Gun Runner Colt Tops OBS Spring Sale’s Opening Session

Hip No. 118, a son of Gun Runner consigned by Eisaman Equine, Agent, went to Donato Lanni, Agent for Michael Lund Petersen, for $850,000 to top the first session of the Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's 2021 Spring Sale of 2-Year-Olds in Training.

The gray or roan colt, whose eighth in :10 flat was co-fastest at the distance at Monday's under tack session, is out of graded stakes placed stakes winner Salamera, by Successful Appeal, a half sister to champion Vivaldi Girl.

Hip No. 185, a son of Distorted Humor who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5 on Monday, was sold to Spendthrift Farm LLC / Myracehorse.com for $550,000. The bay colt, consigned by Mayberry Farm, Agent, is out of grade one stakes placed Silverpocketsfull, by Indian Charlie, a daughter of graded stakes placed stakes winner Unforgotten.

Maverick Racing / CMNWLTH paid $550,000 for Hip No. 297, a son of Midnight Storm consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, Agent. The dark bay or brown colt, who breezed a quarter on Tuesday in :20 4/5, is out of Tasunke, by Indian Charlie, from the family of Grade 1 winner Tap to Music.

Hip No. 44, a daughter of Munnings consigned by Eddie Woods, Agent, was sold to Fawzi Nass for $425,000. The bay filly, who turned in an under tack quarter in :21 flat on Monday, is a half sister to twice-champion and Preakness Stakes winner Lookin At Lucky out of Private Feeling, by Belong to Me.

Hip No. 104, a son of Noble Bird consigned by Ocala Stud, Agent, was sold for $400,000 to West Bloodstock, Agent for Robert E. and Lawana Low. The chestnut colt, who breezed a quarter on Monday in :20 4/5, is out of stakes winner Rosebud's Ridge, by Tiger Ridge, a half sister to the dam of graded stakes winning millionaire OBS graduate C Z's Rocket, winner of the recent Grade 3 Count Fleet Sprint Handicap at Oaklawn Park.

Hip No. 262, a son of Twirling Candy consigned by Grassroots Training & Sales LLC, was sold to Nicoma Bloodstock / Ben Gowans, Agent for $375,000. The dark bay or brown colt, whose eighth in :9 4/5 was co-fastest at the distance on Tuesday, is out of Sumlin, by Eskendereya, a daughter of graded stakes placed Visavis.

Solis / Litt went to $360,000 for Hip No. 132, a daughter of Valiant Minister consigned by Coastal Equine LLC (Jesse Hoppel), Agent. The dark bay or brown filly, who worked a quarter in :20 4/5 at Monday's Under Tack session, is out of stakes winner Savingtime, by Kantharos, from the family of champion Blushing Katy,

Hip No. 202, a son of Cairo Prince consigned by Randy Miles, Agent, was purchased by John Ballantyne / N B S Stable for $335,000. The gray or roan colt, who breezed an eighth in :10 1/5, is out of Smart 'n Special, by Smart Strike, a full sister to Grade 1 winner Shadow Cast.

For the day, 181 horses brought a total of $17,829,500 compared with 154 selling for a total of $13,209,500 at last year's opening session. The average price was $98,506, up 14.9 percent compared to $85,776 in 2020 while the median price was $50,000, compared with $46,000 a year ago. The buyback percentage was 19.5 percent; it was 19.8 percent last year.

The Spring Sale continues Wednesday at 10:30 a.m. Hip No.'s 305 – 608 will be offered for sale.

To view Tuesday's full results, click here.

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Strong Trade at OBS Opener

By Christie DeBernardis & Jessica Martini

The four-day Ocala Breeders' Sales Company's Spring Sale got off to a strong start Tuesday. A colt from the first crop of Horse of the Year Gun Runner (Hip 118) was the day's hottest commodity, bringing $850,000 from Donato Lanni, acting on behalf of Michael Lund Petersen.

Hip 118 was one of 181 juveniles to sell for a gross of $17,829,500. The average was $98,506 and the median was $50,000. Of the 304 catalogued, 225 were offered with 44 horses leaving the ring unsold for a buy-back rate of 19.56%.

“I thought it was a good start to the sale,” said OBS Director of Sales Tod Wojciechowski. “The numbers looked good and a lot of horses got moved. Hopefully, that trend continues over the next three days.”

