip 465] is just beautiful. She is a quiet filly, well made and has everything we wanted.”

Hip 465 is the first foal out of MSW & GSP My Miss Chiff (Into Mischief), a half-sister to MSW Silvercents (Goldencents). A $110,000 FTKJUL purchase by King's Equine, she carried the Town & Country silks to four wins from nine starts and just under $200,000 in earnings.

“Shannon [Potter] picked her out and flew all over to see her run and always believed in her,” said Kiki Courtelis, President of Town & Country, referring to the farm's CEO.

“She's a great mama,” said Potter. “She's been very good to us. That filly was really special, especially for a first foal. She checked all the boxes for everyone. She had a big walk to her. We thought breeding her to Quality Road might have been a stretch in stud fee, but she has paid us back tenfold from the time we raced her all the way up to selling the first baby out of her.”

He added, “This baby has gotten better and better. She was always a good foal. It was great.”

Lanni also purchased Town & Country's $850,000 Into Mischief colt for the group known as the Avengers. The colt was out of GSP Majestic Presence (Majestic Warrior).

“We sold another one for $850,000,” Potter said. “That was probably 1 and 1A for the crop that we had going through. I thought the Into Mischief colt was the best colt that we have raised at Town & Country so far. Martine is our yearling guy and he is one of a kind. He has a special hand with horses and whenever he hooks on one and really likes it, we know it is the real deal.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

City of Light's Connections Strike For One of His Daughters

City of Light's trainer Michael McCarthy signed the $750,000 ticket on a filly (hip 636) from his initial crop on behalf of the stallion's owners Mr. & Mrs. William K. Warren. McCarthy was also the underbidder on the $1.7-million City of Light colt who is the current sale topper.

“I loved this filly,” McCarthy said. “I saw her the other day and have been thinking about her for the last 24 hours. We tried earlier on the [sale topper]. We went a fair ways with him. We were unlucky, but he has obviously gone to a good home. This filly reminds me of the filly we purchased in Saratoga.”

The conditioner continued, “[The City of Lights] have plenty of scope, plenty of class. She showed herself wonderfully in the back ring. She took it all in. It's amazing. You are so close to them for so many years and then you try to jump back in. They are in so demand. We are grateful to have to pay a premium. She has good residual value.”

Hip 636 is out of Birdie Birdie (El Prado {Ire}), who breeder and consignor Nursery Place purchased for $160,000 carrying a Twirling Candy foal at the 2016 KEENOV sale. She is also responsible for MGSW Free Rose (Munnings) and SP Sylven Park (Wildcat Heir).

McCarthy has been pleased to see such a high demand for the offspring of City of Light both this week and at last month's Fasig-Tipton Saratoga Sale.

“It is wonderful to see,” McCarthy said. “It is always nice to play a small part in a horse like him and I am glad to see he is carrying it on in his second career.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

Evans Buys Out Partner on Mendelssohn Filly

Bart Evans teamed up with Stonehaven Steadings to breed a Mendolssohn filly out of his MGSW & GISP-placed mare Wasted Tears (Najran) (hip 590). He loved her so much he couldn't part with her, going to $750,000 to buy out his partners.

“I liked the mare,” Evans said. “I raised her, trained her, ran her and bred her. I don't have a filly out of her. She had one we had to put down this year and now she is going to be 17. I want the blood and I liked her. She reminds me of her mother with her attitude and her looks.”

Evans purchased Wasted Tears's dam Wishes and Roses (Greinton {GB}) for just $20,000 at Keeneland September back in 1992. Wasted Tears won 12 of her 22 starts–with half of those wins coming in graded stakes–for her owner/breeder/ trainer and earned $941,463. Wasted Tears is also the dam of $1.5-million OBS April topper Corniche (Quality Road), who romped to 'TDN Rising Star'-dom on debut at Del Mar Sept. 4.

This is the first crop for GISW Mendelssohn (Scat Daddy), who was a $3-million KEESEP topper and is a half-sibling to future Hall of Famer Beholder (Henny Hughes) and superstar sire Into Mischief (Harlan's Holiday). Another Mendelssohn summoned $900,000 from Solis/Litt just a few hips later (hip 603).

“I like Mendelssohn,” said Evans. “I saw him when they got him and, my God, I think he was the best-looking horse I've ever seen. They took him all over the world. I looked at all the Mendelssohns I could to see how they are, but she showed more of her mother than they did.” —@CDeBernardisTDN

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