Tag: paul sharp

In Theory Breaks Maiden At Santa Anita

6th-Santa Anita, $65,500, Msw, 3-23, 3, 4,/5yo, f/m, 6f, 1:11.59, ft, 3 lengths.
IN THEORY (f, 3, Mendelssohn–Lady Hansen {SP}, by Hansen) was sent right out for the early lead under Juan Hernandez and took control from She's No Angel (Street Sense) through a :21.89 opening quarter. As that rival faded, the 1-2 favorite pulled away handily and turned for home alone on the lead, cruising under a hand ride to win under wraps by three lengths over Queen of Naples (Hard Spun). An $800,000 2-year-old buy out of the Fasig-Tipton Midlantic Sale last year, In Theory has a pair of half-sisters by Vekoma while her dam was bred to Speaker's Corner for a 2024 foal. Sales History: $125,000 Ylg '22 KEESEP; $800,000 2yo '23 EASMAY. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $39,000. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Speedway Stables LLC; B-Kendall E. Hansen, M.D. Racing, LLC (KY); T-Bob Baffert.

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$1.7m Three Witches Highlights Book 2 Finale at Keeneland November

by Jessica Martini & Christina Bossinakis

LEXINGTON, KY – Three Witches (Into Mischief) provided the highlight of a workaday Book 2 section of the Keeneland November Breeding Stock Sale when selling for $1.7 million Friday in Lexington. Book 2 opened with a uneven session Thursday at Keeneland, but activity was more consistent throughout Friday's Book 2 finale.

“It was a solid day of trade,” said Keeneland's Vice President of Sales Tony Lacy. “From start to finish, it felt a little more consistent and healthy today. Yesterday was a little bumpy, the clearance rate was a little higher than we probably would have liked, but today was a lot more consistent.”

Through the two Book 2 sessions, 444 horses sold through the ring for a total of $69,520,000. The section's average of $153,599 was down 15.1% from the 2022 Book 2 figure, while the median fell 20%.

“There is certainly a little bit of an adjustment through the marketplace, but I think everyone felt pragmatic about it,” Lacy said. “I think it was an encouraging day. The money is still here for the right horses.”

Consigned by Indian Creek on behalf of Bob Edwards's e Five Racing, Three Witches brought the section's top price when selling for $1.7 million in the name of Rifa Mustang Europe, Ltd.

“Quality mares, young mares, well bred with the right breeding and not overly exposed, were highly desirable,” said Lacy. “I think that's been the consistent theme that we've seen so far. When we saw Three Witches go through for $1.7 million going to a client that is pretty established internationally, that's really encouraging. We are seeing that international investment still here.”

Justify, who had a pair of winners on Breeders' Cup weekend, was represented by the top two weanlings during Friday's session. Paul Sharp went to $525,000 for a daughter of the Triple Crown winner and AAA Thoroughbreds acquired a colt for $425,000.

The Keeneland November sale continues through Nov. 16 with sessions beginning daily at 10 a.m.

Three Witches Stars at Keeneland Friday

Three Witches (Into Mischief) (hip 936), just a week removed from a third-place finish in the GI Breeders' Cup F/M Sprint, became the 12th seven-figure filly of the Keeneland November sale when selling for $1.7 million to the internet bid of Rifa Mustang Europe, Ltd. The 4-year-old is expected to stay in training in the U.S. next year.

“She'll stay here in America and we'll try again on the racetrack,” said Keeneland Australian representative Barry Bowditch. “For a mare that raced five days ago, in one of the strongest Breeders' Cup races of the week, she looked so well and handled the trip back so well. You just feel that the best of her racing is yet to come. It will be great to have a new investor racing horses here in America.”

Bowditch said a trainer is still being discussed for the filly's 2024 campaign.

Bloodstock agent Mike Ryan purchased Three Witches on behalf of Bob Edwards's e Five Racing for $350,000 at the 2020 Keeneland September sale. Trained by Saffie Joseph, the dark bay earned a trip to the Breeders' Cup at Santa Anita with a win in the GIII Princess Rooney S. in October.