Last year's sale, which was delayed until June due to the pandemic, opened with 154 horses changing hands for $13,209,500 with an average of $85,776 and a median of $46,000. Of the 192 horses to go through the ring, 35 failed to sell at the close of business in the 2020 opener for a buy-back rate of 19.79%.

Given the huge economic and travel impacts caused by COVID-19, the 2019 Spring Sale numbers may be a more accurate comparison. During that renewal, 166 2-year-olds brought $15,346,000 with an average of $92,446 and a median of $55,000.

“It was a good step obviously beyond last year and we all know what we had to deal with last year,” Wojciechowski said. “But it is also an improvement over 2019.”

The session featured the usual strong competition for the top lots with 16 horses selling for $300,000 or more.

“There are a lot of horses here, but I think you see all of the right buyers,” said Spendthrift's Ned Toffey, who signed the ticket on the day's second highest-priced horse, a $550,000 son of Distorted Humor (Hip 185). “What I would expect to see is more of what we've seen. There is great activity for the top horses and if you are not one of those, it will be a little tougher sledding. People are being very selective, but it's a good, full parking lot out there and there has been plenty of activity.”

The auction saw a diverse buying bench Tuesday with 12 individual buyers accounting for the top 12 horses sold. The top dozen were also offered by 12 different consignors with Eisaman Equine accounting for the day's top lot.

“One of the great things about April is that buyers get to spread out over horses, so you don't see them concentrating on the same horses as much,” Wojciechowski said. “It is great to see that depth and to the see the activity in the barns.”

Freshman sires proved popular during day one. In addition to Gun Runner, Midnight Storm, Noble Bird, Valiant Minister, Lord Nelson, American Freedom and Klimt all had offspring sell for $250,000 or more.

Fireworks for Gun Runner Colt

The big sales results from the first crop of juveniles by champion Gun Runner (hip 118) continued Tuesday at OBS when a son of the Three Chimneys stallion sold for a session-topping $850,000 to the bid of bloodstock agent Donato Lanni, acting on behalf of Michael Lund Petersen. The gray juvenile will join the $1.7-million son of Gun Runner purchased by Amr Zedan at last month's Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream Sale in the Southern California barn of trainer Bob Baffert.

“He's a beautiful horse,” Lanni said. “Just a cool horse. He did everything he was asked to do and came out of in really good shape. We are just happy to get him. He was the horse we wanted to go home with.”

Of the colt's final price tag, Lanni said, “It's the same thing every year. We all land on the same horses. There is no stealing. It's tough to buy them.”

The colt, who worked a furlong in :10 flat at last week's under-tack show, is out of graded placed Salamera (Successful Appeal) and was consigned by Barry and Shari Eisaman's Eisaman Equine and was bred by the couple's Eico Ventures.

“Barry does a great job,” Lanni said. “He's a good horseman and I'm happy they bred a nice horse.”

The sale was a highwater mark for an Eisaman homebred.

“He is a wonderful horse and we thought he was going to sell well,” Shari Eisaman said as the couple received congratulations out back. “I was going to be thrilled with $500,000. This is the most I've ever sold a homebred for–the homebreds have paid for the farm, they've paid for everything. Thank the Lord.”

The Eisamans purchased Salamera for $300,000 at the 2016 Keeneland November sale. The 11-year-old mare, who was second in the 2012 GII Adirondack S., has an Uncle Mo yearling and she was bred back to Malibu Moon last year.

“Absolutely,” Eisaman said when asked if the result was extra gratifying with a homebred. “When you own the factory, your mares are working when you're sleeping.”

The Eisamans have cut back on their broodmare band in recent years.

“Right now we only have five,” Eisaman said. “Our broodmare band was up to about 30 and a few years ago, we decided we would cut back some. So we cut back a little.”

Asked if Tuesday's result may cause her to add some mares to the band, Eisaman hesitated before smiling and saying, “Maybe.” @JessMartiniTDN

Midnight Storm Colt to WinStar

WinStar Farm capped a big day in the sales ring for freshman sire Midnight Storm when Kenny Troutt's operation paid $550,000 for a son of the Taylor Made stallion late in Tuesday's opening session of the OBS Spring sale.

