Mike Freeny | Horse Racing Free Tips

Upstart Share Sells for $450K at Keeneland April

Offered as the final hip at Friday's Keeneland April Horses of Racing Age Sale in Lexington, a share (2.5% fractional interest) in Airdrie Stud's Upstart (Flatter–Party Silks, by Touch Gold) was hammered down for $450,000 to Mike Freeny, who operates Dunquin Farm in nearby Paris, Kentucky, with his wife Pat.

A Grade II winner and placed no fewer than six times in Grade I company at distances between eight and nine furlongs, Upstart has been represented by three winners at the graded level, with two representatives from his second crop set to feature prominently at Churchill Downs next weekend. Jeff Drown's Zandon presented the stallion with his first Grade I winner when running out an extremely impressive winner of the Toyota Blue Grass S. Apr. 9 and continues to train forwardly towards next Saturday's GI Kentucky Derby. The sire's 3-year-old daughter Kathleen O. is undefeated from four starts to date, including a latest success in the GII Gulfstream Park Oaks Apr. 2, and is expected to vie for favoritism in the May 6 GI Longines Kentucky Oaks.

“I did expect to pay that for it, but that was my limit,” Freeny said. “He's got some good horses on the Derby trail and on the Oaks trail. He's a good producer and his horses are running and we're sure pleased to have a share.”

Airdrie's Bret Jones said the decision was made to offer the share in an effort to strike while the iron's hot.

“We thought the share had a chance to sell very, very well,” he said. “The timing is right. The stallion sure seems right. When you have a public auction, people get competitive and I've just met our partner, Mr. Freeny, for the first time and I couldn't be happier about it. We're very happy to have him come on board. We've got a lot to root for this coming weekend and I like our chances with Upstart having another big weekend a week from now.”

The Upstart share was the second-priciest offering at the sale. The Taylor Made-sales consigned hip 23, recent Carousel S. winner Acting Out (Blame), fetched $600,000 from Will and Sarah Farish. A full report will appear in Sunday's TDN.

—Additional reporting by Sue Finley

The post Upstart Share Sells for $450K at Keeneland April appeared first on TDN | Thoroughbred Daily News | Horse Racing News, Results and Video | Thoroughbred Breeding and Auctions.

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‘An Outstanding Foal That Anyone Would Be Proud Of’: First Foal Born From Daredevil’s Comeback Crop

Daredevil's first foal since returning to the U.S. has arrived at Dunquin Farm in Paris, Ky. The filly, bred by Mike and Pat Freeny, is out of C. C. Zipp (City Zip – Curry Cat, by Tale of the Cat) and is from a family of multiple graded stakes winners including Pratella and Angliana.

“She is an outstanding foal that anyone would be proud of,” said breeder Mike Freeny.

Sire of sensations Swiss Skydiver and Shedaresthedevil, Daredevil is the only first-crop sire to ever have an individual winner of the Kentucky Oaks and Preakness Stakes in the same year. Now a fourth-crop sire, he has accumulated an impressive two Grade 1 winners and eight black-type winners overall.

A six-figure yearling purchase himself, Daredevil broke his maiden on debut by over six lengths at Belmont and immediately followed up with a decisive victory in the juvenile Grade 1 Champagne Stakes, earning a 107 Beyer.

“We've been pleased with the quality of mares and top breeders who supported Daredevil in his first year back,” said Lane's End's Chris Knehr. “His accomplishments from his first crop of runners have us excited about his future, and we'll be sending a number of Lane's End mares to continue to support him this season.”

Daredevil stands for $25,000.

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Dam Of Grade 1 Winner Dream Tree Among Latest Supplemental Entries To Fasig-Tipton November Sale

Fasig-Tipton has cataloged two new supplemental entries to its 2020 November Sale. Both entries are connected to Grade 1 winners:

Voting Agreement (Hip 280): Three-year-old daughter of More Than Ready is a half-sister to 2020 Grade 1 winning 2-year-old filly Vequist. Vequist romped by 9 1/2 lengths in the Spinaway S. (G1) at Saratoga on September 6, followed by a close second in the Grade 1 Frizette Stakes at Belmont on Oct. 10. She will make her next anticipated start in the Breeders' Cup Juvenile Fillies. A $130,000 yearling purchase, Voting Agreement took her career debut at Saratoga last year at two and is placed again this year at three. Consigned as a racing/broodmare prospect by ELiTE, agent.

Afleet Maggi (Hip 281): Dam of Grade 1 winning 2-year-old filly Dream Tree. Dream Tree won her first five career starts at two and three, including the G1 Starlet Stakes, G2 Las Virgenes Stake, and G2 Prioress Stakes. Among those she defeated in her brilliant career are Grade 1 winners Mia Mischief and Moonshine Memories. Afleet Maggi is the dam of four winners from five to race, including another stakes performer in O' Maggi. Offered in foal to Triple Crown winner American Pharoah, already the sire of group/graded stakes winners on three continents, including recent G1 Queen Elizabeth II Challenge Cup winner Harvey's Lil Goil. She is consigned by Mike Freeny, agent for Dunquin Farm.

These entries may now be viewed online and will also be available in the equineline sales catalogue app. Print versions of all supplemental entries will be available on-site at Fasig-Tipton at sale time.

Fasig-Tipton will continue to accept approved November Sale supplemental entries through the Breeders' Cup.

The November Sale will be held on Sunday, November 8, in Lexington, Kentucky. The sale will begin at 2 p.m.

The post Dam Of Grade 1 Winner Dream Tree Among Latest Supplemental Entries To Fasig-Tipton November Sale appeared first on Horse Racing News | Paulick Report.

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