“It's always a hard decision [to sell] when you have something special that's won a Grade III and you drop her in the Breeders' Cup and, at 30-1, she hits the board,” Edwards said. “We believed in her and Saffie did a phenomenal job suiting her up and getting that Princess Rooney win for us and getting to the Breeders' Cup. That was all Saffie.”

Of the decision to send the graded-stakes winner through the ring at Keeneland, Edwards said, “I have a fair number of mares now. I have graded-stakes-winning mares on the roster and I figured I would move some inventory and see what happens next. We need to make room for up-and-coming stars.”

Edwards admitted Three Witches' $1.7-million price tag was above expectations.

“I was super excited with that result,” he said. “We knew there would be interest, we knew she would be the big horse for today. Keeneland did a phenomenal job. Chip McGaughey and his crew did a great job recruiting her and obviously bringing in the buyers. We were super happy with the job they did and the outcome was phenomenal. I wasn't expecting $1.7 million, but I was very happy to get it.” @JessMartiniTDN

Sharp Splurges for Justify Filly

Paul and Sarah Sharp, sitting in a back row of the sales pavilion, went to $525,000 to acquire a weanling filly by Justify (hip 975) from the Elite consignment Friday at Keeneland. The filly was the day's highest-priced weanling.

“We have been trying to buy really nice horses like that from the beginning of the sale and across town [at Fasig-Tipton] as well,” Paul Sharp said. “It's been really hard.”

Paul Sharp | Keeneland

The bay filly is out of Ada Lovelace (Algorithms), a half-sister to sprint champion Mitole (Eskendereya) and to Grade I winner Hot Rod Charlie (Oxbow).

“That was a legit family and a very athletic, really nice filly by one of the best sires in the world at this time,” Sharp said. “I feel like that justified the price and we are very happy to have her. It was a little higher than we wanted to go, honestly, but we are running out of bullets.”

The weanling was bred by Villa Rosa Stables, which purchased Ada Lovelace for $110,000 at the 2021 Fasig-Tipton November sale.

“Right now, the plan is to sell her back next summer,” Sharp, who signed for the filly as CSWV, said. “We're not sure where, but that's the plan.”

CSWV purchased another daughter of Justify Friday at Keeneland, going to $290,000 to acquire hip 793 from the Paramount Sales consignment. Through three sessions, the partnership has purchased five weanlings for $1,295,000. @JessMartiniTDN

Justify Colt to AAA Thoroughbreds

Randy Hartley and Dean DeRenzo's AAA Thoroughbreds, which has been busy buying weanlings from the Fasig-Tipton November sale Tuesday and into the first week of the Keeneland November sale, purchased a colt by Justify (hip 855) for $425,000 Friday in Lexington.

Hip 855 | Keeneland

“He's just a beautiful horse,” said Hartley. “We are big fans of Justify. When Scat Daddy passed away, we never dreamed that we would have another stallion that could replace him, let alone a Triple Crown-winning son of his. We came here in September and tried to buy every one that we could get our hands on. We bought, I think, six of them in September. We came here with the same goal in mind and the [Justify's two winners at the] Breeders' Cup just did it for us. He's the kind of stallion we haven't seen in a long time. I know Gun Runner got off to a really good start, but it looks like Justify is going to follow in the same suit.”

The chestnut colt, consigned by Hill 'n' Dale at Xalapa, is out of Saralin (Curlin), a half-sister to graded winners Salutos Amigos (Salute the Sarge) and Sarah's Secret (Leroidesanimuax {Brz}). He was bred by Orpendale, Chelston, Wynatt, and Kaleem Shah.

Shah and M.V. Magnier purchased Saralin for $1.3 million at the 2019 Fasig-Tipton Gulfstream sale. She made just one racetrack appearance and her first foal, another colt by Justify, sold for $300,000 at this year's Keeneland September sale. The mare proceeded her weanling into the ring, selling not mated to Shah for $285,000.

Through three sessions, AAA Thoroughbreds has purchased 14 weanlings for $4,370,000. A filly by Curlin (hip 151) leads the operation's acquistions with a price tag of $550,000. Earlier in Friday's session, it acquired another colt by Justify (hip 812) for $250,000.