“We just loved him,” WinStar's Elliott Walden said of hip 297 after signing the ticket in the name of WinStar's racing division Maverick Racing/CMNWLTH. “He was a really nice colt who breezed great (:20 4/5). We felt like he looked a lot like his daddy. We have a few shares in his daddy and bought one at the yearling sale as well. We've been very impressed with the Midnight Storms. I think everybody is. He has had a good sales season.”

Consigned by Woodford Thoroughbreds, which purchased him for $180,000 at last year's Keeneland September sale, the dark bay colt is out of Tasunke (Indian Charlie) and his third dam is Grade I winner Tap to Music (Pleasant Tap).

“We've been waiting all afternoon for this colt to sell,” Woodford's Beth Bayer said. “He is a strong beautiful colt by a freshman sire. We really loved him. [Woodford General Manager] John [Gleason] loved him all season in training. He vetted well and was well received and we got rewarded.”

Midnight Storm, winner of the 2016 GI Shoemaker Mile, stands at Taylor Made Farm for $7,500. In addition to hip 297, the stallion was represented by a colt (hip 264) who worked a furlong in :9 4/5 last week and sold Tuesday for $310,000 to John P. Fort. The juvenile was consigned by G.W. Parrish's Parrish Farms, which purchased him for $34,000 at last year's Keeneland September Yearling Sale.

Rounding out a trio of six-figure yearlings for Midnight Storm Tuesday in Ocala, Brick City Thoroughbreds sold a colt (hip 225) for $150,000 Maxis Stable. The youngster had been a $25,000 Keeneland November weanling purchase.

“It's hard to check every box at these sales because it's not just looks. They have to come out and work good and vet after,” said Taylor Made's Liam Benson. “The general feel is things look pretty good for the horse so far. They still have to get to the races, but at least it's a good start.”

At the OBS March sale, a Midnight Storm filly (hip 344) sold for $240,000 to D J Stable and trainer Linda Rice.

“They are all just pretty,” Benson said of the stallion's offspring. “They all have a gorgeous top line on them. They are just well-made horses. We've been very happy with what we've seen so far. I've bred a couple mares to him myself this year. I am drinking the Kool-Aid. Now we are just hoping it turns into Dom Perignon.” @JessMartiniTDN

Bromagen Hits a Home Run in Ocala

Bo Bromagen may have been having a bit of seller's remorse, but couldn't help but smile after a Distorted Humor colt (Hip 185) he purchased for $170,000 at the Fasig-Tipton Select Sale summoned $550,000 from Spendthrift Farm at OBS Tuesday.

“We knew he was a nice horse,” Bromagen said. “He has been a nice horse all along. If I am being 100% honest, I wanted to keep him. I wanted to keep him up until about two minutes before he went in the sales ring. April [Mayberry] does such a good job of keeping my expectations on a level that is reasonable. I love going to the racetrack. I would keep all of the horses if I could.”

He continued, “I'm not sure this horse wasn't the best one I've ever bought. He showed up and does everything the way you'd want him to do it. He's beautiful and he breezed amazing [:10 1/5]. I am really proud of the job that they did and the product we sold here today. Spendthrift got the right horse for the right price. I am happy for them. Good luck to them. I wish he was still mine.”

Bred by Sierra Farm, the bay is out of GISP Silverpocketsfull (Indian Charlie), who is a daughter of MSW & MGSP Unforgotten (Northern Afleet). Mayberry Farm consigned the colt.

“He is a fast, great-looking colt,” said Spendthrift's Ned Toffey. “He is not totally atypical of the Distorted Humors. He had some pedigree, being out of a Grade I-placed dam. He is a horse that hopefully, after a good racing career, will end up in the stallion barn at Spendthrift. That is the goal. We bought him with MyRacehorse. We are happy to go down that path again.” @CDeBernardisTDN

Munnings Filly Sets the Early Pace at OBS

A filly by Munnings (hip 44) jumpstarted Tuesday's first session of the OBS Spring sale when selling for $425,000 to the bid of bloodstock agent Gerard Butler, who was acting on behalf of Bahrain-based trainer Fawzi Nass.

“He's looking for some nice-pedigreed fillies and she's one,” Butler said after signing the ticket on the bay filly. “I don't know the plans yet. I would say she'd be here for a little bit and then we'll ship her wherever he wants her to go.”

Out of Private Feeling (Belong to Me), the filly is a half-sister to champion Lookin At Lucky (Smart Strike) and multiple graded winner Kensei (Mr. Greeley). She was consigned by Eddie Woods and worked a quarter-mile last week in :21 flat.

Asked about the filly's appeal, Butler ticked off, “Munnings, great page, a very nice filly, very well-produced by Eddie Woods, as always. She looked immaculate. She ticked all the boxes.”

The filly was bred by SF Bloodstock, which purchased Private Feeling with her in utero for $40,000 at the 2018 Keeneland November sale.

Of the filly's final price Tuesday, Butler said, “If you're going to buy anything nice now you're going to have to pay. You wouldn't get her for any less.” @JessMartiniTDN

Son of Noble Bird Flies High at OBS

A colt from the first crop of Florida-based stallion Noble Bird (Birdstone) was well liked at OBS Tuesday, bringing $400,000 from bloodstock agent Jacob West, who was acting on behalf of Robert and Lawana Low. Hip 104 will join the barn of trainer Todd Pletcher.

“Two years ago I bought a horse by a freshman sire [here] and he turned out to be [GISW] Colonel Liam (Liam's Map),” West said. “I gave $1.2 million for him. I think you have to buy those physicals, turn them over to Todd Pletcher and keep your fingers crossed. To me, he just looked like a big two-turn horse and that is what Mr. and Mrs. Low are looking for. When I ran it up the flag pole with them, they were just scratching their heads. But I just told them I loved the horse and they stood behind me.”

As for the price, West said, “That was my last bid to be quite honest. I heard Mark Casse was the underbidder which makes a lot of sense. He trained Noble Bird and would know one better than anybody else.”

He continued, “That is a lot of money for that horse, but there is a real pedigree underneath him with [MGSW & GISP] C Z Rocket (City Zip) and [MGSW] Giant Expectations (Frost Giant). He comes from a very good consignor in Ocala Stud. They raised him on the farm. They know him better than anybody else. They do a great job and they deserve it.”

Another part of Hip 104's allure was his quick breeze, covering a quarter mile in :20 4/5.

“He breezed incredibly well and galloped out big,” West said. “Our jobs as agents are to find horses that are fast and sound and come from good people.”

Bred in Florida by Herman Wilensky, Hip 104 is out of stakes winner Rosebud's Ridge (Tiger Ridge). Her GSP half-sister Successful Sarah (Successful Appeal) is the dam of C Z Rocket and another half-sister produced Giant Expectations.

“We did expect that from this horse,” said Ocala Stud's David O'Farrell. “He had a super breeze, showed himself extremely well and had all the right interest. He never turned a hair and never had a bad day. He is just a really special colt. You can't expect that figure, but it is not a surprise.”

He continued, “We trained the horse for a new client, Herman Wilensky, who is the breeder. He raised a really good horse and we are fortunate to be train and sell the colt for him.”

Ocala Stud also stands Noble Bird, winner of the 2015 GI Stephen Foster H., as well as two other graded events, for Casse and owner John Oxley.

“It is a great start for Noble Bird,” O'Farrell said. “He has gotten a lot of momentum as we have gotten into the 2-year-old sales. We are just thrilled with the result.” @CDeBernardisTDN

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Kentucky Value Sires for 2021–First Juveniles, Part II

This is the second part of the latest instalment in our ongoing series assessing stallion options for the new covering season, now tackling sires who have just sold their first yearlings. The first part, which appeared in Tuesday’s edition, can be read here.

Dixie Union has achieved quite a legacy as a broodmare sire and, following on from Mohaymen (Tapit), two other stallions in this group are out of his daughters.

KLIMT (Quality Road-Inventive by Dixie Union) has maintained an industrial output through his first three books at Darby Dan, entertaining 222, 187 and 172 guests, duly pegged at $10,000. That volume comes at a risk, of course, and anyone who fancied a Klimt yearling could choose from no fewer than 108 into the ring. Of these, 81 found a new home at $29,890.

Klimt at Darby Dan | EquiSport

Himself a $435,000 Gulfstream 2-year-old, you can certainly picture him landing one or two pinhook coups: he reiterated his precocity by looking the fastest youngster out west, notably as four-length winner of the GI Del Mar Futurity in 1:21.8 (94 Beyer). His sire can’t have had too many juveniles quite like that and, while Klimt himself did not last at three, he does have the genetic base for his stock to progress: his hard-knocking, graded stakes-winning third dam is a sister to Breeders’ Cup Classic winner Concern (the pair out of another Grade I winner). First things first, however—and, with such volume behind him, he surely needs to put himself in the shake-up for the freshman title.