“I just had a big order for babies–I needed about 20,” Hartley said. “I buy some for Tom Durant in Texas. He likes buying babies because he feels like he gets a little bit of a discount. This colt might have made $600,000 or $700,000 as a yearling. He feels he can save a little if he can get some nice babies. Some [that we are buying here] will be for pinhooking and some will go to him in Texas.”

Also Friday, AAA Thoroughbreds added to its collection of weanlings by first-crop sire Yaupon. With the addition of a filly (hip 733) for $300,000, the operation has now purchased three weanlings by the Spendthrift stallion for $1.15 million. @JessMartiniTDN

Colt By Nyquist Goes For $385K at KEENOV

With the market continuing to remain competitive for weanlings, a colt by Nyquist (Hip 893) reached $385,000 at Keeneland Friday. Baroda Stud's David Cox signed the ticket on behalf of Goodwill Bloodstock. Hunter Valley Farm consigned the bay colt.

The Feb. 10 foal is out of the Bernardini mare Spa Treatment, a daughter of SW and GISP Silver Knockers (Silver Deputy) and a half-sister to SW Manipulated (Malibu Moon). This is the extended family of Grade I winner Joe's Tammie (Zoning).

“He's a real athlete, a great cross,” said Cox. “Hopefully, he'll be resold [pinhooked] next year. [Nyquist] is proven, and has good runners. We tried to buy a few more, but we got beat plenty, so we're delighted to get him.”–@CbossTDN

Charlatan Colt Brings $370K Early on Day 3

A colt by Charlatan brought $370,000 from Stonestreet Stables during Friday's Book 2 finale at Keeneland. He was consigned as Hip 695 by John Stuart's Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services, acting as agent for Merribelle Stable.

Charlatan | Coady

Out of Hillhouse High (Exchange Rate), the Jan. 23 foal hails from the notable Sam-Son Farm family, including Canadian champions Regal Classic, Sky Classic, Classy 'N Smart and Always a Classic.

Headed by this colt, 14 weanlings sold by the sire–with four surpassing the $200,000 mark–through three days of selling at Keeneland. The weanlings grossed $2,810,000, averaging $200,714. Charlatan stands for $50,000 LFSN at Hill 'n' Dale Farms in 2024.

Campaigned by SF Racing LLC, Starlight Racing, Madaket Stables, Stonestreet Stables, Fred Hertrich, III, John Fielding,

and Golconda Stables, the son of Speightstown was trained by Bob Baffert. The 'TDN Rising Star' won his first four career starts, including the GI Arkansas Derby and GI Runhappy Malibu S. before finishing second in what would be his career finale in the 2021 G1 Saudi Cup.

“Barbara [Banke] owns Charlatan and we still own a good piece of him as a stallion,” said Stonestreet advisor John Moynihan. “She really wanted a nice one, so he was one of the better ones we saw. [Charlatan's] weanlings have been really well received and we're really excited. We bought him to run. Barbara saw him [Thursday] and really liked him. Hopefully, we'll get Charlatan off to a good start.”

Bluegrass Thoroughbred Services has already enjoyed a profitable run in the sales ring this week. Kicking things off with a bang, the operation sold Queen Caroline (Blame) (Hip 171), in foal to Flightline, for $3 million to John Stewart at Fasig-Tipton November Tuesday. And thus far at Keeneland, the consignment also hit a home run, selling Skims (Frankel {GB}) (Hip 125) for $1.8 million to Summer Wind Farm in Book 1. At Keeneland this week, the operation sold five head, grossing $2,437,000 with an average price of $487,400.–@CbossTDN

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Bolt d’Oro Filly Harnesses Lightning Late In Spa Thursday Opener

SARATOGA SPRINGS, N.Y–As part of his wife Audrey's birthday celebration Thursday, Martin Schwartz took her to the winner's enclosure after the opener at Saratoga Race Course. They know the space well, but It was their first visit there in four years.

The Schwartzes walked their 2-year-old filly Gold Lightning (Bolt d'Oro) in from the track after she won the 1 1/16-mile turf maiden by 2 1/4 lengths. She reached the wire on the inner turf course 1:45.93 and paid $31.40.

Under jockey Manny Franco, Gold Lightning delivered a solid off-the-pace run between horses in the stretch to overtake Positive Carry (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}) at the sixteenth pole.

Martin Schwartz said he had no idea what to expect from the bay filly he purchased as a yearling for $150,000 at the Fasig-Tipton October sale. He said that trainer Brad Cox told him Wednesday that the filly was going to compete Thursday, regardless of whether the race was run on turf as scheduled or moved to the main track, as has happened so often during this wet Saratoga summer.

“All I know is where she was broken, at Paul Sharp's farm in Ocala, he really liked her and he's a hell of a horseman,” Schwartz said. “So I was hoping, but it's been a little while in between drinks.”

Gold Lightning was Schwartz's first winner in nine starts in 2023 and the 137th of his career–36 in graded stakes–outside of partnerships. His last winner at Saratoga, where he has not had many starters in recent years, was Mascha (Fr) (Le Havre {Ire}) July 31, 2019.

Schwartz found great success buying fillies racing in Europe and importing them to the U.S. He said he has returned to that formula and made some purchases this year. Gold Lightning came out of yearling auctions.

“I bought some in '21 and '22,” he said.

Schwartz noted, with a laugh, that about a dozen years ago he said in a magazine article that he was not going to go back into yearling market.”

“Somehow, I lost my mind and bought them again,” he said.

Gold Lightning, bred by Cypress Creek Equine LLC., is out of Acting Class by Distorted Humor.

“I'm hoping this is a start of something big,” Schwartz said. “I went back to buying horses in Europe, I was so depressed this past month. I spent a boatload of money.”

After she broke in at the start, Franco set Gold Lightning up near the rear of the field of nine. Sitting fourth, 3 1/2 lengths back, at the top of the stretch, she darted through the field willingly to get to contention and then the lead.

“She seems like she's very straightforward,” Franco said. “She did everything the right way. I just was a passenger on her today.”

1st-Saratoga, $105,000, Msw, 8-31, 2yo, f, 1 1/16mT, 1:45.93, gd, 2 1/4 lengths.
GOLD LIGHTNING (f, 2, Bolt d'Oro–Acting Class, by Distorted Humor) was overlooked at the windows as a 14-1 first time starter here. The bay colt raced greenly into the first turn, but settled midpack up the backstretch. Heading into the lane, she began to uncork a strong turn of foot and passing Sassy Princess (Cairo Prince) she graduated by 2 1/4 lengths over the late running Positive Carry (Ire) (Sea the Moon {Ger}). Acting Class was in-foal with the winner when she was sold to Bluewater for $180,000 at the '20 Keeneland November Sale. Gold Lightning is a half-sister to Classy Act (Into Mischief), MGSP, $328,443. Her dam foaled a colt May 14 by Medaglia d'Oro and she visited Keepmeinmind for next year. Sales History: $150,000 Ylg '22 FTKOCT. Lifetime Record: 1-1-0-0, $57,750. Click for the Equibase.com chart or VIDEO, sponsored by FanDuel TV.
O-Martin S. Schwartz; B-Cypress Creek Equine, LLC (KY); T-Brad H. Cox.

Race report by J. N. Campbell

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The X-Ray Files: Liz Crow

The TDN sat down with bloodstock agent Liz Crow for this fourth offering in a series presented in cooperation with the Consignors and Breeders Association (CBA). Through conversations with buyers and sellers, the series looks to contribute to the discussion on radiograph findings and their impact on racetrack success.

Bloodstock agent Liz Crow, who has an ever-expanding list of accomplished sales purchases, as well as a burgeoning book of pinhook successes with partner Paul Sharp, admits there are subtle distinctions between buying to race versus buying for resale.

“There are several different findings for a horse that you can live with to race, but you can't buy to pinhook,” Crow said. “Some of those things, for example, are the moderate to severe sesamoiditis and juvenile tendonitis. Those horses will be perfectly fine and perfectly normal if you give them time, but you can't put them right into a 2-year-old sales cycle because you can't give them that time. They have to get ready and start breezing. Moderate to severe sesamoiditis requires 60 to 90 days before you break them. Obviously, you just don't have 60 to 90 days [for a pinhook prospect]. You've got to start breaking them when they get to your farm and they need to be breezing by January. And that just doesn't give you enough time. So it's all about timing.”