The other who shares the same damsire is UNIFIED (Candy Ride {Arg}-Union City by Dixie Union). Lane’s End launched him at $10,000, which fee he retains after selling 62 of 83 yearlings offered at $43,390, an average magnified by the $450,000 home-run colt who topped a session at Keeneland September.

Unified has very attractive roots, his third dam being a Storm Bird half-sister to Dehere and the next two by Secretariat and Damascus. Though himself unraced at two, his mother is a sister to a Grade II-winning juvenile and Unified certainly landed running with a 99 Beyer on debut before consecutive Grade III and Grade II wins, clocking 1:47.14 in the Peter Pan. Though ultimately confined to seven starts, he missed the GI Carter H. only by a neck and he’s a lovely physical.

Though down to 68 mares in his third season, he has ample ammunition (opening books of 152 and 102) to resume momentum now. In the same, exemplary barn that has housed his sire and damsire, Unified has every chance of making the grade.

Likewise, his chum CONNECT (Curlin-Bullville Belle by Holy Bull) who started alongside at twice the fee after formally gilding a career of similar span and dash with a Grade I in the Cigar Mile. Having maintained numbers at 112 and 114 after an opening book of 165, he gets a friendly clip to $15,000 after selling 49 yearlings (of 84 into the ring) at $52,975.

Another very natural racehorse, Connect packed six wins and four six-figure Beyers into just eight starts and helped to elevate the GII Pennsylvania Derby to elite status by holding the maturing Gun Runner. While of adequate caliber, his family has a conspicuously accommodating outcross quality.

Competition among sons of Curlin is heightened by a cut from $20,000 to $12,500 for KEEN ICE (Curlin-Medomak by Awesome Again). Some such action, admittedly, was looking pretty urgent. Calumet amassed as many as 176 mares for his opening book, and 55 yearlings sales (of 70 into the ring) achieved a lower average than his fee ($15,069). Pretty disastrous, on the face of it, but to me this more realistic tag brings a truly admirable racehorse right back into play.

I’d especially recommend Keen Ice to anyone who might look to retain a filly, as he doubles down that mighty distaff influence Deputy Minister 3 x 3 and his fourth dam is the Emory Hamilton matriarch Chic Shirine (Mr. Prospector). If overstating his GI Travers S. defeat of American Pharoah risks faint praise, then he parlayed these genes into a resilience and durability—24 starts, including 15 at Grade I level, for earnings of $3.4 million—that any breeder should be eager to replicate.

There are some grassy roots in the family, too, so at his revised fee Keen Ice absolutely deserves a fresh look by flexible end-users. That big first book will give him a legitimate platform over the next couple of years to renew traffic that has meanwhile slackened to 73 and 43 mares.

Another now at a still more compelling fee is LORD NELSON (Pulpit-African Jade by Seeking The Gold). Halved to $10,000 by Spendthrift, he is definitely back on the agenda after making plenty of appeal even when opening at $25,000.

His yearlings sold in a good ratio, 37 of 46 offered, at $84,972. Remember that he was knocked out by laminitis when lined up for his debut book and he has been spared the “mass transit” service since, numbers through his first three years controlled at 127, 131 and 123.

Lord Nelson offers an interesting blend. He has all the commercial speed you could ask for, as winner of three consecutive Grade I sprints including the Bing Crosby in 1:07.65, the fastest six furlongs ever clocked electronically at Del Mar. Though he only achieved his peak form at four, that was partly down to experimentation in stretching his speed and he was actually a seven-length stakes winner at two. But he also has a most interesting pedigree: very fast, plainly, for a grandson of A.P. Indy, he evidently kindles a lot of speed from the 3×3 duplication of Mr. Prospector (as Pulpit’s damsire and as grandsire of his own dam). Yet the bottom line balances that with a classy Argentinian family, with all that means in terms of versatility and the robustness we saw in Lord Nelson’s recuperation.

Though himself a speedball, Lord Nelson’s build also suggests that he may be able to draw out some of the stretch latent in his pedigree. We have become accustomed to premium newcomers at Spendthrift, since this guy first arrived, but I wouldn’t be surprised if he turned out to have as much influence as any.

AMERICAN FREEDOM (Pulpit-Gottcha Last by Pleasant Tap) comes from the final crop of the same sire of sires and, as a $500,000 yearling, must have been just about the prettiest. Launched at $10,000 by Airdrie, he has every chance to build fresh momentum from an opening book of 152 mares (if on the customary slide since, to 96 and 54).

That’s a tribute to his physique though, albeit as many as 82 yearlings into the ring gave purchasers ample choice: 60 sales averaged $27,266. More important, perhaps, is the fact that his owners and Airdrie have fired up his engine with 133 mares from their quality herds. Interestingly, moreover the drums seem to be beating quite loudly among 2-year-old consignors.

Now that he’s down to $6,000, American Freedom might prove a timely gamble. After all, he claimed the scalps of Gun Runner plus all three Classic winners in his crop, and got closest of Arrogate’s pursuers in the GI Travers. And a stakes-winning Pleasant Tap mare can only bring in the good stuff, as she had already shown in producing MGSW and Grade I runner-up Gottcha Gold (Coronado’s Quest).

There’s a lot to like about MIDNIGHT STORM (Pioneerof the Nile-My Tina, by Bertrando), down to $7,500 at TaylorMade from an opening $12,500. He offers a mixture of the traditional assets we need to preserve—he won Grade II races four years running in the course of a 10-for-27 career, banking $1.78 million—with the versatility that should be at an increasing premium as the turf/synthetics program expands. He registered multiple triple-digit Beyers on both dirt and turf, and sealed his Grade I by wiring the Shoemaker Mile field, holding off subsequent Breeders’ Cup winner Tourist (Tiznow) in 1:33.55.

Books of 119, 88 and 69 provide a solid enough base and likewise his sales debut: 36 of 48 yearlings sold at $39,856. It’s a fashionable sire-line—and remember that his lamented sire was also versatile, in terms of surface—but there’s no denying that the family adds a genetic dimension to his overall air of flexibility.

Turf was an option never explored by GORMLEY (Malibu Moon-Race To Urga by Bernstein) but it’s certainly something to keep in mind for his stock. His second dam was Classic-placed in Europe and his fourth is champion turf mare Estrapade, while his own sire was out of a top-class French juvenile.

Not that there appeared to be any particular need to leave the main track with a horse who won Grade Is at both two (ended Klimt’s unbeaten spree in the Frontrunner S.) and three (beat Battle Of Midway (Smart Strike) in the Santa Anita Derby). Unfortunately he soon derailed but Spendthrift herded up the customary numbers for a first book of 180, ample to put him in the conversation for the freshmen’s championship—something to keep in mind, now that he is down to $5,000 from an opening $10,000.

Though there was plenty of choice at the yearling sales, he found customers for an excellent ratio (59 of 73 offered) at $37,544. Subsequent books of 127 and 72 suffice to keep him in the game if he can get one or two early headliners, something he is perfectly entitled to do with the depth of Classic influences through his pedigree. Virtually a bet to nothing at his new fee.

Speaking of turf, reverse shuttler ASTERN (Medaglia d’Oro-Essaouira {Aus} by Exceed And Excel {Aus}) is down again to $7,500 from $10,000, after being cut last year from an opening $15,000 at Darley. Albeit he has somewhat puzzled the local market to this point, with 23 of 38 yearlings sold at $35,617, now he gets the chance to show whether they can actually run.

He’s certainly been priced to engage the attention of breeders lacking the regard of their Australian counterparts for a horse who—trading in speed, as an interesting instance of the way this cosmopolitan sire-line obeys the predilections of each local industry—matched the Group 1 success of his half-sister Alizee (Aus) (Sepoy {Aus}), not to mention of their third and fourth dams.

He’s half a year deeper into his career than his Kentucky rivals, with a handful of runners already in his native land. Down there a lot of people would be pretty offended, on Astern’s behalf, by his relative valuation in Kentucky. But we’re about to find out which hemisphere has him right, and books of 116, 90 and 90 are sufficient to permit a rising tide for any breeder enterprising or audacious enough to take a chance on him now.