Whether it's searching for a racing prospect or a potential pinhook, Crow said the biggest part of her job may be determining what is consequential and what isn't on the vet report.

“I think your relationship with your vet is very important,” she said. “Not trusting just the vet report or what the vet reports say, but actually forming a relationship with the vet and having that line of communication where you can have a discussion. You as the agent, and with your client, you have to take that information and make that decision based on what you're given.”

Crow has been shopping the sales for over a decade and has learned to value just that type of relationship she has developed with Dr. Jeff Berk.

“I've been doing this for quite a while now and I've used the same vet my entire career,” Crow said. “I have listened to Dr. Berk read vet reports to me and talk to me about this for 12+ years at this point. We vet 400-500 horses in September alone. Oftentimes, Jeff will say to me in September–we are obviously all moving so fast–he will say, 'Call me on this one, let's talk about it.' And that means this is not a black-and-white thing. I honestly think it's a toss-up for what's more important for my job, whether it's picking out and finding a horse that has talent or is it really deciphering these vet reports.”

She continued, “Vet reports to me are very subjective. They are not black and white. If you get three different vets that give you three different opinions–and that happens more often than not–they are giving you their opinion. They cannot tell you if this horse can or cannot make the races. They are using their experience to tell you what they think based on what they found in the X-rays. But these are not facts. So the most important thing for me, as an agent, is to decipher what that means and if it fits for what my client is trying to do with that horse.”

Crow has built a career on finding horses on a budget who go on to do great things on the racetrack. She purchased future champion Monomoy Girl for $100,000 at the 2016 Keeneland September sale and was able to acquire subsequent Grade I winner Jack Christopher for $135,000 at the 2020 Fasig-Tipton October sale.

“Sometimes the best thing you can do for your client is find that horse that doesn't vet perfectly, but may be very athletic,” Crow said. “I've had a lot of success doing that and I think it's a great way to approach it, as long as your client is clear and understands the risk.”

After purchasing Monomoy Girl in 2016, the filly went on to win the 2018 GI Kentucky Oaks and twice won the GI Breeders' Cup Distaff. The two-time Eclipse champion provided Crow a case-in-point.

“Monomoy Girl had moderate sesamoiditis behind in both hind ankles and she had an OCD removed behind as well,” Crow said. “Dr. Berk and I had a discussion about it and I was completely comfortable with bidding on her based on what he had told me. And I think it did bother a few people, from my understanding. But that's the thing, when you get three or four different vets, they all have different opinions. I think that's part of the problem, all of the opinions.”

Over the years, Crow has developed an understanding of what are significant issues and what issues she can deal with.

“If your vet says the horse has this, this, this and this, I sort of go through it and immediately think, a P1 plantar fragment behind, a lucency in the upper joint, mild sharpening in the upper joint of the right knee, those things are all fine. I know those three findings. Like a sharpening in the knee, any finding in the upper joint of the knee, mild to moderate sesamoiditis that scans well, a fragment in the back of the ankle, these things don't mean anything really. They are just comments, a differentiation of normal. I think that there are a lot of findings that are just that, a differentiation of normal. And deciphering what is acceptable and what isn't is not as easy as just looking at the vet sheet. Monomoy Girl is a great example of a horse that, if you read her vet sheet without any sort of context or discussion, you could think she could have problem, but she didn't and none of those things bothered her throughout her entire race career.”

Advancements in veterinary scans provide potential buyers with a treasure trove of information to work through. That's not a bad thing, according to Crow.

“You can never go wrong with more information,” she said. “I am not going to say it's a bad thing that we have better information. I am just going to say that every horse has  something and it's very rare that you vet a horse that is perfectly clean. You have to learn what you can live with. Most good horses have something. It would be great to continue to inform these buyers that horses don't have to be NSA [no significant abnormalities] to be able to be purchased.”

Click to read previous The X-Ray Files: with Tom McCrocklin,  David Ingordo or Ciaran Dunne.

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