A Southern Hemisphere import that was able to parade his wares on American tracks is Calumet’s BAL A BALI (Brz) (Put It Back—In My Side {Brz} by Clackson {Brz}). Horse Of The Year in Brazil, he recovered from laminitis after his migration to win a couple of Grade Is on U.S. grass. He proved much too exotic a proposition for the domestic yearling market, 34 of 39 selling at just $7,302, but he does have early numbers behind him (books of 125 and 74 before falling right off to 22 last spring) and also has dirt strains to draw upon in his outcross pedigree. It’s obviously over to him, but he is now realistically priced at $5,000 (started at $15,000) and would hardly represent the first transfusion of South American blood to invigorate the gene pool here.

In contrast the same farm hosts a couple of young stallions trading primarily on very familiar pedigrees. The third dam of MR. Z (Malibu Moon-Stormy Bear, by Storm Cat), indeed, is a Ribot (GB) half-sister to Mr. Prospector himself (who also figures on the page as damsire of Malibu Moon). His own mother is a half-sister to the prolific Canadian turf champion Chief Bearhart (Chief’s Crown) and, while Mr. Z only won twice, he stood up well to aggressive campaigning to become a millionaire. A handful of his yearlings sold mostly for no money but he has now been halved to $2,500 so maybe his first book of 61, more than he’s managed in the two seasons since, can give him a foothold.

Barnmate WAR CORRESPONDENT (War Front-Tempo West, by Rahy) also has a noble pedigree, as a brother to Declaration of War out of a half-sister to Union Rags, and he won a couple of graded stakes on turf. The half-dozen yearlings he sold, of nine offered, averaged $18,576 and he’s now $5,000 from an opening $7,500, again with small numbers behind him.

Though ultimately rescued more or less from oblivion, for a roll of the dice at stud, WILDCAT RED (D’wildcat-Racene, by Miner’s Mark) was a legitimate dasher in his time, as a dual graded stakes winner who was beaten only a neck by Constitution (Tapit) in the GI Florida Derby. He has only covered small books at Buck Pond Farm, but that won’t necessarily stop him outlasting one or two who started with a higher profile. Of just three yearlings sold, after all, one made $180,000 to become the top colt at the OBS Selected Yearling Sale, some yield on a $7,500 fee. Bravo, Wildcat!

That’s the beauty, when we reach this stage of the game. It’s now up to their runners, and nobody can know what will happen once the gates open.

CHRIS McGRATH’S VALUE PODIUM

Gold: Mastery ($25,000 Claiborne)

Always looked the goods and sales debut did nothing to alter that

Silver: Lord Nelson ($10,000 Spendthrift)

What a generous cut for a very fast horse with stretchy genes

Bronze: Gormley ($5,000 Spendthrift)

Bumper first book could give him freshman momentum

The post Kentucky Value Sires for 2021–First Juveniles, Part II appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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Not This Time Goes to $40K at Taylor Made

Not This Time (Giant’s Causeway), whose record-setting, undefeated daughter Princess Noor is a leading candidate for the GI Breeders’ Cup Juvenile Fillies, will stand the 2021 breeding season for a fee of $40,000 at Taylor Made, the farm announced Thursday. He commanded an advertised fee of $12,500 in 2020. Most of the nursery’s other stallions will stand for reduced fees next year.

‘TDN Rising Star’ Princess Noor is one of 14 first-crop winners for Not This Time and has run the table in her three career starts to date, posting unextended victories in the GI Del Mar Debutante going seven furlongs and when trying two turns for the first time in the GII Chandelier S. A $135,000 Keeneland September yearling purchase, Princess Noor sold for $1.35 million at this year’s OBS Spring Sale, the highest amount ever paid for the progeny of a first-crop stallion. According to TDN Sales Statistics, Not This Time was the leading freshman sire of 2-year-olds in training by average ($175,216 for 37 sold). Some 13 of Not This Time’s second-crop yearlings sold in excess of $200,000 this year, topped by a son of Belle’s Finale (Ghostzapper) that realized $450,000 from Jacob West for Repole Stable and St. Elias Stable at Keeneland September.

Not This Time is also represented by the stakes-winning Dirty Dangle on turf and an additional pair of stakes horses, including GIII Schuylerville S. third Hopeful Princess.

‘TDN Rising Star’ Instagrand (Into Mischief) is new to the Taylor Made roster and enters stud at $7,500. Midnight Storm (Pioneerof the Nile) and Mshawish (Medaglia d’Oro) have been reduced from $10,000 to $7,500, while Chilean import Daddy Long Legs (Scat Daddy) will command a fee of $5,000.

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